Statute Details
- Title: Air Navigation (Paya Lebar and Tengah Aerodrome Fees) Order
- Act Code: ANA1966-OR1
- Type: Subsidiary legislation (sl)
- Current version: Current version as at 26 Mar 2026 (per the extract)
- Authorising Act: Air Navigation Act (Cap. 6), specifically referenced as “Air Navigation Act (CHAPTER 6, Section 3(2)(…)” in the extract
- Primary subject matter: Prescribes landing, parking, hangar, continuous parking, and passenger service charges for Paya Lebar Aerodrome and Tengah Aerodrome
- Key provisions (from extract): Sections 3–14 and Schedules 1–4
- Schedules: First Schedule (Landing Fee); Second Schedule (Parking and Hangar Fees); Third Schedule (Parking Fee for Continuous Parking); Fourth Schedule (Passenger Service Charge)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Air Navigation (Paya Lebar and Tengah Aerodrome Fees) Order is a Singapore legal instrument that sets out the fees and charges payable to the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (“Authority”) for aerodrome services at two specific aerodromes: Paya Lebar Aerodrome and Tengah Aerodrome. In practical terms, it governs the cost of using these aerodromes—when an aircraft lands, when it is parked, when it is housed in a hangar, and when passengers embark on flights departing Singapore.
The Order is designed to translate aerodrome usage into a predictable fee regime. It does so by (i) defining the relevant terms (including “taxi-weight”), (ii) prescribing how landing fees are calculated, including special rules for helicopters and for taxi-weight restrictions, and (iii) establishing time-based charges for parking and hangar accommodation. It also provides targeted reductions and exemptions for specified categories of aircraft and operations.
From a legal and compliance perspective, the Order is important because it is not merely a “pricing schedule.” It creates enforceable obligations tied to specific events (landing, parking, housing, and passenger embarkation) and includes procedural requirements (such as the need for a permit for certain private aircraft). It also addresses liability for fees (though the extract truncates the remainder of Section 14), which is typically where disputes about who must pay and when become legally significant.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. Landing fees (Section 3) and the calculation basis. Section 3 provides that, subject to reductions, exemptions, and any exemption under other written law, a landing fee at the rate in the First Schedule must be paid to the Authority for each landing of an aircraft at the aerodromes. The fee is calculated using the aircraft’s “taxi-weight,” which is defined as the maximum structural design weight limits from the aircraft’s model type certificate data sheet or the manufacturer’s approved flight manual.
Helicopters are treated differently (Section 3(2)). For helicopters, the landing fee is one half of the landing fee for a fixed-wing aircraft of the same taxi-weight. This is a clear example of how the Order differentiates between aircraft types for fee purposes.
Taxi-weight restrictions can cap the fee (Section 3(4)). If the Authority places a restriction on the taxi-weight of an aircraft operating from an aerodrome, the maximum landing fee charged is based on the restricted taxi-weight until the restriction is lifted. This matters for operators because it ties the fee outcome to operational restrictions imposed by the Authority—potentially reducing fees but also requiring careful documentation of the restriction and its duration.
2. Training flights and certain charter operations (Section 4). Section 4 introduces fee reductions for specific operational purposes. Where the flight is solely for training and testing flying personnel, or testing the aircraft or instruments, the landing fee is reduced by 75%. However, this reduction applies only if permission for each flight is obtained from the Authority before the flight is undertaken. This “permission before flight” condition is a compliance gate: without prior permission, the operator risks losing the reduction.
Section 4(3) provides a separate reduction: where any aircraft operates on charter flights on behalf of the Joint Services Movement Control of the United Kingdom, the landing fee is reduced by one-third. This is a targeted policy provision, likely reflecting reciprocal or historical arrangements.
3. Exempted aircraft (Sections 5 and 11). Section 5 lists categories of aircraft exempt from payment of landing fees. These include British military aircraft used for military purposes; foreign diplomatic aircraft engaged on diplomatic or consular missions; aircraft used for Government ceremonial purposes; aircraft owned by flying clubs approved by the Authority and operated for purposes approved by the Authority; and other aircraft/classes as the Authority may approve.
Section 11 then extends the Authority’s discretion: it may exempt classes of aircraft specified in paragraph 5 from payment of hangar and parking fees. This means that even if an aircraft is exempt from landing fees, hangar/parking exemptions are not automatic; they depend on the Authority’s discretion under Section 11. Practitioners should therefore treat landing-fee exemptions and hangar/parking exemptions as distinct legal questions.
4. Private aircraft permit regime (Section 6). Section 6 is a key procedural and substantive provision. The Authority may issue a special landing permit for a fee of $120 to owners of private aircraft with taxi-weight not exceeding 7,000 kilograms. The permit is valid for one year from the date specified and may be cancelled by the Authority at any time without assigning any reason and without refund of any portion of the fee.
The permit application must be in writing and must state the aircraft type, its taxi-weight, and the personal particulars of the owner. Importantly, an aircraft with a permit may land at the aerodromes and any civil aerodrome owned by the Government in Singapore and is exempted from landing fees levied at those aerodromes. However, the permit comes with a strict usage limitation: the aircraft must not be used for carriage of passengers or goods for hire or reward or for any commercial purpose. This restriction is likely to be a focal point in enforcement and disputes, particularly where private aircraft are used in ways that could be characterised as commercial.
5. Parking fees and time-based charging (Section 7) and continuous parking (Section 7(8) and Third Schedule). Section 7 requires payment of a parking fee (Second Schedule) for parking an aircraft at any place in the aerodrome for each period of 24 hours or part thereof. The parking time begins when the aircraft lands and ends when it takes off. There is a practical grace period: no parking fee is payable for the first 3 hours.
The area used for calculating the parking fee is defined as the product of the aircraft’s span and its maximum length. This is a technical measurement rule that operators and their ground handling agents must apply correctly to avoid under- or over-charging.
Section 7 also allows monthly parking arrangements at the Authority’s discretion. The monthly fee is calculated as 26 times the 24-hour parking fee, paid in advance. For continuous parking of 30 days or more, the fee is instead at the rate in the Third Schedule—except that Section 7(9) states that the continuous parking rate does not apply to Tengah Aerodrome. This carve-out is significant for long-term parking planning and budgeting.
6. Hangar fees (Section 8) and similar measurement rules. Hangar fees mirror the parking fee structure. Section 8 provides that a hangar fee (Second Schedule) is payable for housing an aircraft in a hangar for each period of 24 hours or part thereof. The area for calculating the hangar fee is the product of the aircraft’s span “as housed” and its maximum length. Monthly hangar arrangements are again discretionary, with monthly fees calculated as 26 times the 24-hour hangar fee, paid in advance.
7. Unused space and no rebate (Section 9). Section 9 addresses a common operational issue: where fees have been paid for monthly parking or monthly hangar housing, but the aircraft does not use the space provided. The Authority may allow another aircraft with the same taxi-weight to use the space with written approval, but “no rebate of the fee shall be granted under any circumstances.” This is a strong no-rebate rule that reduces the likelihood of successful claims for refunds or fee adjustments due to non-use.
8. Passenger service charge (Section 13) and exemptions. Section 13 imposes a passenger service charge (Fourth Schedule) payable to the Authority for every passenger embarking on an aircraft at the aerodromes for a destination outside Singapore. The charge is therefore event-based and passenger-count based.
Section 13(2) provides exemptions from the passenger service charge for specific categories: operating crew members; passengers aboard aircraft exempted from landing fees under paragraph 5; passengers in transit who do not leave the aerodromes, or who leave due to interruption caused by unserviceability or other essential facility issues, or delays beyond the control of the passenger or airline operator; infants under two years; service personnel and dependants embarking on charter flights for the Joint Services Movement Control of the United Kingdom; and other passengers/classes as the Authority may direct.
9. Liability for fee (Section 14). The extract truncates Section 14, but its heading—“Liability for fee”—signals that the Order allocates responsibility for payment. In practice, this is often where the legal practitioner will look to determine whether liability rests with the aircraft owner, operator, commander, airline, or another party (for example, the person who requests services or who is in possession of the permit). Because the extract does not include the operative text, practitioners should consult the full Section 14 in the current version to confirm the precise legal payer and any conditions for enforcement.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Order is structured as a short set of operative sections followed by four schedules that contain the actual fee rates. The main sections (1–14) include: citation (Section 1), definitions (Section 2), landing fee rules (Section 3), training flight reduction (Section 4), landing fee exemptions (Section 5), private aircraft permits (Section 6), parking fees (Section 7), hangar fees (Section 8), unused space rule (Section 9), discretionary reductions for certain charter operations (Section 10), discretionary hangar/parking exemptions (Section 11), a form/signature requirement for acceptance for parking/hangar (Section 12), passenger service charge rules (Section 13), and liability for fees (Section 14).
The schedules then provide the quantitative rates: First Schedule (Landing Fee), Second Schedule (Parking and Hangar Fees), Third Schedule (Parking Fee for Continuous Parking), and Fourth Schedule (Passenger Service Charge). This separation of “rules” and “rates” is typical of fee orders and is useful for practitioners because it allows the legal framework to remain stable while fee levels can be updated through amendments to schedules.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Order applies to aircraft operations and passenger embarkation at Paya Lebar and Tengah Aerodromes. In legal effect, it binds the parties who arrange or carry out landings, parking, hangar housing, and passenger embarkation at those aerodromes, subject to the exemptions and permit conditions specified.
While the extract identifies the Authority and defines terms such as “permit” and “taxi-weight,” the precise “payer” for each fee type depends on the operative liability provisions in Section 14 (not fully shown in the extract) and on the practical role of the airline, aircraft owner, commander, or permit holder. Practitioners should therefore read Section 14 in full to determine the correct party for invoicing, payment obligations, and potential recovery actions.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
This Order is important because it provides the legal basis for charging aerodrome fees in Singapore for two major aerodromes. For aviation operators, ground handlers, and counsel advising on operational compliance, the Order is a direct source of obligations: landing fees are triggered per landing, parking/hangar fees are triggered by time-in-space, and passenger service charges are triggered by passenger embarkation for destinations outside Singapore.
From a risk-management perspective, the Order contains several provisions that can materially affect cost and liability. The 75% reduction for training flights is conditional on obtaining permission for each flight before it occurs. The private aircraft permit regime offers landing fee exemption but prohibits commercial use and allows cancellation without refund. The no-rebate rule for unused monthly space reduces the scope for commercial renegotiation after payment. Finally, the continuous parking rate does not apply to Tengah Aerodrome, which affects long-term planning.
For enforcement and disputes, the “liability for fee” section is likely central. Even where exemptions appear to apply (for example, diplomatic or military aircraft), practitioners must confirm whether those exemptions extend to all fee categories (landing versus hangar/parking) and whether any discretionary exemptions have been granted. The Order’s combination of automatic exemptions (landing fees under Section 5) and discretionary exemptions (hangar/parking under Section 11) creates a nuanced compliance landscape.
Related Legislation
- Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore Act (Cap. 41) (definition of “Authority”)
- Air Navigation Act (Cap. 6) (authorising Act for this Order)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Air Navigation (Paya Lebar and Tengah Aerodrome Fees) Order for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.