New Air Taxes - pre-booked flights

[angelwings767]

Anyone know if the new taxes will be added to existing booked flights? Have booked and paid for a flight to the US next May with BA. According to some reports i could end up paying another £90 in additional taxes (1 UK leg and 2 trans-atlantic legs)

[TSR2]

The government documentation on APD makes no mention of an exemption from the increased rates due to pre-purchase of tickets. So on this basis you probably will be requested to pay the increased duty unless BA, as the airline responsible for collection and payment of the tax, decide not to pass the increase on to you. I cannot find any mention of this tax increase on the BA website so I would recommend you contact them direct.

If you look at HM Revenue & Customs document on APD, section 4.3 gives an example of a domestic UK flight connecting with an International flight. Providing that your domestic flight is a genuine connecting flight (time scale wise) then the APD rate that applies is your final destination leg of your ticket only. Assuming you are travelling economy, the APD applicable will increase from the current £55 to £85 if your final destination is over 6,000 miles. If you are travelling in a class above economy then the current rate of £110 rises to £170.

Hope my interpretation of the APD guidelines is of some help to you.

[PAXboy]

It's likely that carriers will not introduce the fees for pre-booked until they were actually introduced. If the incoming govt had changed the plan, they would have had double work. Obviously the new govt saw that it meant more money and pretends to be green. So the result is that these fees will be added for flights taking off after the date of introduction = 1st Nov 2010.

They will probably start notifying pax travelling immediately and deal with those for 2011 in due course. My guess is that, if you have not paid the further tax, then you will not be allowed to travel.

[Sygyzy]

Booked the flights back in Aug. Have flown into UK and depart 12/11. Have been contacted (about two weeks ago) and informed that the tax has gone up and asked how I would like to pay the increase. QED.

S

[Cherwell]

Already booked for a trip to the Maldives in January with Qatar business class. This thread got me thinking so I checked.

Qatar Airways Conditions of Carriage for Passengers and Baggage

Applicable fares, taxes, fees and charges imposed by government or other authority, or by the operator of an airport shall be payable by you. At the time you purchase your ticket, you will be advised of taxes, fees and charges not included in the fare, most of which will normally be shown separately on the ticket. The taxes, fees and charges imposed on air travel are constantly changing and can be imposed after the date of ticket issuance. If there is an increase in tax, fee or charge shown on the ticket, you will be required to pay it. Similarly, if a new tax, fee or charge is imposed even after ticket issuance you will be required to pay it. In the event of any taxes, fees or charges, which you have paid to us at the time of ticket issuance are abolished or reduced such that they no longer apply to you, or a lesser amount is due, you will be entitled to claim a refund.

I've already paid £288.20 per person in tax, which I can't reconcile with either the old or the new tax rates! Just have to wait and see I suppose, and not be surprised if asked to pay.

[san diego]

The new rates of tax have been known for more than 12 months. All 'decent' airlines have had the new rate of tax incorporated in fares sold in the UK since they went on sale. There is simply no excuse for any airline to have to demand the difference, unlike previous increases, when the time scale before implementation was only three months

[ExXB]

If governments were airlines they would be forced by the OFT, DG-COMP, or whatever equivalent in the country of sale to cease and desist from such practices.

The airline gets dinged so some will try and collect it. But these days with on-line check-in, etc, it can be very difficult. So who loses? Usually the airline.

It would be fairly simple for the imposing body to implement a waiver for any ticket paid for prior to the announcement date of the increase. i.e. If the chancellor announces a new or increased tax on 1 March, for effect the following November it would be easy for him/her to say: "This applies to all tickets issued on/after 2 March for travel commencing on/after 1 November."

Now, that would be responsible wouldn't it.

[radeng]

Actually, it's irresponsible to work on the basis that here's a cash cow to dig the govt out of a hole. Especially when it hits an industry that's not doing well. A bit like ordering aircraft carriers that will be built in Labour Party supporter's strongholds.....with no money for aircraft!

[PAXboy]

Indeed, radeng, indeed. But mankind has always been greedy. At one end of the scale, it is why we grab money until the stock market collapses and at the other, it is why we have come to dominate the planet. If this tax continues the 'flat line' of carriers, the govt ain't going to admit or do anything to change it.

[davidjohnson6]

angel - either your airline has already included the tax increase in price you paid (in which case there is no uncertainty), or they have not.
On the assumption that the APD increase was not collected from you, I would just keep quiet. If the airline wants the money, they will contact you.