GEN 4.2  Air navigation services charges

1  Route air navigation services

1.1  General

Slovenia applies the EUROCONTROL system for the establishment and collection of charges for en-route and terminal air navigation facilities and services.

The data required for calculating the route and terminal charges for a flight are derived from the information contained in the flight plan and are sent to the EUROCONTROL - Agency which has been entrusted with the collection of the route and terminal charges.

Airspace users are requested to note that the ICAO instructions on the completion of flight plan forms (as given in Appendix 2 of ICAO Doc 4444-RAC/501) are scrupulously to be adhered with in order to avoid errors in calculating the charges and penalizing the users themselves.

1.2  Principles
1.2.1 The Law on Route Air Navigation Charges 1995 comprise the actual regulations for the collection of the route charge:
  • publications of the Minister of Transport and Communications concerning the conclusions of the Enlarged Commission of EUROCONTROL on the conditions of application and payment of route charges and
  • unit rates
1.2.2 The base for the collection of the terminal charges is Regulation of the Slovenian government on terminal charges for the provision of air navigation services (Off. Gazette Of the Republic of Slovenia Nr. 102/2006). Charging, billing and collection of terminal charges has been entrusted to Eurocontrol Agency based on the Bilateral Agreement relating to terminal charges with Slovenia Control, Ltd.
1.3  Calculation formula
1.3.1  Route Charges
The charge per flight will be calculated in accordance with the following formula:

ri = ti × Ni

where ri is the charge, ti the service unit rate of charge and Ni the number of service units corresponding to the actual flight in LJUBLJANA FIR.
For a given flight, the number of service units (Ni) is obtained by applying the following formula:

Ni = di × P

in which di is the distance factor of the flight within LJUBLJANA FIR and P the weight factor for the aircraft concerned.
1.3.1.1  Distance factor

The distance factor shall be obtained by dividing by on hundred (100) the number of kilometres in the great circle distance between:

  • the aerodrome of departure within, or the point of entry into, the airspace of the LJUBLJANA FIR and
  • the aerodrome of arrival within LJUBLJANA FIR, or point of exit from LJUBLJANA FIR.

The distance to be taken into account shall be reduced by twenty (20) kilometres for each take-off from and for each landing, considering that a separate charge is paid for the air navigation services and facilities at aerodromes.

1.3.1.2  Weight factor
The weight factor is defined as the square root of the quotient by dividing the number of metric tonnes in the maximum certificated take-off weight of the aircraft (as set in the certificate of airworthiness) by fifty (50).

P = √ ( MTOW / 50 )

For the calculation of the charge, the weight factor will be expressed with two decimals.

In those cases where an operator has indicated to the bodies responsible for the collection of the charge that he operates two or more aircraft, which are different versions of the same type, the average of the maximum take-off weights of all his aircraft of that type shall be used for the calculation of the weight factor for each aircraft of that type. The calculation of this factor per aircraft type and per operator will be effected at least once a year. If the operator has given no such indication, the weight factor for an aircraft of any type shall be calculated by taking the weight of the heaviest aircraft of the same type known to exist.

1.3.1.3  Service unit rate
The value of the Route air navigation charge including the administrative unit rate established for Slovenia amounts to:
  • 76.36 EUR (excluding VAT) per service unit from 1 JAN 2010 until 31 DEC 2010
1.3.1.4  VAT

Pursuant to the Value Added Tax Act of the Republic of Slovenia (Official Journal of the Republic of Slovenia No. 21/2006) route charges generated in the FIR of Slovenia shall be subject to Value Added Tax. All phases of domestic flights qualify as services which shall be subject to 20% VAT, whilst international flights are exempted from the application of VAT on the basis of article 31 of the same act.

1.3.2  Terminal Charges
1.3.2.1  General

A charge is levied from Slovenia Control, Ltd for covering the costs incurred for the use of services and facilities of Terminal Air Navigation Services at arrival and departure at international airports.

Counting unit is the take off. Approach and departure as well as repeated touch and go, go-around approaches are rated as single use.

The party liable for the charges is the operator of the aircraft or the owner of the aircraft in case that operator can not be recognised.

The charge per flight will be calculated in accordance with the following formula:

R = P × T

where R is the charge, P is the service unit rate of charge and T is the weight factor of the aircraft

1.3.2.2  Weight factor

The weight factor T is defined with the following formula:

T = ( MTOW / 50 )0.7

1.3.2.3  Service unit rate

The value of the Terminal air navigation charge including the administrative unit rate established for Slovenia amounts to:

  • 256.77 EUR (excluding VAT) per service unit from 01 JAN 2010 until 31 DEC 2010
1.3.2.4  VAT

Pursuant to the Value Added Tax Act of the Republic of Slovenia (Official Journal of the Republic of Slovenia No. 21/2006) route charges generated in the FIR of Slovenia shall be subject to Value Added Tax. All phases of domestic flights qualify as services which shall be subject to 20% VAT, whilst international flights are exempted from the application of VAT on the basis of article 31 of the same act.

2  Cost basis for air navigation services and exemptions/reductions

2.1  Cost basis for Air Navigation Services

The cost basis for Air Navigation Services is available on request from the Ministry of Transport, Civil Aviation Directorate (DCA) (for address, see GEN 1.1.6).

2.2  Exemptions/reductions
2.2.1 The following flights shall be exempted from the payment of route charges:
  1. Flights performed exclusively under visual flight rules (VFR);
  2. Flights terminating at the departure aerodrome and during which no intermediate landing has been made (circular flights);
  3. Flights performed by aircraft of a maximum certificated take-off weight of less than 2 metric tons;
  4. Flights performed exclusively for the transport Heads of State, Heads of Government as well as Ministers on official mission;
  5. Search and rescue flights authorized by a competent SAR unit;
  6. Flights performed by military aircraft of a State to which exemption from payment of charges is granted by the Republic of Slovenia;
  7. Flights performed exclusively for the purpose of checking or testing equipment used or intended to be used as ground aids to air navigation, excluding positioning flights by the aircraft concerned.
2.2.2 The following flights shall be exempted from the payment of terminal charges:
  1. Flights performed exclusively under visual flight rules (VFR);
  2. Flights performed by aircraft of which the maximum take-off weight authorised is less than two (2) metric tons;
  3. Flights performed exclusively for the transport, on official mission, of the reigning Monarch and his/her immediate family, Heads of State, Heads of Government, and Government Ministers. In all cases, this must be substantiated by the appropriate status indicator or remark on the flight plan;
  4. Search and rescue flights, humanitarian flights and urgent medical flights
  5. Flights performed by military aircraft of a State to which exemption from payment of charges is granted by the Republic of Slovenia;
  6. Flights performed exclusively for the purpose of checking or testing equipment used or intended to be used as ground aids to air navigation, excluding positioning flights by the aircraft concerned;
  7. Flights performed by aircraft owned by the Republic of Slovenia

3  Methods of payment

The charges are collected by EUROCONTROL. The amount of the charge shall be paid in EUR. The date by which payment must be effected is shown on the bill. Claims against bills must be submitted to EUROCONTROL in writing. The final date by which claims must be submitted is shown on each bill. claims must be detailed and should be accompanied by any relevant supporting evidence. Any claim submitted by a user does not entitle him to make a deduction from the relevant bill unless authorized to do so by EUROCONTROL.

In case of delayed payment of route and terminal air navigation charges, the rate of interest for default, which is to be charged since 1 JAN 2010, amounts to 11.58% per year.

4  Information

Further information can be obtained from:

Post:EUROCONTROL
Central Route Charges Office
Rue de la Fusée 96
B - 1130 Brussels
BELGIUM
Tel:+ 32 2 729 3813
Fax:+ 32 2 729 9093
Email:r3.crco@eurocontrol.int