The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission will not object to a proposal by Sydney Airports Corporation Ltd to introduce a new charge for apron parking during curfew hours, ACCC Chairman, Professor Allan Fels, announced today.
The charge is $38.50 per 15 minutes an aircraft is parked on the apron, and applies only to freight operators, who are exempt from the curfew. The notification was lodged because due to capacity constraints, Australian Air Express was forced to re-locate from the Qantas aprons it had been using onto SACL’s aprons.* AAE approached Sydney Airport seeking use of these facilities and has subsequently reached a commercial agreement with the airport.
"In not objecting to the proposed charge the ACCC was mindful that AAE was supportive of SACL's proposal. Furthermore, the charge will only affect a very limited number of freight operators.
"The ACCC does have some concerns, however, that the introduction of this charge could allow Sydney Airport to generate revenues in excess of its costs. To ensure this does not happen, the ACCC expects other charges to be lowered. For example, the daytime apron parking rate could be reduced.
"The ACCC will carefully consider future notifications from Sydney Airport to ensure that it is not using its monopoly position to set prices that are too high", Professor Fels said.