Date Published: 19/01/2023

ARCHIVED - Airlines face 10 per cent price hike for flying over Spanish airspace

ARCHIVED ARTICLE -

The charges are for air traffic control and other navigation services when travelling over Spain

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - Airlines face 10 per cent price hike for flying over Spanish airspace

It seems the only way is up in 2023 and as prices for consumer products, utilities and groceries spiral, airlines are also bearing the brunt of inflation.

It’s been revealed on Thursday January 19 that all carriers travelling through Spanish airspace will have to pay higher overflight fees this year, which are used the cover the cost of air traffic control and other navigation systems that planes need to use.

While it’s only been published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) this week, the charges will be applied retroactively from January 1. The overflight fees for mainland Spain have risen to 54.71 euros, which is a 10.6% increase compared to last year and airlines operating in the Canary Islands will have to pay 6.4% more – 45.47 euros.

Failure to pay these rates will incur interest charges of 9.97 euros per 100 per year.

Eurocontrol and the European Commission work together to come up with these figures and airlines have to pay overflight fees to the governments of each country they fly over on their routes. The charges are calculated based on the unit rate of the country, the distance in kilometres of the flight and the maximum take-off weight of the aircraft in tons.

Between this new rate increase and the rising costs of jet fuel, it’s not hard to believe that flight prices will be a lot more expensive during 2023.

Even with this most unwelcome hike, overflight charges in Spain remain some of the cheapest of Europe, far lower than the likes of Germany (73.01 euros, France (73.69 euros), Italy (72.37 euros) and the United Kingdom (86.26 euros).

Also of interest: Hand luggage allowances on flights in Spain for 2023

Image: Archive

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