Amsterdam Airport Schiphol must lower tariffs that took effect April 1 by €3.5 million ($4.5 million), Dutch competition authority NMa ruled yesterday.
Schiphol Group incorrectly passed several nonaviation costs–including the costs of building a sound barrier around one runway, of training baggage handling employees and of an accountancy control–to airlines when setting landing and handling fees, NMa said.
Under rules introduced in 2006, airport fees must reflect the actual cost of operations, be nondiscriminatory and reasonable.
The ruling follows a complaint from KLM and the Board of Airline Representatives in the Netherlands, in addition to one from easyJet that has yet to be investigated, NMa said.
(ATW)