Siem Reap’s $1,000 Landing Fee Hikes Costs For Airlines

Cambodia’s aviation regulator is imposing a royalty fee of $1,000 for almost every flight that lands at Siem Reap International Airport, a practice that airlines said is pushing up their costs, and which is also against an international aviation convention. While airline officials say the $1,000-per-landing royalty charge has been in place for years, officials at the State Secretariat for Civil Aviation (SSCA), the state regulator, and Ministry of Finance denied knowledge of the fee, which would amount to millions of dollars in revenue for the government every year. … Cambodia Airports, which owns and operates the Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville airports, imposes standard landing fees based on the weight of aircraft that are identical for all three facilities, according to the Cambodia Airports website. … Still, not every airline appears to have to pay the royalty. …