Insidious additional travel charges
G'day, everyone! Here's an article of interest to those travelling to the U.K., that I touched on, in another unrelated post. It's an article about the British Govts tourist taxes when flying to and from British airports.
The charges in this Air Passenger Duty are absolutely outrageous, and are nothing but a tourist rort to cover British Govt losses incurred through their lack of management ability. The British Govt is not alone here, this ripoff is seen a terrific cash cow by many European Govts who are in deep financial strife.
An air passenger arriving at, or leaving a British airport, is now slugged $140.00 for the pleasure (from Apr. 1 - and yes, it's not an AF joke!). If you travel Premium Economy, Business or 1st Class, the tax is DOUBLE!! ($280.00).
This is just another outrageous impost on travellers, that is out of all proportion to any cost recovery - and which is only matched in its outrageousness, by the fuel surcharge imposed by airlines!
I, like many others, no doubt, will be finding ways to avoid Britain - or its airports at least - anytime I travel in the future.
The unbelieveable part of this story, is that this is ONLY THE START of massively increased airport taxes in Britain - and they plan to INCREASE these airport charges, by ANOTHER 46%, by 2016!!
http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/duty-calls-as-flyers-count-cost-20120329-1w0kq.html
Aaron, I don't know how they get away with it, but it is not the worst. I just found out, by accident that visitors to the base camp at Everest are charged $250 US per day to visit the area. I thought that Australian law insisted on a total price. I wonder what would be said if the taxi fares had a fuel surcharge.