Airline/Airport Service Charges and duties

[DistantRumble]

Consider the following.


I am interested in what happens if one decides to cancel a flight booking. Specifically what would happen if one decided to cancel a Ryanair non-refundable flight booked on the web.

If one accepts that the amount paid for the flight is non-recoverable, ok fair enough that's the way MOL wants it.

However the taxes should be recoverable from the airline ( From what I hear this takes forever ! ) . However it led me on to something else. Checking for a booking from Dub-STN
the taxes and charges are as follows :

Outbound leg
10.92 EUR PSC non-refundable (?)
3.04 Insurance Levy.
Inbound Leg
9.35 EUR PSC non-refundable (?)
3.04 insurance levy
7.79 UK Air Duty

you can see this by trying ryanair.com and clicking on the taxes to see the breakdown.

(for a total of 34.14 in tax)


A Similar booking on EI (Dub-LHR)
revealed taxes (not broken down )

of 37.81 EUR


A couple of questions :

What's PSC and who levies it ?

Why's PSC nonrefundable if you don't fly ?

and why is 37.81 > 34.14 ? Is STN cheaper than LHR but if it is this would mean that it's a per pax charge and therefore if I don't fly why should it be non-refundable ...

A quick check of aerrianta.ie shows PSC (Security + PSC ) of 6.55 EUR .... so there's some very weird accounting ongoing...

Can't find the BAA PSC
Anyone any ideas ?

[The_Banking_Scot]

Hi,

PSC= Passenger Service Charge levied by the airport authority

The amount of the PSC will vary by airport.

I do not know why it is not refundable or the various amounts at each of the BAA airports

Regards
TBS

[PAXboy]

This subject has been discussed here before and a search of the PPRuNe archive may help.

My understanding is that PSC and other taxes are refundable, if the journey is not made. They are collected by the carrier and forwarded to the airline/govt. However, as this is a normally a one-way street, the carrier is entitled to charge you a fee for refunding these taxes. I recall one carrier's refund charge exceeded the taxes, this was legal.

When you have found out - please let us know :D
If unhappy with what you find out - tell the CAA and your MP.

[bealine]

PAXboy, you're absolutely right, taxes are refundable in theory.

However, some airlines do not, in principle, refund taxes unless specifically requested. This is because there are many occasions where airport taxes and duties are levied on the carrier without the airline being able to recharge - for example:

1. In the UK, airport taxes are doubled for Business Class and First Class travellers. If we choose to upgrade a passenger, we don't collect the extra tax from the passenger (although some airlines do!)

2. When we have diverted a flight, due to an on-board medical emergency, we have been charged the full taxes for each passenger by the diversionary airport.

3. We are continually being overcharged on taxation - having to fight for tax exemption from transfer passengers etc.

Certainly, with BA, you do need to state that you want a refund on taxes - otherwise they are conveniently "forgotten"!!!



:D