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TMI BlogAIRSPACE ON RENTX X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... AIRSPACE ON RENT X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... rflight fees are a significant element of international aviation economics. These are charges levied by a sovereign state on foreign aircraft that traverse its airspace without landing. While seemingly straightforward, the governance, structure, and taxation of these fees intersect with international conventions, bilateral agreements, and domestic tax laws. In India, a key area of discussion is whether these fees fall under the Reverse Charge Mechanism (RCM) under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, particularly in reference to Entry No. 5 of Notification No. 13/2017 - Central Tax (Rate) dated 28th June 2017. 1. International Legal Framework 1.1 The Chicago Convention (1944) The legal foundation for international overflight rights i ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... s embedded in the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention), governed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Notable provisions include: * Article 1: Recognizes each state's complete and exclusive sovereignty over the airspace above its territory. * Article 5: Permits non-scheduled international flights to transit the airspace of a contracting state without landing, subject to the state's rights to impose regulations and fees. * Article 15: Allows states to impose air navigation service charges, including overflight fees, as long as they are: * Reasonable and non-discriminatory, and * Directly related to the cost of services rendered, such as air traffic control, communication, and ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... navigation. While the principle of freedom of overflight exists, states are entitled to recover the cost of providing services in their airspace. 2. Operational Framework of Overflight Fees 2.1 Fee Determination Each country typically determines its overflight charges based on parameters such as: * Aircraft Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) * Distance flown within the country's airspace Some regions, like Europe, manage air navigation charges collectively via specialized organizations. 2.2 Bilateral Agreements Beyond multilateral treaties, Air Services Agreements (ASAs) between nations may outline overflight rights, fee waivers, or reciprocal arrangements. These agreements are crucial for international route access and airspace ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... diplomacy. 2.3 ICAO's Role Although ICAO does not prescribe fee amounts, it publishes guidelines (e.g., Doc 9082) to ensure: * Transparency in fee structure * Recovery of actual service costs * Fair treatment of airspace users 3. Country-Specific Overflight Fee Regimes 🇮🇳 India * Permit Requirement: All foreign flights overflying Indian airspace must obtain a permit from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). * Fee Collection: Charges are administered by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and typically invoiced through IATA. * Structure: India's airspace is divided into four Flight Information Regions (FIRs)-each with distinct fee parameters. * Processing: Permits are generally ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... valid for 48 hours. Currently, no official permit processing fees are charged. 🇺🇸 United States * The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposes overflight fees based on: * $61.75 per 100 nautical miles (en-route) * $26.51 per 100 nautical miles (oceanic) * Charges are calculated based on Great Circle Distance. * Exemptions apply to government or military flights. 🇪🇺 European Union (EU) * Overflight charges are centrally managed by EUROCONTROL, covering over 40 member states. * Billing Model: A consolidated monthly invoice to airspace users. * Cost Recovery: Based on "Service Units" considering aircraft weight and distance flown. * In 2023, the system recovered EUR9.1 ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... billion in route charges with a 99.7% collection rate. 4. Taxation of Overflight Fees under Indian GST Law 4.1 Reverse Charge Mechanism (RCM) - Legal Basis Notification No. 13/2017 - Central Tax (Rate) under Entry No. 5 states: "Services supplied by the Central Government, State Government, Union territory or local authority to a business entity" are taxable under RCM, except: * Renting of immovable property, * Services exempted under Notification No. 12/2017-CTR, * Certain postal and port-related services. 4.2 Application to Overflight Charges ✅ Is overflight access a "supply of service"? Yes. Under Section 7 of the CGST Act, services include granting rights or access. Overflight access involves air traffic managem ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ent, safety monitoring, and communications-clearly qualifying as a taxable service. ✅ Is this service supplied by the Government? In India, this service is rendered by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), a statutory body under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, and is generally considered an instrumentality of the Central Government. ✅ Are airlines business entities? Yes. All commercial airlines-domestic or international-are business entities under GST. ❌ Is there any applicable exemption? No. There is no specific exemption for overflight fees under Notification No. 12/2017-CTR. Exemptions for port or airport services pertain to ground operations, not en-route navigation. 5. Conclusion Overflight fees charged by t ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... he Government of India (through AAI) represent a taxable supply of services to commercial airlines. Given that no specific exemption applies, and that the service is rendered by the government to a business entity, it squarely falls under RCM as per Entry No. 5 of Notification No. 13/2017-CTR. Thus, recipient airlines are required to discharge GST under the Reverse Charge Mechanism on the overflight fee component. 6. Additional Considerations * International Billing: In most cases, airlines receive consolidated billing via IATA or another international platform. The place of supply rules and import of services provisions under GST may apply in such scenarios. * Nature of AAI: While AAI operates with commercial autonomy, its status ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... as a government instrumentality supports inclusion under RCM. * Interpretational Nuances: In the absence of direct jurisprudence, it is advisable for taxpayers to obtain legal clarity via advance rulings or CBIC circulars. Author's Note: The convergence of international aviation law and Indian GST provisions presents unique tax challenges. As India continues to modernize its air navigation infrastructure, clarity on taxation of such cross-border services will be crucial for compliance and policy stability. *** Reply By Sadanand Bulbule: The Reply: Dear Sir An examplary explanation for unusual question. I raised this topic deliberately to decipher the wide scope of supply of services covered under RCM. Whether such ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... airlines are discharging the due amount of tax under RCM on receipt of subject services is to be ascertained by the GST Authorities.
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