The new Prempeh International Airport in Kumasi may face a financial crunch should the current rate of airport tax paid by domestic passengers be maintained; this is the observation of an aviation analyst, Sean Mendes.
The industry player says the current GHC5 airport tax currently paid by domestic passengers is not realistic enough to maintain the facility hence threatening its sustainability going into the future.
Sean Mendes tells The High Street Journal that the airport tax which is used to maintain the edifice cannot cover the cost of running the newly improved services such as security, electricity, and air-conditioning among others.
The massive debt incurred by the Ghana Airports Company Limited, Sean Mendes says cannot be recovered with the GH₵5 airport tax currently in place.
“Kumasi airport will come close to processing 500,000 passengers in 2024 for the first time, but the reality is that over 99% of those passengers are domestic and consequently only pay 5 Ghana cedis as their airport tax,” the aviation analyst narrated.
He added: “That revenue is nowhere near enough to pay for the running costs of the airport including maintenance, security, electricity, air-conditioning, etc.., let alone service the debt that GACL has taken on for the construction of the terminal.”
He recommends that for the new international airport to maintain its standards, operate efficiently, and maintain the facility, authorities must be bold and charge a realistic airport tax. Failure to charge realistic taxes, Sean Mendes fears may lead to the new airport running into a financial crunch in the future.
“If the airport is going to continue to maintain its standard, there has to be a more realistic airport tax for domestic passengers that accurately reflects the operating costs for the facilities so that this shortfall is not being subsidised by much higher international passenger taxes, and bailouts from the government,” he suggested.
This suggestion is likely to spark debate as stakeholders will weigh the need for operational sustainability against the potential impact on domestic travel affordability.
