Huge Oz departure tax to NZ?
Jul 29th, 2005, 06:21 PM
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Huge Oz departure tax to NZ?
What is the story with departure taxes for Australia, and is the particular airport a factor such as SYD vs Brisbane?
With the freedomair web site they tack on a spectacular AU$104 tax from SYD to Dunedin NZ (the same I think from Brisbane). If I go to Travelocity I get other undesirable connections but with only US$44 taxes (maybe they collect more at the airport?). The different exchange rate shouldn't account for all this.
For such a short one way trip as to NZ, the departure or whatever taxes almost equal the airfare - is there a way to reduce this? Can't link it to other overseas itinerary which is freqflyer... thanks in advance.
With the freedomair web site they tack on a spectacular AU$104 tax from SYD to Dunedin NZ (the same I think from Brisbane). If I go to Travelocity I get other undesirable connections but with only US$44 taxes (maybe they collect more at the airport?). The different exchange rate shouldn't account for all this.
For such a short one way trip as to NZ, the departure or whatever taxes almost equal the airfare - is there a way to reduce this? Can't link it to other overseas itinerary which is freqflyer... thanks in advance.
Jul 29th, 2005, 08:59 PM
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I have no idea what international charges are right now but I paid yesterday for 3 airlines tickets to Hobart (yep off again) at very cheap price and this is the break up
3 airfares = $27.27
Taxes etc = $81.84
credit card fee = $5.45
fuel surcharge = $51.84
more tax GST = $16.60
So got charged GST tax on the tax (only in Australia?) and out of total $183.00 only $27.27 plus maybe the fuel charge is for the actual flight.
Anyway may just fire off a letter asking how airport taxes qualify as a goods and service to have GST applied.
3 airfares = $27.27
Taxes etc = $81.84
credit card fee = $5.45
fuel surcharge = $51.84
more tax GST = $16.60
So got charged GST tax on the tax (only in Australia?) and out of total $183.00 only $27.27 plus maybe the fuel charge is for the actual flight.
Anyway may just fire off a letter asking how airport taxes qualify as a goods and service to have GST applied.
Aug 3rd, 2005, 06:28 PM
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Viking,
It's not just departure taxes for Australia; it's all across the board, and alive and well in the US too! It's all marketing (or smoke and mirrors, whatever you want to call it)!
Both the airlines and cruise lines have apparently decided that they can advertise low rates and then tack on various and miscellaneous taxes which everyone will accept, because, I guess, we're "used to" paying taxes! I've actually seen cruise fares (short cruises) where the cruise fare and the taxes levied were almost the same! Ridiculous!
I'm not really familiar with freedomair (but doesn't sound like alot of "freedom" to me). Part of the problem no doubt is that it sounds like you're trying to do one simple flight, and many times, you get a much better rate if the flight is in conjunction with your international flight.
Tassie...yes, I can see from your breakdown this is exactly what I was talking about. Good luck getting any kind of response from the airline -- let us know what (if anything) they say.
On every US ticket there's also a "911 fund" and I have yet to find a decent explanation of what / where it goes from anyone at an airline.
Grrr.
Regards,
Melodie
Certified Aussie Specialist
It's not just departure taxes for Australia; it's all across the board, and alive and well in the US too! It's all marketing (or smoke and mirrors, whatever you want to call it)!
Both the airlines and cruise lines have apparently decided that they can advertise low rates and then tack on various and miscellaneous taxes which everyone will accept, because, I guess, we're "used to" paying taxes! I've actually seen cruise fares (short cruises) where the cruise fare and the taxes levied were almost the same! Ridiculous!
I'm not really familiar with freedomair (but doesn't sound like alot of "freedom" to me). Part of the problem no doubt is that it sounds like you're trying to do one simple flight, and many times, you get a much better rate if the flight is in conjunction with your international flight.
Tassie...yes, I can see from your breakdown this is exactly what I was talking about. Good luck getting any kind of response from the airline -- let us know what (if anything) they say.
On every US ticket there's also a "911 fund" and I have yet to find a decent explanation of what / where it goes from anyone at an airline.
Grrr.
Regards,
Melodie
Certified Aussie Specialist
Aug 3rd, 2005, 10:41 PM
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As Melodie said its all a bit of a con.
In the UK a TV programme looked in the added taxes and it turns out the airlines are adding any addiitonal fees that they can find. I remember one was a surcharge for having a wheelchair but every passenger was paying it, there was basically a long list of items.
The low cost carriers are doing it especially, as it makes them look like the good guys and the govt. the bad guys.
I read on another forum about a guy who wanted a refund on his non-refundable ticket for only the gst, & airport taxes as he hadn't used their services and therefore as such the govt. shouldn't be entitled to the money but the airline declined, someone who worked at an airline said that they just pocket the money.
Geordie
In the UK a TV programme looked in the added taxes and it turns out the airlines are adding any addiitonal fees that they can find. I remember one was a surcharge for having a wheelchair but every passenger was paying it, there was basically a long list of items.
The low cost carriers are doing it especially, as it makes them look like the good guys and the govt. the bad guys.
I read on another forum about a guy who wanted a refund on his non-refundable ticket for only the gst, & airport taxes as he hadn't used their services and therefore as such the govt. shouldn't be entitled to the money but the airline declined, someone who worked at an airline said that they just pocket the money.
Geordie
Aug 4th, 2005, 01:29 AM
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Interesting marketing then.
If they do charge a GST(sales tax,VAT etc) on the total value then there really cannot be any tax component.
However the flights are so much cheaper these days I do not feel ripped off at all just wonder why they can't call a spade a spade.
Who I do wonder about is airline staff. I have heard quite a few say they don't fly much cheaper than the rest of us these days because they have to pay the same taxes. But all indicators suggest it is really not taxes they are paying.
Aug 5th, 2005, 11:08 AM
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Melodie, I think the taxes related to Oz departure are unique pitfalls. My last ticket HNL<->SYD tacked on US$150 departure taxes!!! Very devastating, and up from almost nothing earlier. Now I open jaw it with NZ (avoiding a SYD departure) and taxes go back down to almost nothing.
This seems Oz specific since I have never paid such penalties in a lifetime of globetrotting. Oh, I do happily pay Ryanair US$45 taxes on each little European leg, but that is a rational system which allows Ryanair to charge US$1 or even US$0 per trip. They use tiny underused airports who are required by law to charge US$45 tax per passenger. But the airports don't need the big bucks and they do need the passengers, so they pass much of it back to Ryanair.
Which gets me back to closing my open jaw Oz->NZ where it looks like I will get hit by that huge tax bullet that I thought I dodged. Well, not so terribly high but just wondered what was the system since it seems so hit and miss based on several quotes. Unfortunately I can't work in the coming air service by Jetstar or whatever that is posting huge discounts.
This seems Oz specific since I have never paid such penalties in a lifetime of globetrotting. Oh, I do happily pay Ryanair US$45 taxes on each little European leg, but that is a rational system which allows Ryanair to charge US$1 or even US$0 per trip. They use tiny underused airports who are required by law to charge US$45 tax per passenger. But the airports don't need the big bucks and they do need the passengers, so they pass much of it back to Ryanair.
Which gets me back to closing my open jaw Oz->NZ where it looks like I will get hit by that huge tax bullet that I thought I dodged. Well, not so terribly high but just wondered what was the system since it seems so hit and miss based on several quotes. Unfortunately I can't work in the coming air service by Jetstar or whatever that is posting huge discounts.
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