The Caribbean - BGI departure tax

I understand that BGI now has a Barbados 50 dollar depature tax per person.Those making connections at BGI for Grenada,St.Vincent...are subject to the tax as well.
Became effective February 1st.

I can see the tax for those departing BGI.Makes no sense for connections IMO.

I just vacationed in BGI. I had an award ticket on AA that I had purchased over the summer.

I was surprised. No departure tax at all. Maybe it was included in my plane ticket, but I didn't think so. Strange.

You are correct. See excerpt from news article below:

The new measure was put in place from February 1 when the airport increased its passenger service charge from $25 to $55 per person and added a $5 security fee.

If you're flying from St Vincent to come to Barbados to pick up a flight to London, you have to pay departure tax in St Vincent and in Barbados.

The full article can be found at http://www.nationnews.com/story/304706084205490.php

If you ask me an increase in departure tax was long over due especially give the cost overruns on the new BGI airport but reducing the taxable age to 2 years old and taxing connecting passengers is a bit too much.

IMO this measure is being put in place to maximise revenues during the ICC Cricket World Cup and you can expect to see other islands follow if the outcry from the travelling public and airlines isn't significant.

I was planning a quick one day visit to St.Vincent from Barbados.These taxes make the cost almost as much as the flight :td: :confused:

I just vacationed in BGI. I had an award ticket on AA that I had purchased over the summer.

I was surprised. No departure tax at all. Maybe it was included in my plane ticket, but I didn't think so. Strange.

Is this still the case? We have award tickets on AA. The taxes and fees didn't seem to onerous, so I just assumed it was pretty standard. Will we be expected to pony up some more money when we leave?

You should not have to pay any additional departure taxes when leaving Barbados.

The airlines apply those charges in the ticket cost and pass it on to the Government.