Airport taxes increase in BT100, AOT board decides

Airports of Thailand has decided to increase passenger exit rates of current BT200 BT100 for domestic flights and BT800 Bt700 for international flights from mid-2014.
AOT President Thivaree Sitha said the agency was announcing this now to give passengers a lot in advance.
Agency's board also approved the appointment of Petplai Makin, who had a secure, well-paying job as senior vice president of Thaicom, as president of the AOT, starting next month.
The executives of the tourism industry said they had no objection to the elevation of the airport exit rates by the BT100, but wondered how they would use the extra revenue to improve facilities and service.
Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, said he would not mind an increase in the commission because it would have little impact on tourism. However, I wanted to know if the higher rates would benefit airport users through higher standards and better service, something that foreign tourists have complained that members of the association.
Yutthachai Soonthronrattanavate, president of the Association of Domestic Travel, had similar doubts.
Sitha said raising the passenger service charge (PSC) was necessary because the real costs in question had increased to Bt336 per passenger domestic higher than Bt236 per capita revenue collection. AOT has been absorbing this cost difference for some time.
The top output rate will apply in all six airports operated by AOT (Suvarnabhumi, Don Muang, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket and Hat Yai) after receiving approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation after passengers have notified six months in advance, which should be in mid-2014, he said.
AOT expects revenues of airport charges this year of about one billion BT16. The cost of passenger service top output (PSC) should boost annual revenue by Bt3.8 million (Bt1.4 million domestic flights and international flights BT2.4 million). The benefit of international flights PSC compensate the loss incurred in the rate of domestic flights.
In another vein, AOT hopes to offer passengers an insurance against flight delays of over three hours, regardless of the reason. Passengers on delayed flights would be entitled to a cash refund or a new ticket system.
The insurance company is negotiating with AOT coverage proposed flight delays for five hours on. This program is expected to be released simultaneously with the increase of single scheduled for mid-2014.
With the increase in revenue this year from an increase in passenger volume, the gains (in an exchange of yen loans of about Bt3 million) and lease revenue reopening Don Mueang Airport The AOT board has agreed to reward its staff a bonus of 11 months of this year. Details, however, have not yet been revealed.
He asked the board to review the operating results of AOT for fiscal year 2013 (October 1, 2012, the September 30, 2013) at its next meeting on November 6. AOT net income before interest taxes and depreciation is Bt22.2 million, while the net profit of about one billion Bt14.4 Bt17.7 million has grown by more than 100 percent of net profit of Bt6.50 billion last year.