To deal with fuel prices, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) just proposed raising air service prices on domestic routes to the Ministry of Transport (MoT). (Photo: VNA)

In a recent proposal sent to MoT, CAAV asked for a reduction in environmental protection and import taxes on jet fuels, and an increase in service fees on domestic routes.

CAAV proposed raising passenger transportation fees on domestic routes by 3.75% to the rate set in 2014.

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), on July 1, 2022, the price of Jet A1 fuel in Asia reached 153.59 USD per barrel while the average price of Jet A1 in 2022 was estimated at 143.4 USD per barrel.

IATA considers this a problem that causes the most "headaches" for air transport businesses.

In Vietnam, CAAV calculated: “If fuel costs account for 39.5% of total costs and other costs stay the same, local airlines are seeing the fuel costs for July 2022 rising by up to nearly 93% compared to that of December 2014, and by nearly 115% compared to that of September 2015. And the rising fuel costs are driving total costs for July 2022 up by 39% against December 2014 and by over 46% against September 2015.”

A representative of Vietjet Air told local media that the airline builds its business plan on the basis of gasoline prices at 80 USD per barrel in 2022.

With the current gasoline price, Vietjet Air will incur an additional cost of 6.5 trillion VND (282 million USD) to 7.5 trillion VND.

According to economic experts, if the high fuel costs are not removed, it will affect the exploitation output of the whole industry and airlines will have difficulty recovering and expanding their flight network, even having to close some routes due to unbalanced costs.

CAAV also proposed to apply the fee for assessment and issuance of certificates, permits and certificates in aviation activities at only 80% of the prescribed rate to help the industry.

The agency also proposed a similar reduction to the security transaction registration fee for aircraft.

In the latest move from the Ministry of Transport on July 6 In 2022, Minister Nguyen Van The signed Official Letter No 6779/BGTVT-TC to the Ministry of Finance proposing to reduce fees and charges in the field of transport, in which, in the aviation industry, the MoT proposes to reduce the collection of some fees issued in Circular No 193/2016/TT-BTC dated November 8, 2016 by the Ministry of Finance regulating collection rates, payment, management and use of fees and charges in aviation industry.

Specifically, a 20% reduction of fees for assessment and issuance of certificates, permits and certificates in civil aviation activities, issuing permits to enter and exit restricted areas at airports and airfields, and a 20% discount on security transaction registration fee for aircraft.

The implementation period is until the end of 2022.

On July 6, the National Assembly Standing Committee adopted a resolution on environmental protection tax for petrol, diesel and grease. Accordingly, the environmental protection tax on jet fuel will be lowered to 1,000 VND per litre from the current 1,500 VND.

The reduction will be applied from July 11 until the end of this year.