Due to falling demand the VivaColombia airline expects to reduce the number of weekly flights to the Panama Pacifico terminal from seven to four, and is requesting that airport taxes be lowered.
High rates charged by the Panama Pacific International Airport, and the lack of an agreement with the state administrator of Tocumen, SA, have caused the low cost airline VivaColombia to make preparations to reduce the number of weekly flights to the country from seven to four.
The airline VivaColombia may put an end to its flights to the terminal arguing that the increase airport tax of $15 to $32 has affected occupancy levels on their flights.
The airline from Colombia is trying to reach an agreement with the authorities of Tocumen SA in order to maintain operations at the terminal in Howard, but stated that if they are unable to do so, they will suspend flights to the airport and use Tocumen instead, starting from March 2016.
As of August 15 airport tax for passengers transiting the Panama Pacific airport will will rise from $15 to $34 .
The charges for passenger service in the Panama Pacific terminal will go up to $34 from August 15, and there will be a discount of 50% for pensioners and seniors. In addition to this increase, the Tocumen administration announced it has established "...
The Legislative Assembly of El Salvador has approved extending for 60 days the suspension of payment of the fee for inspecting goods at customs using scanners.
According to the approval measure given by the Assembly, the extension of the suspension of the collection will be until mid-September and will apply to both domestic and foreign cargo, regardless of whether the destination of the goods is within or outside of Salvadoran territory.
Regional agreements establish reciprocal and non-discriminatory treatment for international land freight transport services between Central American countries.
An article in Elperiodico.com.gt reports that "...The deputy ministers of Foreign Trade of Central America agreed yesterday that Guatemala would send a complete analysis, which demonstrates that the charge of $18 being made in El Salvador for carrying out non intrusive revisions contravenes trade regulations and affects the region. "
Congress has confirmed the exemption from payment of $18 for non intrusive inspections of all goods, including exports and imports.
The suspension of the payment of $18 for the X-ray inspection of the goods will be for six months from its publication in the Official newspaper, providing President Funes endorses it.
From a press release issued by the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador:
Salvadoran exporters and importers will continue to pay the $18 fee per load and only goods passing through will be exempt from the fee.
The authentic interpretation of the decree eliminating a charge of $18 for the non-intrusive inspection services at Salvadoran Customs offices was vetoed by President Mauricio Funes. Salvadoran exporters and importers will continue to pay the $18 fee per load and only goods passing through will be exempt from the fee.
The regional union is bringing charges to the Central American Court of Justice over what it considers to be undue customs fees in El Salvador.
The American Federation of Freight (Fecatrans) announced that it is preparing a lawsuit against El Salvador at the Central American Court of Justice (CCJ). The union is complaining about the fees that carriers pay at customs offices in that country, which it considers improper.
While in customs offices the $18 fee is still being charged, those employers affected by it are concerned and are asking for a refund of what they have already paid.
The Chamber of Commerce of El Salvador (CCES) expects the authentic interpretation of the decree exempting the charge for the service of non-intrusive inspection of exports and imports and international transit of goods, to be published soon in the Official Journal, as the $18 fee is still being charged at the borders of the country.
The suspension of payment for customs inspections in El Salvador applies to goods in international transit and those with a local destination.
From a press release issued by the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador:
The Legislature has approved an authentic interpretation of Decree 604, approved on January 16, which contains exceptional and transitional provisions applied to the "Customs Simplification Act" to suspended for a period of 180 days, the fee for the provision of non-intrusive inspections, whose office of departure and destination are within or outside the borders of El Salvador.
Salvadoran exporters are asking for clarification over the regulation that puts on hold the fee of $18 per inspection of goods.
The Corporation of Exporters of El Salvador (Coexport) asked the Government to clarify which goods have to be inspected at customs and pay the $18 fee. They explain that there is confusion occurring at the regional level which must be addressed.
The authorities at customs offices in Guatemala and Honduras have opened new routes for regional transit of goods between the two countries.
The aim of the opening of new routes at the borders between the two countries, in El Florido and Agua Caliente, is to streamline regional trade which has been blocked because of the protests over the application of a fee of $18 in Salvadoran customs offices for X-ray inspection of trucks.
President Funes has asked Congress to suspend for 180 days the fee charged for inspecting goods in transit using scanners.
From a press release issued by the Presidency of El Salvador:
The President, Mauricio Funes, today appealed to the Legislature, through a project for a proposed temporary decree, to suspend the collection of $18 for non-intrusive inspections in the case of goods going through customs offices which are destined to go out of the country, an issue which has generated a dispute at the borders.
The issue of increasing rates for lodgings from 10% to 11% has still not been resolved, which is preventing wholesale contracts prices from being calculated.
Prensa.com reports: "This issue was expected to have been resolved on August 8. The authorities and hotel owners amended bureau statutes, and it was agreed that the organization will be public-private partnership, but the meeting did not address the increase in the rate of accommodation which was to go from 10% to 11%. "
Port operators are protesting over the expected collection of $5 to $10 for the examination of each container using a scanner, which takes away competitiveness.
Payments to cover the costs of maintaining two scanners have created differences between port operators and the National Customs Authority (ANA in Spanish). One is in the port of Balboa and the other in Manzanillo International Terminal in Colon.