Coventry Airport's new management is demonstrating its commitment to attract new airlines to the West Midlands Airport by reducing the fees and charges levied at the airport's customers. In some cases the fees have been reduced by more than 60%.

In 2006 Coventry Airport was acquired by CAFCO-C and its technical management team, CIAO (Convergence International Airports Organisation) a British company specialising in the design, construction, management and operation of regional airports and their infrastructure. As part of an extensive forward-thinking development plan for Coventry, the new management has reviewed existing fees and charges and taken the decision to reduce landing fees, PLS (passenger load supplement) and parking charges.

"We are determined to make Coventry Airport as attractive as possible to potential airlines and private customers," said Chris Orphanou, Coventry Airport's Managing Director. "This is one way we can demonstrate our resolve and our commitment to developing our route network. Wizz Air commences services between Coventry to the Polish city of Katowice in July and we are confident that other airlines will realise the appeal of Coventry and follow suit."

Landing fees at Coventry Airport have been reduced from 16.30 pounds per metric tonne to 10 pounds per metric tonne - representing a reduction of more than 60%. Originally the landing fees for an 80 tonne aircraft (a B737 for example) would have been 1340 pounds. With the reduction in landing fees it would now only cost 800 pounds to land. For a six tonne Cessna Citation the fee has been reduced from 97.80 pounds to 60 pounds.

PLS at Coventry - which used to be chargeable on arriving and departing passengers - is now only payable on departing passengers. The fee is now 9.00 pounds for international passengers and 5.50 pounds on domestic departing passengers.

Parking charges have been changed to a flat fee of 25 pounds or 30 pounds, rather than per tonne and Coventry Airport has also appointed an additional on-site distributor for AVGAS. Previously only available from Coventry Airport Fuelling, the new contract, based at Coventry Airport North, will provide greater operational efficiency for airport customers.

"These are all very positive messages we are sending to our potential airline customers," said Chris Orphanou. "We have invested more than 5 million pounds in just 18 months at Coventry and we are looking forward to imminent approval for the construction of a new terminal which will increase the capacity for passenger throughput from 0.98 million to two million passengers per annum."