MSE News: Ryanair and BMI Baby slap extra Spanish tax on flyersid

Former_MSE_Helen

"Ryanair and BMI Baby customers already booked on flights leaving Spain will be retrospectively charged increased Spanish airport tax..."

Read the full story:
Ryanair and BMI Baby slap extra Spanish tax on flyers, even if they've already paid

Bob_the_Saver

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4054121

jpsartre

"The airline says this it to cover a rise in airport departure tax. But rivals British Airways, Easyjet and Thomson will not charge extra to passengers who've already booked."

Sorry but this ridiculous formulation rubbed me the wrong way. Ryanair doesn't just *say* it's to cover a rise in airport tax, it *is* to cover a rise in airport tax. This sort of sensationalism undermines the credibility of the entire article and this site in general. What's the point?

The reason BA, EJ, and Thomson won't be charging passengers is because these airline have chosen to absorb the cost and *not* because they are unaffected by the change. No doubt the added expense will be passed on to future passengers in some form or another.

NFH

Although I despise Ryanair's treatment of its customers, in this case the fault lies with the Spanish government. The increase in departure tax should apply only to new bookings. It is unfair on consumers for the Spanish government to increase tax retrospectively on bookings that have already been paid for.

Look at VAT, for example, where the applicable VAT rate is based on the date that the invoice is issued, or when payment is made in the absence of an invoice. To be fair to consumers, the Spanish government should have applied the same logic to the departure tax increase.

luci

When APD was increased in the UK in February 2007, it was also applied retrospectively on flights already booked and paid for so it is not just the Spanish government.

jpsartre

Yeah, it's really just an unfortunate consequence of how the tax is charged (at the time of travel rather than the time booking). Of course, as NFH says, there's no reason why that couldn't change.

flo99green

Its not just Ryanair, I was gobsmaked, for want of a better word, to receive an email from Vueling airlines (Spanish I think) yesterday telling me I need to pay more airport Tax. I booked and paid in full in February 2012 for an August 2012 flight. I have not flown or booked an airplane for many years and was disgusted at the whole process to start with as each new page of the booking form requested more and more money for everything so this is the icing on the cake to the whole process for me.

They do not advise how much they want and have given me 7 days to sort or they will AUTOMATICALLY DEDUCT IT FROM THE BANK DETAILS I SUPPLIED WHEN BOOKING ORIGINALLY!!!! They have given me the option to cancel with full refund (dubious it would be full!) but I need the flights and as an infrequent flier dont want to start looking for flights all over again.

Disgusted, frustrated and torn.

jpsartre

flo99green wrote: »

They do not advise how much they want

Depends on which airport you are flying from but even in a worst case scenario it should be less than 10 Euros.

There's really no point in getting angry with Vueling, they're simply passing on a charge made by someone else.

Voyager2002

This procedure is absolutely standard for airport departure tax. All that is unusual is the decision by some 'legacy' airlines to absorb the extra tax themselves. Since the amount of the tax will in no case be more than ten Euro, and for many airports will be less than a single Euro, it is easy to understand why they decided that collecting it from passengers would cost more than simply paying it for them.

In sum, this is a non-story, a lot of fuss about virtually nothing.

NFH

Voyager2002 wrote: »

In sum, this is a non-story, a lot of fuss about virtually nothing.

No, it's a point of principle, regardless of the amount.

Voyager2002

NFH wrote: »

No, it's a point of principle, regardless of the amount.

Really?

Who do you think is at fault then; the Spanish government for increasing tax on departures in the future, or the airlines, for doing as they are legally required to do and collecting the increased tax?