New Exit Tax on Doha Departures

Hamad International Airport near Doha has added a new fee onto ticket prices for any traveler heading through the airport.

If you’re flying out of Hamad International Airport near Doha in Qatar—even on a connecting flight—get ready to pay a little bit more with your ticket price. The airport has recently instituted a new departure tax of about $10 for all passengers. The fee will apply to tickets bought starting August 30 for travel beginning December 1. The only travelers exempt from the new fee are children under 2, travelers who don’t need to change planes, and travelers who have been involuntarily rerouted.

“The charge is in line with ICAO principles to support the development of world leading airports such as HIA to further increase the airport’s capacity and invest in new infrastructure and state-of-the-art technology to deliver world-class facilities for passengers,” the airport said in a statement reported by the Doha News.

According to The National, the increase is due in part to falling oil prices causing the country to seek new revenue streams, something the entire gulf region has been struggling with recently.

The addition of this fee comes on the heels of similar measures in Dubai and Sharjah earlier this year. Dubai’s new fee is about $9.50 and the same rules apply as with Doha’s fee. Australia, Germany, China, and the UK are reportedly looking at establishing similar fees in the future.

Qatar Airlines, the company that runs Hamad International Airport, could not be reached for comment.

[Photo: Embassy of Qatar]