Retrospective tax for Norway flights

Mrs_Roberts

I and my family flew to Norway on 2nd June for a mini break (flights booked in February). Received an email from Norwegian Air today saying that we now need to pay 80 NOK per person to the Norwegian Treasury for a newly introduced air passenger tax which is being applied retrospectively to all flights from 1st June. This does not seem fair, since we were not informed of this additional cost at the time of booking or at any time prior to flying. Has anyone else been asked to pay this tax retrospectively, and does anyone know what would happen if we refuse to pay it?

Alan_Bowen

The government hadn't introduced it when you booked so the airline couldn't tell you at the time. They introduced it with around 8 weeks notice and appear to be insisting that airlines pay it on on flights departing from 1st June.

I assume you paid by card so you may well find they attempt to debit the card you used if you do not pay it some other way. Fair? Clearly not, but it isn't the airline's fault

Mrs_Roberts

Thanks for your reply - I didn't say it was the airline's fault though, I'm not blaming them at all. The money is to be taken directly by the Treasury so the airlines don't benefit from this. But can the Norwegian government really force us to pay a tax retrospectively, when we weren't informed at the time of purchasing the flight that additional charges would or could be demanded at a later date? I wonder what the government could do about it if we refused to pay it out of principle? Probably just never let us into Norway again!

Voyager2002

Mrs_Roberts wrote: »

Thanks for your reply - I didn't say it was the airline's fault though, I'm not blaming them at all. The money is to be taken directly by the Treasury so the airlines don't benefit from this. But can the Norwegian government really force us to pay a tax retrospectively, when we weren't informed at the time of purchasing the flight that additional charges would or could be demanded at a later date? I wonder what the government could do about it if we refused to pay it out of principle? Probably just never let us into Norway again!

Strictly speaking, the airline should have told you as soon as they knew about it, and perhaps given you the opportunity to cancel...

Anyway, the government will get its money from the airline. The airline may seek to recoup the funds from you, and could make things inconvenient if you don't play ball.