Airlines traversing Slovakia face the region’s highest overflight fees, leading to underutilized airspace. While flying through Slovakia costs €72.23 per track unit, Hungary charges a significantly lower €33.68.
The Supreme Audit Office (NKÚ) attributes these elevated costs to generous employee benefits at the state-run air traffic control company, LPS. From 2019-2022, employee expenses comprised about 60% of LPS’s total costs, linked to a generous collective agreement. Ľubomír Andrassy, NKÚ head, emphasizes the need for realistic benefit adjustments, given the high demand and complexity of air traffic control jobs.
To enhance civil aviation’s growth and revenue, the NKÚ recommends the Transport Ministry develop a detailed strategy, outlining LPS’s roles and services at different airports.
Source: spectator.sme.sk
