The principal types of aeronautical charges are:
1. The landing fee that aircraft operators pay for use of the airfield (runways and taxiways).
2. The terminal area navigation fee, a charge for air traffic management services on and near the airport; this is usually a part of the landing fee, but it is charged separately in some countries.
3. The aircraft parking and hangar fee for the use of contact and remote apron stands and, if applicable, of hangars; many airports also charge a separate fee for overnight aircraft parking.
4. The airport noise charge, which is imposed separately at some airports, currently mostly European ones, to cover the cost of noise monitoring systems and of noise mitigation measures.
5. Various passenger service charges intended to cover costs directly related to the use of passenger buildings and of passenger processing services therein.
6. The cargo service charge that some airport operators use to cover parts or all of the costs of cargo processing facilities and services
7. The security charge that pays for (part or all of) aviation security equipment and services at the airport.
8. The ground handling charge for the servicing of aircraft and the processing of passengers and their bags. Ground handling charges are often subdivided into charges for: ramp handling, i.e., services provided on the apron (the “ramp”) such as loading and unloading of aircraft, baggage handling and sorting, cleaning of aircraft, passenger transport to/from remote stands, aircraft deicing, etc.; and traffic handling, i.e., the processing of passengers (check-in, ticketing, boarding, etc.) and of bags, as well as the provision of information services, preparation of various handling documents, etc. Ground handling services can be provided in four different ways: by the airport operator; by the airline itself (“self-handling”); by one airline to another; and by specialized companies (“ground handlers”) that obtain a license to operate on an airport’s
premises. When the airport operator itself provides the handling services, it collects handling charges from the airlines it serves. In the case of third-party handling (one airline to another or handling by a specialized company) the airport operator collects a license fee or a percentage of handling revenues from the service provider.
Self-handling airlines usually pay no airport ground handling charges, but obviously incur all relevant expenses themselves.
9. Concession fees for aviation fuel and oil collected either from on-site licensed companies that supply fuel and oil to the airlines and other aircraft operators or directly from the airlines and aircraft operators. In the latter case, the airport operator itself may buy the fuel from external suppliers and resell it to the ultimate users, adding its own fee to the cost.
