Tax is killing the passengers - its a disgrace, what can we do?

disney_cjd

All, I have know for some while that we are taxed to the max here in the UK but I was looking at using some air miles today to book my folks some flights and check this out.

Cost of flights to pay for them normally was 654 GBP
Cost of flights using airmiles was 520 GBP.

The cost for airmiles was because of the taxes and the cost for cash was INCLUSIVE of taxes.

Now this was for flights from London to America. If I was going Singapore to Sydney for instance the tax for the flights was 75 Dollars.

Now I don't really care that the airlines are making 70 for a transatlantic flight but I do care that the taxes we pay are making things like airmiles worthless and also making it so expensive for a damily to travel they probably wont.

Another mad example of how these airline taxes work... try booking a ticket for an infant (i.e. under 2 years old). They do not get s eat but still need a ticket. So the airlien charge you £10 an d the tax was £202!

The BBC news tonight was saying oil costs will kill air travel. They wont help but taxes are doing a pretty good attempted murder in my book

This governement are ...........

mad_rich

The government charges £10 for shorthaul and £40 for longhaul (double that if you're not in economy).

The rest of the crap that is bundled in 'taxes and charges' are airport fees, booking fees, customs fees and - by far the largest chunk - the 'fuel surcharge'.

phatbear

I was about to say the same its nothing to do with tax imposed by the goverment, heres a breakdown:

Economy class flights in Europe, including internal UK flights: £10
Business and first class flights in Europe: £20
Economy class long-haul flights: £40
Business and first class long-haul flights: £80

One thing though mad_rich theres no such thing as "customs fees"

all the best

the bear

mad_rich

phatbear wrote: »

theres no such thing as "customs fees"

Here's the breakdown for a £299 American Airlines flight LHR-JFK:

Fare (A1):     AA LONNYC NLXRCUK8 fare (rules)     £23.50
Fare (A2):     AA NYCLON NLXRCUK8 fare (rules)     £23.50
Tax:           USDA APHIS Fee     $5.00
Tax:           US Immigration Fee     $7.00
Tax:           US Customs Fee     $5.50
Tax:           United Kingdom Air Passengers Duty     £40.00
Tax:           United Kingdom Passenger Service Charge     £19.70
Tax:           US International Arrival Tax     $15.40
Tax:           AA YQ surcharge     £161.00
Tax:           US International Departure Tax     $15.40
Tax:           US September 11th Security Fee     $2.50
Tax:           US Passenger Facility Charge     $4.50

YQ= fuel surcharge

phatbear

Crossed wires me thinks the OP was moaning about the british goverment imposing tax on flights, and i responded to the effect that flights to the UK do not contain any customs fees.

all the best

the bear

dmg24

disney_cjd wrote: »

All, I have know for some while that we are taxed to the max here in the UK but I was looking at using some air miles today to book my folks some flights and check this out.

Cost of flights to pay for them normally was 654 GBP
Cost of flights using airmiles was 520 GBP.

The cost for airmiles was because of the taxes and the cost for cash was INCLUSIVE of taxes.

Now this was for flights from London to America. If I was going Singapore to Sydney for instance the tax for the flights was 75 Dollars.

Now I don't really care that the airlines are making 70 for a transatlantic flight but I do care that the taxes we pay are making things like airmiles worthless and also making it so expensive for a damily to travel they probably wont.

Another mad example of how these airline taxes work... try booking a ticket for an infant (i.e. under 2 years old). They do not get s eat but still need a ticket. So the airlien charge you £10 an d the tax was £202!

The BBC news tonight was saying oil costs will kill air travel. They wont help but taxes are doing a pretty good attempted murder in my book

This governement are ...........

Another ill thought out argument ... I am very surprised that the OP has omitted the words rip off! :rolleyes:

Alikay

The taxes are high, but it raises a lot of money for the government from people who, on the whole are choosing to fly, rather than it being a vital journey....much better than additional taxes on essentials like heating, food etc.Lots of people are just going on holiday and many more are travelling on business - you can have a holiday in the UK ,and do overseas business via other methods than face-to-face.

My DH flies every week on business, even though there are email and telephone conference facilities etc...it's just the norm now and maybe companies will start to question their business practices as air travel gets pricier. Likewise if people rediscover the UK for holidays there will be more investment in our own leisure industry. Shame we can't sort out the weather, though!

disney_cjd

dmg24 wrote: »

Another ill thought out argument ... I am very surprised that the OP has omitted the words rip off! :rolleyes:

Emm not at all. I suggest you read it before you put your sarky hat on.

Also - from the breakdown fee of the AA flights its clear there is not just a 40 quid fee imposed its nearly 60 as this looks like a tax to me.


Tax: United Kingdom Air Passengers Duty £40.00
Tax: United Kingdom Passenger Service Charge £19.70

going2die_rich

I don't think air travel taxes are high enough, and thats not because I am a tree hugger, far from it in fact. But because in times of trade deficits and recession fears, we should be making travelling abroad too expensive for most so that people are "lead" in to spending their holidays in the UK, therefore boosting our own economy up.

Obviously having exclusions for business travellers so that our companies do not suffer from such rises.

moonrakerz

going2die_rich wrote: »

Obviously having exclusions for business travellers so that our companies do not suffer from such rises.

...and of course for wealthy people !

Andy_L

disney_cjd wrote: »

Emm not at all. I suggest you read it before you put your sarky hat on.

Also - from the breakdown fee of the AA flights its clear there is not just a 40 quid fee imposed its nearly 60 as this looks like a tax to me.


Tax: United Kingdom Air Passengers Duty £40.00
Tax: United Kingdom Passenger Service Charge £19.70

The passenger service charge is the amount the airport charges the airline for using their airport. It's not a government charge.