The General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics, (DGAC), will begin charging a new, but relatively unknown, fee for services that it provides. The law was stealthily entered into force more than one month ago, without the realization of the general population.
This law was voted on December 15, 2011, with President Porfirio Lobo Sosa, and John Orlando Hernández’s full knowledge. Unlike two previously (reversed) banned tariffs, this new increase was published in the Official Gazette on December 23, 2011, so it is already in force.
The director of the DGAC, Manuel Cáceres, argues the raise is needed to ensure the safety of air navigation, and that the institution, the Secretariat of Public Works, Transport and Housing, has the economic and financial resources to perform its best. “It is imperative and urgent to establish a tariff structure that matches the rules of law” mentioned in resolution DGCA-01-2011, embodied in the Gazette.
The increase is applied toward the costs of administering landings, authorizations, charter flights, registration of aircraft, flights, certificates, and monitoring standards of the airfields, among other services, according to the DGAC.
Charter Planes Under Question
The tourism sector, and former President of the National Chamber of Tourism Honduras (Canaturh), Epaminondas Marinakys, explained the repercussions there are by the unexpected rise, “This is a problem for the tourism sector, which is taking a hit.”
Charter flights will now pay $300 (5,700 lempiras) per flight to land in Honduras, when before they paid 300 or 350 dollars per month.
“I spoke with the Minister of Tourism, Nelly Jerez, and she told me that they will not increase the rate for Charter flights, but the Decree says the opposite,” said Marinakys.
“Charter flights have announced their withdrawal from Honduras because of this increase. I have received calls from several operators who sell complete packages to tourists, especially Canadians, those who love coming here on charter flights. It is regrettable that other countries are lowering fares to attract tourism, and here in Honduras the reverse is true.”
