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Why are taxes so high on BA int'l flights, but not on easyJet int'l flights?

Why are taxes so high on BA int'l flights, but not on easyJet int'l flights?

Old Mar 17, 2005, 8:59 am
  #16  
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Originally Posted by UK flyer
Are we Brits the only ones to be robbed by the Chancellor if we happen to turn left on a plane or are there other countries that charge different rates of departure tax depending on which cabin you are ticketed in?
I can confirm turning left on a CSA ATR for a PRG-WAW segment. Didn't pay extra tax to seat in the rear cabin.
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Old Mar 19, 2005, 12:28 am
  #17  
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Originally Posted by RJB
Taxes at Heathrow are substantially higher than at Luton.

BA also includes some other spurious charges, such as its fuel surcharge, in with taxes. If you try to book the same BA flight on aa.com you'll find it is cheaper because AA doesn't add on one of BA's funny extras.
Try comparing taxes, charges, surcharges, sursurcharges, captain's bacon sandwich etc where BA and EZ use the same airport, e.g. LGW. EZ's charge for flight plus extras can often be less than BA's charge for extras alone.

RJB's second paragraph is the answer. BA choose to class as extras charges included in some other airlines' fares.
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Old Mar 19, 2005, 12:33 am
  #18  
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Originally Posted by Jenbel
... we know at some airports, some of the LCC's have negotiated discounts of the PSC due at some airports, but will not want their competitors (and no doubt the airport will not want other airlines) to know exactly what rate the are paying. Hence, it's very rare to find a PSC included in the taxes and charges of a LCC, as then they would have to provide this information.
Sure, at some of the fields with a hut that LiarAir use, but certainly not at LGW for example, where easyJet must be the biggest operator by flight movements and passengers by now, having overtaken BA some time ago.

I'm sure BAA (operator of LGW) offer EZ no more or less favourable terms for psc's than to BA, so how come BA's flights from LGW attract such extra charges which EZ manage to absorb?
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Old Mar 19, 2005, 2:22 am
  #19  
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Originally Posted by Roger
Sure, at some of the fields with a hut that LiarAir use, but certainly not at LGW for example, where easyJet must be the biggest operator by flight movements and passengers by now, having overtaken BA some time ago.

I'm sure BAA (operator of LGW) offer EZ no more or less favourable terms for psc's than to BA, so how come BA's flights from LGW attract such extra charges which EZ manage to absorb?
Well EZ doesn't absorb them - EZ just doesn't state them explicitly like BA does as part of their taxes. EZ (as you state) at LGW are probably paying full PSC - but their policy means that PSC is included in the ticket price, while BA excludes it from the ticket price, and puts it in the extras bit. Passenger still has to pay for them, one way or the other. However, EZ is a LCC - that just doesn't relate to ticket price, it's means they strive to keep all their costs down as far as possible. So I would imagine that a lot of the non internationally mandated charges, such as internal airline security charges are lower for EZ than for BA - hence how they keep ticket price cost down for some of the time.
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Old Mar 19, 2005, 2:33 am
  #20  
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I expect that factors like this contribute to my experience, which is that it's seldom been significantly cheaper to buy an EZY or RYR ticket for a route I need to go on, at the time I need to travel at, than to buy a BA ticket. For the extra money with BA, I get ...
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Old Mar 20, 2005, 5:16 am
  #21  
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Originally Posted by Jenbel
Well EZ doesn't absorb them - EZ just doesn't state them explicitly like BA does as part of their taxes. EZ (as you state) at LGW are probably paying full PSC - but their policy means that PSC is included in the ticket price, while BA excludes it from the ticket price, and puts it in the extras bit. Passenger still has to pay for them, one way or the other. However, EZ is a LCC - that just doesn't relate to ticket price, it's means they strive to keep all their costs down as far as possible. So I would imagine that a lot of the non internationally mandated charges, such as internal airline security charges are lower for EZ than for BA - hence how they keep ticket price cost down for some of the time.
Yes, we agree (except I doubt that security charges for EZ are significantly lower than for BA).

I have pointed out in other posts examples where EZ's total price including extras is lower than BA's charge for extras alone. Nobody has been able to explain that, other than BA charging extra for costs which EZ (and some others) include in the basic fare.
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Old Mar 20, 2005, 5:22 am
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It's roughly 80% cheaper for the airline to be based at Luton or another 'low cost' airport compared with Heathrow. Also BA dont charge for Credit Card etc..


Dom.
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Old Mar 20, 2005, 6:38 am
  #23  
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Originally Posted by DomScarff
It's roughly 80% cheaper for the airline to be based at Luton or another 'low cost' airport compared with Heathrow. Also BA dont charge for Credit Card etc..


Dom.
Perhaps so, but my example was BA ex LGW and EZ ex LGW.
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Old Mar 20, 2005, 9:13 am
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Originally Posted by pdotie
But is this difference not because BA is a direct flight and the KLM flight is via AMS so you get stung for the taxes there too?

P
Well, KLM's strategy over here in Singapore is to portray themselves as one of the cheapest european options for the SIN-Europe route. In fact, off-hand, I can't think of any cheaper european airline for this route. BUT, their taxes are pretty much deleting any price advantage they might have.

That said, while I can understand having to pay higher taxes because I take an indirect flight, KLM's taxes are still pretty much the highest amongst all other other in-direct options.Here's a list of recently checked taxes for the SIN-London route:

All rates in Singapore dollars (it's about 1 GBP=3.1 SGD)
BA = $192
SQ = $210 (strangely different from BA...)
CX = $204
Turkish Air = $234 (this is a SIN-BKK-IST-LHR trip)
KLM = $301
Emirates = $150 (Gatwick)
AF = $361
(oh, and SIN-AMS on KLM has taxes of $168)

OK, going to stop now that that post is getting more and more OT
(PS. rather sadly, for my next trip up to the UK, I'm not going to be able to fly BA because my trip involves the UK, Ukraine, Romania & Turkey, and using London as a hub for that sort of travel ex-singapore just doesn't make sense.. so Turkish Airways here I come! SIN-BKK-IST-LHR **sob**)
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Old Mar 20, 2005, 4:26 pm
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Example

Originally Posted by Roger
Try comparing taxes, charges, surcharges, sursurcharges, captain's bacon sandwich etc where BA and EZ use the same airport, e.g. LGW. EZ's charge for flight plus extras can often be less than BA's charge for extras alone.

RJB's second paragraph is the answer. BA choose to class as extras charges included in some other airlines' fares.

I have just (possibly stupidly) booked a 1 way flight from AMS - LGW.
The 2 options were:
EZ departing 20.55 - 135 plus 7.50 "taxes and charges"
BA departing 2015 - 129 plus 32.45 "taxes/fees/charges"

It does seem stupid for BA to price this way. Everybody knows that BA have a better product than Easyjet, and most don't mind paying a little extra for it. But it seems that BA are now behaving in a more no frills way than EZ...
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Old Mar 20, 2005, 4:41 pm
  #26  
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Funny that you mention the LGW-AMS route. One way fares on BA start at 52.90 (34.00 + 18.90 tax/charges) which is much less than the full fare single on that route. If only BA offered discounted one ways on UK domestic routes.
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Old Mar 20, 2005, 10:36 pm
  #27  
 
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BA taxes are high even in similar routes.

I made a reservation recently using AA miles for an award reservation from

LON-MAA return ticket. I noticed almost 100% increase in taxes with BA.

1. AA charged me $56
2. BA charging for the same award $108.56

I think BA is adding too many junk fees or their own service charges on top of the taxes.

Prasad
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Old Mar 21, 2005, 1:21 am
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... and the fuel "surcharges" are increasing by a further 3 Pounds or 5 Euros soon (see my quoted article on the observer of yesterday).
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Old Mar 21, 2005, 8:54 am
  #29  
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Originally Posted by GregM
Funny that you mention the LGW-AMS route. One way fares on BA start at 52.90 (34.00 + 18.90 tax/charges) which is much less than the full fare single on that route.
I didn't know you could get cheap one-ways on any BA shorthaul. This must be relatively new? And unadvertised? It looks like it's only on some routes. AMS and BRU have them, PAR does not. Maybe it's a trial, with a fuller rollout to follow.
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Old Mar 21, 2005, 9:20 am
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Originally Posted by Globaliser
I didn't know you could get cheap one-ways on any BA shorthaul. This must be relatively new? And unadvertised? It looks like it's only on some routes. AMS and BRU have them, PAR does not. Maybe it's a trial, with a fuller rollout to follow.
As forseen by Globaliser some time ago ^
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