Flights to Hong Kong, fees and surcharges?!?

mummybearx

Just looking on Malaysia Airlines website for flights for two to Hong Kong.

Flights for Jan/Feb time next year (return for two people) = £749
Taxes Fees and Surcharges = £884.38 :eek:

When I clicked on the taxes part, it comes up saying -
Fuel and Insurance surchargeGBP 285.60 each
Admin Surcharge GBP 5.20 each
United Kingdom: Air Passengers DutyGBP 81.00 each
United Kingdom: Passenger Service Charge GBP 34.49 each
Malaysia: Passenger Service ChargeGBP 26.20 each
Hong Kong SAR: Air Passenger Departure Tax GBP 9.70 each

!!!!!!? I knew flights were expensive but..... It's costing more for the taxes and charges that the actual flights!

Why don't they just lump it all together, so the flight is £x rather than £x + £xx?

totallybored

I have no idea how much the taxes normally are but I recently got a direct return flight to HK with Cathay for £600. I also found Air China for just over £500.

Doshwaster

zepsgal wrote: »

Why don't they just lump it all together, so the flight is £x rather than £x + £xx?

Because if you book an non-refundable flight and don't take it you can reclaim the government taxes and airport charges (subject to an admin fee) but not the airfare. However, you cannot reclaim the "fuel surcharge" even though you haven't used any fuel.

Also, it helps the airline point out that the high fares aren't totally their fault and allows you to see how much you are paying in taxes/fees.

TomC5

Wow, that's actually really shocking, and ridiculous!

Also, hate to hijack your thread but I didn't want to start a new one for just a little point, aside from the clearly over the top taxes and surcharges on flights, in actual Hong Kong itself, would you say that things - food, beer, recreational activities - are "expensive" to the average British traveller, I've never been to the far east before but I'm planning a trip soon, I've heard that Thailand is a very cheap country but no idea when it comes to China/Hong Kong, and I don't want to be caught out.

Thanks!

mummybearx

Hmm, interesting reply from Doshwaster. I didn't know you could reclaim anything if you didn't take a flight

TomC5, I've no idea how much things cost in Hong Kong tbh. We have a good friend who lives there, and I don't think I've ever asked how much certain things cost. We did talk about the price of housing etc relative to the average wage (not a lot left over at the end of the month )

x

totallybored

TomC5 wrote: »

Wow, that's actually really shocking, and ridiculous!

Also, hate to hijack your thread but I didn't want to start a new one for just a little point, aside from the clearly over the top taxes and surcharges on flights, in actual Hong Kong itself, would you say that things - food, beer, recreational activities - are "expensive" to the average British traveller, I've never been to the far east before but I'm planning a trip soon, I've heard that Thailand is a very cheap country but no idea when it comes to China/Hong Kong, and I don't want to be caught out.

Thanks!

You can eat fairly cheaply in HK. I found alcohol expensive and I didn't go to very posh bars. I think I paid about £5 a pint on the waterfront at Stanley. I went to a bar on the avenue of the stars and I believe the cocktails I had were pricey. The taxi afterwards was cheap though (have your address written down, I got in a taxi with a driver who didn't speak great English and god knows how I got home when I didn't know the address either).

Thailand is very cheap for food and beer but not wine. The cheapest bottle of rubbish Jacobs Creek I could find in the supermarket was about £12!

shaunskankdog

I used Kayak to get the following flight...

Dep Feb 02 Madrid to Hong Kong
Dep Apr 02 Manila to London Heathrow

Total with taxes, surcharges and luggage etc....£379 return..

Still going as far as I am aware..

Get a cheap Easyjey flight to Madrid for £50 all in...off ya toddle..

Was with Air China, but plenty of cheap ones from other European cities.

Doshwaster

TomC5 wrote: »

Wow, that's actually really shocking, and ridiculous!

Also, hate to hijack your thread but I didn't want to start a new one for just a little point, aside from the clearly over the top taxes and surcharges on flights, in actual Hong Kong itself, would you say that things - food, beer, recreational activities - are "expensive" to the average British traveller, I've never been to the far east before but I'm planning a trip soon, I've heard that Thailand is a very cheap country but no idea when it comes to China/Hong Kong, and I don't want to be caught out.

Thanks!

For very cheap prices in Thailand you need to find a time machine and go back 10 years. It is still cheap compared to Europe but prices have been increasing in recent years as holidays there get more popular and the exchange rate is going in the wrong direction. 5 years ago you could get 75 Baht to the pound, now it's less than 50.

As totallybored says, food is very cheap (a decent meal for a few quid) as is local beer but imported wines and spirits are expensive due to the taxes. Local Thai spirits are ridiculously cheap but they are an acquired taste and have been known to have adverse effects on the newcomer

Add in cheap accommodation (backpacker dive for less than £5, decent room £15-20 a night, 4* hotel £40) then the only thing you really need to worry about is the airfare.

Heliflyguy

There is a surcharge you missed for departures HKG but its hidden in the fare so you wouldnt have known about it.
Its known as a Q surcharge and is used for many different "charges" but not used that often, in the case of HKG its HKD33 about GBP3 (not a lot) on each departure so add another GBP3 to that total and knock it off the fare.

Caz3121

zepsgal wrote: »

Why don't they just lump it all together, so the flight is £x rather than £x + £xx?

Also, when people use airmiles to pay for "free" flights, they normally have to pay the taxes on top so the airline is still receiving a nice payment (hence never use miles for an economy flight)

TomC5

Wow, thanks very much for the help, I'll be sure to be careful with the booze then if it really is that expensive!

That aside, HK in general, is it a welcoming place for the average white tourist? I know all places have good and bad areas, but I've read people saying everything from they had the trip of a lifetime, to they got stared at and made to feel awkward quite often!