United will pay the city a $2.5 million concession fee plus a portion of its net revenues and will assume operating costs.

It ultimately stopped paying concession fees to the government and went bankrupt in 2003.

It then slowed down its investments and in April 2001 it stopped paying the concession fee to the government.

The amount of unpaid concession fees reached Pesos 5 billion.

Simply by locating its 3,100 branches away from airports, it reduces overhead significantly by cutting out high concession fees.

After Mr. Thaksin became prime minister, the company went public, and in 2004, was allowed to pay a lower annual concession fee.

"It's not fair to legitimate concessionaires who pay a concession fee to the city," said the spokesman, Edward Skyler.

Prices can vary widely from airport to airport, depending on the product, where it was made and the concession fee.

The casino was built for 108.9 million Euro, including the 15-year concession fee of € 30 million.

But the money from concession fees could also be used in ways that support the concessionaires themselves and improve the services offered to visitors.