IATA continues to call on Narita to lower costs as Seoul's Incheon reduces landing charges by 10%

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has said it welcomes news that Seoul's Incheon International Airport  has reduced landing charges by 10% to help the industry's cost saving efforts as it battles the impacts of SARS outbreak in Asia. The news came as aviation industry leaders gathered in Washington DC for the World Air Transport Summit and IATA Annual General Meeting.

The response of Asia-Pacific Airports to the SARS crisis has been almost universal, airports across the region have cut costs and reduced charges to airlines.

Tokyo's Narita Airport is the one main exception stated IATA - Narita continues to turn a blind eye to the industry's pleas for cost savings. Traffic at Narita has dropped significantly as a result of the SARS scare. Narita is the most expensive airport in the world to land an aircraft by a wide margin.

IATA stepped-up its protests over Narita's high costs since the opening of its second runway in April 2002 with repeated appeals to the Narita Airport Authority and to Chikage Ogi, Minister of Land Infrastructure and Transport. These efforts were re-doubled in light of the SARS crisis.

IATA stated it urges Narita to end its isolation and join its fellow Asian airports in responding positively to the industry's need to reduce costs.