MSE News: Air passenger duty to be scrapped for children under 12: Autumn Statement 2

zerog

skylight wrote: »

I'm so pleased with this one - I've five kids and four will be under 12 in May next year. It will make a difference to affordability for a holiday for us. Even better when they change it to under 16 as that will include the elder one for a few years too.

If you haven't booked your tickets already (or do so in the next few days before the airlines have time to react), then no, it will not make any difference. The fare will rise by the amount the tax drops.

Heliflyguy wrote: »

So flights booked for travel post March 2016 will now need the <16 year olds DOB in the booking so the system can calculate the APD correctly.

All flights departing from the UK to another country must already have the name, passport number and DOB of all passengers in the booking.

Alan_Bowen wrote: »

This hasn't been thought out, the cost of refunds, especially if bookings were made through travel agents is going to be more than the £13 charged in the first place

I don't see how it will cost £13 to refund £13. If you were due a refund of £185, you might be singing a different tune.

Airlines will also hate the sting in the tale that they must from now on show a breakdown of the exact taxes, fees and charges, including a fuel surcharge which are added to the 'real' fare. At present there is a 'fare' for under £60 to New York on a well known UK based airline but they add almost £300 as taxes fees fuel surcharges, despite oil having fallen from £147 a barrel in 2008 to around $70 now.

You need to keep up with the times. Many airlines now charge a "carrier-imposed chage", not a fuel surcharge. The "real" fare is however much the airline wants you to pay, minus however much they need to pay to governments and airports. You do know that Heathrow charges approximately £50 per passenger. BA could easily absorb this charge and raise their fares by £50.

I'd rather know the full price that the airline wants to charge me rather than have a breakdown of charges. The only time a breakdown of charges is useful is when a refund can be claimed, such as in the present situation, or if I'm a diplomat, or I'm transiting on separate tickets and taxes are not charged on transit pax, etc.

Gaffers

I noted Sir Richards Bransons comittment to refund APD on flights already booked for flights past May 2015. Very welcome and then I realised that the word 'Economy' was slipped in.

I have flights for my 2 children booked in July 2015 in Premium Economy. I hope that doesnt preclude us from a refund?

If the money goes to the Government and not the Airline, surely the Airline has to refund it anyway? I dont see how it becomes an Airline choice? An Airline wouldnt be allowed to keep it as revenue would it? That would be totally wrong because it wouldnt have budgeted for it.

DTDfanBoy

Gaffers wrote: »

I noted Sir Richards Bransons comittment to refund APD on flights already booked for flights past May 2015. Very welcome and then I realised that the word 'Economy' was slipped in.

I have flights for my 2 children booked in July 2015 in Premium Economy. I hope that doesnt preclude us from a refund?

If the money goes to the Government and not the Airline, surely the Airline has to refund it anyway? I dont see how it becomes an Airline choice? An Airline wouldnt be allowed to keep it as revenue would it? That would be totally wrong because it wouldnt have budgeted for it.

The APD exemptions only apply to economy tickets, as you've paid for Premium Economy you won't receive a refund.

Cisco001

M0ney wrote: »

That isn't really relevant, students use the local infrastructure but are not subject to council tax, I'm sure many other analogies could be used but this is the one which came to my mind.

I would assume full time students who not subject to council tax would have no/ low income. Accessing to infrastructure is necessity.

Travelling on plane usually not.

Mcderdh

M0ney wrote: »

In the article...

"The Treasury has told MoneySavingExpert.com that this applies BOTH to tickets already purchased and future bookings on economy class tickets. "

I have been told by a Thomson rep this morning that the refund is only due for flight only bookings travelling after 1st May 2015

I have booked a package fly drive holiday for a party of 12 which includes 3 children under 12 and have been told the refund will not apply to package deals!

Can't see the difference myself as the tax must apply to any type of holiday that includes a flight

Is this true or has the rep got it wrong?

Heliflyguy

zerog wrote: »

All flights departing from the UK to another country must already have the name, passport number and DOB of all passengers in the booking.

Not to issue a ticket they dont and do you know for a fact that a fare can be quoted and look at an OSI line to get it right....

Thats why you need to put the DOB or other indicators after the pax name in a booking to get an infant or child fare.

lady123_2

Let's hope Richard Branson means a refund of APD after May 1st and not after May meaning June, lol

M0ney

Cisco001 wrote: »

I would assume full time students who not subject to council tax would have no/ low income. Accessing to infrastructure is necessity.

Travelling on plane usually not.

Splitting hairs here really the point I was making is that taxes are not always applied fairly whether you like it or not and I was simply pointing this out. Feel free to find a better comparison if you like.

And by the way a student's income has no bearing on whether they pay council tax it is the fact that they are in full time education.

JasonR_2

Mcderdh wrote: »

I have been told by a Thomson rep this morning that the refund is only due for flight only bookings travelling after 1st May 2015

I have booked a package fly drive holiday for a party of 12 which includes 3 children under 12 and have been told the refund will not apply to package deals!

Can't see the difference myself as the tax must apply to any type of holiday that includes a flight

Is this true or has the rep got it wrong?

According to the Thomson/First Choice Facebook page the rep got this wrong. It looks like they will be removing the APD from the price of the holiday. It will save me £142 on next year's holiday.

problemcashback

They should have forced the airlines at the same time to see children as everyone else does and see children as children right up to they are 16, crazy paying adult fare for a 12 year old