< PreviousICAO WORLD CIVIL AVIATION REPORTINTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION...................................................................................................................................................................60.............................................................................................................................................................................A full list of Core Principles that apply before, during and after travel, are shown in the sidebar. The principles enshrined therein include but are not limited to: access to clear and transparent information; to be kept informed regularly throughout the journey and to receive due attention in cases of service disruption; equal access to air transport; and efficient complaint handling procedures.PreambleRecognizing that passengers can benefit from a competitive air transport sector, which offers more choice in fare-service trade-offs and which may encourage carriers to improve their offerings, passengers, including those with disabilities, can also benefit from consumer protection regimes. Government authorities should have the flexibility to develop consumer protection regimes which strike an appropriate balance between protection of consumers and industry competitiveness and which take into account States' different social, political, and economic characteristics, without prejudice to the security and safety of aviation. National and regional consumer protection regimes should: i) reflect the principle of proportionality; ii) allow for the consideration of the impact of massive disruptions; iii) be consistent with the international treaty regimes on air carrier liability established by the Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules Relating to International Carriage by Air (Warsaw, 1929) and its amending instruments, and the Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules Relating to International Carriage by Air (Montréal, 1999).Before travelRecognizing the variety of air transport products in the market, passengers should have access to information on their rights and clear guidance on which legal or other protections apply in their specific situation, including the assistance expected, for example in case of service disruption. To help air ICAO CORE PRINCIPLES ON CONSUMER PROTECTIONpassengers make informed choices among different price and service offerings, consumer education efforts could be considered to increase awareness of passengers consumer rights and the available avenues for recourse should disputes arise. Efforts should also be made to increase awareness by passengers of airline products available in the market, different airline policies and contractual rights.Passengers should have clear, transparent access to all pertinent information regarding the characteristics of the air transport product that is being sought, prior to purchasing the ticket, including the following:a) total price, including the applicable air fare, taxes, charges, surcharges and fees;b) general conditions applying to the fare; andc) identity of the airline actually operating the flight, and advice on any change occurring after the purchase as soon as possible.During travelPassengers should be kept regularly informed throughout their journey of any special circumstances affecting their flight, particularly in the event of a service disruption.Passengers should receive due attention in cases of a service disruption, whether they result in the passenger not boarding the flight or in arriving at the destination significantly later than scheduled. This could include rerouting, refund, care and/or compensation where provided by relevant regulations or otherwise.Considering that passengers may find themselves in a vulnerable position in situations of massive disruptions, mechanisms should be planned in ICAO WORLD CIVIL AVIATION REPORTINTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION.....................................................................................................................................................................61.............................................................................................................................................................................advance by airlines, airport operators, and all concerned stakeholders, including government authorities to ensure that passengers receive adequate attention and assistance. Massive disruptions could include situations resulting from circumstances outside of the operator’s control that are of a magnitude such that they result in multiple cancellations and/or delays of flights leading to a considerable number of passengers stranded at the airport. Such circumstances could include, for example, events such as meteorological or natural phenomena of a large scale including hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, floods, political instability or similar events and result in large numbers of passengers being stranded away from their homes. Persons with disabilities should, without derogating from aviation safety, have access to air transport in a non-discriminatory manner and to appropriate assistance. To this end, they are encouraged to provide pre-notification of their needs.After travelPassengers should be able to rely on efficient complaint handling procedures that are clearly communicated to them.ICAO WORLD CIVIL AVIATION REPORTINTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION...................................................................................................................................................................62Survey on State Implementation of ICAO Policies on Charges for Airports and Air Navigation ServicesIn 2015, ICAO conducted a survey of States on the implementation of ICAO’s policies on charges for airports and air navigation services seeking information from States/Territories in four main areas: a) awareness of ICAO’s policies on charges by governments as well as by airports and air navigation services providers (ANSPs);b) national legislations relating to these charges; c) the level of implementation of ICAO’s policies; and d) the forms of economic oversight States use for airports and ANSPs.Out of 191 ICAO Member States, replies were received from 83 States/Territories, which are listed below. While the number of respondents amounts to 43.45% of ICAO membership, this also represents 84% of the total flight departures registered in 2014. This can therefore provide a solid basis for a representative overview of the situation the survey was intended to assess. A summary of the survey results is presented below. Detailed replies by State/Territory are available with the online subscription version of this publication.AWARENESS OF ICAO'S POLICIES ON CHARGES FOR AIRPORTS AND ANSPsThe replies show a high degree of awareness by States/Territories of the relevant ICAO policies. As shown in Figure 2, 81 of the 83 responding government authorities confirmed their awareness, with a slightly lower level of awareness by their airports and ANSPs.Figure: 1State responding to survey: .............................................................................................................................................................................ICAO WORLD CIVIL AVIATION REPORTINTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION.....................................................................................................................................................................638172766060728102310132StateAirportANSP’sAwareness of ICAO Policies on ChargesAirportANSP’sStateGive regard to ICAO policiesIssuesencounteredYes No SometimesFigure: 2.............................................................................................................................................................................To increase the awareness of the relevant ICAO policies, some respondents suggested that ICAO should consider including air transport economics as a topic at air transport conferences and symposia, or organize special workshops.NATIONAL RULES AND REGULATIONS ON CHARGES FOR AIRPORTS AND ANSPsAs shown in Figure 3, most of the responding States/Territories (68 of 83) have national rules and regulations on charges for airports and ANSPs.States having national regulations and rules on charges indicated that, in most cases, they apply their regulations to all airports and ANSPs. Some respondents advised that: a) they currently do not have national rules and legislation applicable to airports and ANSPs, but plan to introduce such rules and legislation in the future; b) Member States of the European Union (EU) apply EU regulations to international airports, while national regulations are applied to airports with lower traffic (less than 5 million passengers per year); andc) in South Africa, the ANSP is a monopoly. For airports, rules and regulations are applied to a particular/ categorized airport network on the basis of its market dominance.Most respondents affirmed that their existing national regulations and rules were compatible with ICAO’s policies, as shown in Figure 4. While 79 per cent of respondents considered their national rules compliant with ICAO’s policies, others indicated that some of their regulations were partially compliant, mainly due to relevant regulations under development, and problems encountered in determining the costs for some charges.Some suggested that ICAO should organize workshops and training courses to help States adapt their national rules and regulations to a changing environment, and to address issues dealing with the application of the cost-related principle on charges. IMPLEMENTATION OF ICAO’S POLICIES ON CHARGESRegarding the implementation of the four main principles set out in ICAO’s policies on charges, 77 per cent of respondents indicated that they have adopted these principles in general (see Figure 5). More specifically, about 80 per cent of respondents have incorporated the principles in national legislation (see Figure 6), while some 74 per cent included such principles in their Air Services Agreements (see Figure 7).Figure: 3YesNoExistence of national regulations & rules687Figure: 4YesNoCompatibility between national regulations and ICAO policies66122PartialImplementation of ICAO policies on charges in generalFigure: 5Yes No Sometimes6431063210AirportANSPsICAO WORLD CIVIL AVIATION REPORTINTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION...................................................................................................................................................................6442244728341813362532.............................................................................................................................................................................Non-discriminationCost-relatednessTransparencyConsultationAdoption of ICAO principles innational legistration by airportAdoption of ICAO principles innational legistration by ANSPsFigure: 670647065115510Non-discriminationCost-relatednessTransparencyConsultation67646761107713YESNOYESNONon-discriminationCost-relatednessTransparencyConsultationAdoption of ICAO principles in Air Service AgreementsFigure: 770647065YESNOPARTIAL8598101175For those respondents who indicated that ICAO’s polices have not been implemented or only partially implemented, the reasons given include:a) due to existing national government policies, ICAO’s policies could be only partially adopted (for example, some States do not charge users for certain services such as air navigation services);b) EU Member States had already applied EU regulations, such as Directive 2009/12/EC on Airport Charges; andc) the cost-relatedness principle is difficult to execute as, in some countries, applying this may not be able to generate adequate funding for infrastructure development, which requires huge capital investment (a challenge particularly for developing economies).FORMS OF ECONOMIC OVERSIGHTWith respect to the use of the five possible forms of economic oversight listed in the Airport Economics Manual (Doc 9562), the feedback indicates that the “institutional requirements” approach is used more than other forms. Feedback on the specific use of each oversight form is shown in Figure 8.Airport Economics Manual (Doc 9562)In response to requests from States for guidance aimed at improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of their airport operations, ICAO has developed the Airport Economics Manual (Doc 9562). The purpose of this manual is to provide practical guidance material for those responsible for airport management in improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the services and thus assist in the sustainable development of airport infrastructure. It is based on the international policies and principles on airport cost recovery that States have developed through ICAO and it describes procedures and practices that are in conformity with them.This publication can be obtained from the ICAO Store - https://store1.icao.int/Competition lawFall-back regulationInstitutional requirementsPrice cap regulationRate of return regulationAdoption of economic oversight by airportsAdoption of economic oversight by ANSPsFigure: 8Competition lawFall-back regulationInstitutional requirementsPrice cap regulationRate of return regulationYESNOYESNO31144723382311312729ICAO WORLD CIVIL AVIATION REPORTINTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION.....................................................................................................................................................................65.............................................................................................................................................................................Other comments from respondents include:a) economic oversight is conducted by government entities, including non aviation authorities;b) some have a hybrid model of economic oversight, e.g. “price cap” plus “rate of return”; andc) in some States, all of these forms of economic oversight are used, to some degree, to regulate airports. When these and other forms of oversight are used, the State ensures that it acts in accordance with its international obligations.CONCLUSIONS In general, the survey shows a high degree of awareness of ICAO’s policies on charges for airports and ANSPs. Three quarters of respondents have existent national regulations on charges that are compliant with ICAO’s policies. Most have also implemented ICAO’s policies by incorporating them into national regulations (although somewhat less in their Air Services Agreements). ICAO’s four main principles relating to charges, i.e. non-discrimination, cost relatedness, transparency, and consultation, have been widely adopted in practice by States. Nevertheless, some States reported that they have encountered difficulty in applying the cost-relatedness principle, as its use is considered not adequate to generate sufficient funding.While the five forms of economic oversight have been used to varying degrees by States, some feedback suggested a need to clarify or better define the relevant forms listed in Doc 9562.Other comments and suggestions for ICAO to consider include:a) working on capacity development in applying these policies and principles through training, workshops and bench-marking, with special assistance to developing economies. Training should focus on economic oversight and economic regulation functions, as well as air transport economics; b) providing more details in its technical manuals, particularly in the management of the financial elements; c) holding regional meetings with stakeholders in order to share new developments on airport and air navigation services charges; andd) recognition that airport operators face difficulties in bridging the gap between operational expenses and financing capital costs, particularly for airports where there are not a sufficient number of flights.AlgeriaAngolaArmeniaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBeninBoliviaBrazilBurkina FasoCabo VerdeCanadaChileChinaHong Kong SAR, ChinaMacao SAR, ChinaCongoCubaCyprusCzech RepublicDem. Rep. of the CongoDenmarkEcuadorEgyptEstoniaEthiopiaFijiFinlandFranceGeorgiaGermanyGreeceGuyanaIndiaIndonesiaIrelandIsraelItalyJapanJordanKenyaKuwaitKyrgyzstanLithuaniaLuxembourgMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMongoliaMozambiqueNetherlandsNew ZealandNigeriaNorwayPakistanPolandPortugalRepublic of KoreaRepublic of MoldovaRomaniaRussian FederationSao Tome and PrincipeSaudi ArabiaSenegalSeychellesSingaporeSlovak RepublicSloveniaSouth AfricaSurinameSwazilandSwedenSwitzerlandTFYR of MacedoniaTogoTurkeyUkraineUnited KingdomUnited Rep. of TanzaniaUnited StatesLIST OF RESPONDENTS TO THE SURVEYListed below are the States/Territories that responded to the ICAO survey.Aviation and the Environment ICAO WORLD CIVIL AVIATION REPORTINTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION.....................................................................................................................................................................69Aviation and the Environment Environmental Protection is one of ICAO's five strategic objectives. When ICAO first began working on Environmental Protection in the late 1960s, the focus was on the establishment of international policies and Standards and Recommended Practices related to aircraft noise. This focus gradually expanded and led to the adoption ICAO's three main environmental goals in 2004. Those are to limit or reduce the number of people affected by significant aircraft noise, to limit or reduce the impact of aviation emissions on local air quality, and to limit or reduce the impact of aviation greenhouse gas emissions on the global climate.Many aspects of ICAO's environmental work are conducted in cooperation with the ICAO Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP), which consists of Members and Observers from States, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations representing aviation industry and environmental interests.In October 2010, at the 37th Session of the ICAO Assembly, ICAO's Member States agreed to the global aspirational goal to stabilize international civil aviation GHG emissions at 2020 levels. The Assembly also defined a basket of measures designed to help achieve ICAO's global aspirational goal. This basket includes aircraft technologies such as lighter airframes, higher engine performance and new certification standards, operational improvements (e.g. improved ground operations and air traffic management), sustainable alternative fuels, and market-based measures (MBMs). These resolutions were reaffirmed in October 2016 by the ICAO 39th Assembly. Elements of this basket of measures, in combination with environmental trends, are presented in this chapter. Further details on the agreement by the 39th Session of the ICAO Assembly on a global market-based measure (MBM) scheme for international aviation, referred to as the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), as one part of the basket of measures can be found on pages 14 onwards. .............................................................................................................................................................................Next >