IAA Increase Fees by Almost 200%

This article has been updated to correct some of the numbers in the table below. The schedule of fees document is very unclear and contradicts itself in several different sections. It also uses regulatory references that were phased over a decade ago making comparisons challenging.

In September the Irish Aviation Authority launched a consultation on the future funding of the organisation. The consultation questions were:

• What principles should guide the IAA when setting fees?
• In what areas, if any, should the IAA aim to use the user pays principle?
• In what areas, if any, should the IAA aim to use an industry pays principle?
• What level of granularity should be used when considering cost relatedness and non-discrimination?
• Would you support the use of a per passenger charge, to cover a proportion of the IAA’s costs (and which passengers should this be levied on)?

The previous updates to IAA Fees took place in 2011 and 2015. As mentioned in the consultation document, to the end of 2022, cumulative CPI inflation totalled 14.4% and 12.0% respectively since these fees were last changed. The result has been an increases far in excess of this.

Is the Minister of Transport to Blame?

The Irish Aviation Authority Safety Regulation Division (SRD) and the Irish Aviation Authority Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP) split into two separate organisations on 1^st May 2023 under the Air Navigation and Transport Act 2022. The ANSP became AirNav Ireland, a commercial semi-state company. The Minister of Transport remains the only shareholder of both companies. The Minister, and by extension, The Government is the main beneficiary here. They will take higher profits from AirNav Ireland while not providing any of this funding towards the regulator as has historically been the case since the IAA was established in 1994. The Regulator receives no State funding, as determined by the Air Navigation and Transport Act 2022.

We’ve analysed the updated Schedule of Charges, specifically for Pilot Licensing, highlighting the original charges in the 2015 Fees Order versus the latest fees just published. The new document has several significant mistakes and makes references to licences that have not existed since the introduction of EASA and no reference to EASA qualifications such as Flight Instructor Ratings. We’ve interpolated as best we can making certain assumptions as to what the IAA are referring to.

General Aviation appears to have been disproportionately affected with percentage increases into triple digits. This is bound to have an impact on safety.

* We’re assuming the IAA is actually referring to a Flight Instructor Certificate as defined in Subpart J of the Aircrew Regulation

** There is a contradiction in this section where it indicates an initial issue of a Flight Instructor Rating [Certificate] is the same as a renewal/revalidation however earlier in the document a Flight Instructor Rating [Certificate] is priced at €360.

This table above is just an indicative list. Take a look for yourself by comparing the 2015 Fees Order here and the latest fees from 2024 here.

It’s worth pointing out that all EASA licences are equal and licence holders are entitled to transfer their state of licence issue to any EASA state. There’s no requirement to be resident in that state. For example, the biggest nationality holding Irish pilot licences is actually British. There are also a significant number of Italian nationals holding Irish-issued EASA licences. The fees vary significantly across the EU, for example, the issue of an EASA PPL in Poland is just €88.96¹ compared to an Irish charge of €300 (+237%) and an Instructor Certificate is just €63.65¹ compared to an Irish charge of €300 (+371%).

_{¹Converted to Euro from Polish Zloty at the time of publication.}