Newsstand - IATA slams Ireland and Belgium 'Collective Madness' departure taxes for long-hauls

Not happy about this tax on travel...

IATA criticises EU for more departure taxes (http://www.etravelblackboard.com/showarticle.asp?nav=130&id=83441)[eTRavelBlackboard]
IATA has slammed the recent decision in Belgium and Ireland to introduce departure taxes, accusing the government of using travellers’ dollars to shore up the banking sector.

In Ireland, the government has implemented a new tax which sees passengers travelling more than 300kms hit with a EUR10 fee, while domestic flights incur a EUR2 fee. Similar taxes are being implemented in Belgium where the government estimates that it will add EUR132 million to the budget.

“Collective madness is the only way to describe the EUR 150 million Irish and EUR 132 million Belgian departure tax proposals. Filling budget gaps or financing government investment in the banking industry with gratuitous travel taxes is policy myopia at its worst,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA Director General and CEO.

apply to existing tickets not yet flown? thanks.

apply to existing tickets not yet flown? thanks.

I've not checked yet but imagine it depends on whether the departure tax is levied separately from the ticket.

The story is criticism of a decision, so until it is made into law I suspect you will be okay if it's normally a tax included by the airline as part of the usual levying of taxes - as opposed to a departure tax paid at the border.

I find it hard to get up in arms over a 10 euro fee when the Brits charge 40 GBP in Y and 80 GBP in a premium cabin. The French charge 40 euro for a long-haul premium cabin departure. The Dutch charge 45 euro for a premium cabin long-haul departure.

Seriously, where was the uproar about those???

As for whether passengers will have to pay it or not on previously purchased tickets, I think that the answer depends on the airline. When Britain doubled their APD tax last year some carriers assumed the costs and some passed them on to previously booked passengers. But since the taxing authority doesn't collect until the day of the flight, the assumption there is that they will be paid in full for each person on the plane, regardless of what the airline charges to the passenger.