SANTO DOMINGO.- The country’s airports Thursday rejected decree 179-09 which eliminates the fee for each pound of freight transported, which they charge the airlines, because in their view violates their contractual rights and were neither consulted on nor agree with the measure.

They said the fee is less than four percent for the providers’ freight cost and the measure won’t benefit exporters.

In that regard the Airports Association asked the Airports Commission to refuse the request by exporters of perishable products, to reduce the fee on exported freight the carriers charge.

“Each economic agent who participates by air in the process to export one pound of freight must assume their own costs, as payment for the benefit they receive,” they  said in an emailed statement.

“It’s absurd to think that the airports can subsidize the airlines and the freight handlers, under the excuse to benefit the exporting sector and to reduce a rate it doesn’t charge that sector,” they said.

The executives of Aerodom, the international airports Cibao, La Romana and Punta Cana, added that the reduction of 0.02 cents on the dollar to the fee per pound of freight exported by air doesn’t make sense.