The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) has greatly increased the amount chargeable on cargo handling in all the airports in this country and some of the categories even tripled to a hundred times.
The new rates would apply as of July 1, an official notification issued in the wee hours on Wednesday said.
It is the first increase in the cargo tariffs in 5 years. According to the authority, the decision had been endorsed by its executive committee and represented the requirements of balancing of fees and costs of operations.
The new tariff system has increased the fees of transportation of pet birds by 50%. The cost has increased up to Rs300 per kilogramme.
In the same way, the tariff on betel leaves, one of the commodities which are exported, has also increased to Rs70 per kilogramme.
The general cargo rates have been raised too by 25 per cent to become Rs125/ kilogramme instead of Rs100.
Besides pet birds, the updated list entails the charges made on air freight of pets such as cats and dogs and miscellaneous goods classified as general cargo.
The rise was justified by authorities, who stated that the increase in the airport service charges had been stagnant in the last five years despite the many economic expenses incurred.
PAA is a governmental autonomous agency that has been structured in August 2024 under the section 3 of the Pakistan Airports authority Act to enhance the management, operation and development of airports and air transport services in Pakistan.
