UK Air Passenger Duty and AA
 

I'd heard some airlines were going to "eat" the tax for passengers flying from the UK, but it seems like AA isn't.


Following the U.K. Government's decision to double the Air Passenger Duty paid by passengers traveling from the United Kingdom, American Airlines customers who have purchased tickets to travel on or after February 1, 2007, will be required to pay the increased tax before flying.

For long-haul flights to the United States, APD (GB tax) has increased to:



£40.00 for Economy Class travel (previously £20.00)
£80.00 for Business & First Class travel (previously £40.00)
Customers who purchased tickets prior to December 12, 2006, will need to pay the extra tax at the U.K. airport when checking in for their flight. Payment can be made by credit card or cash.

American greatly regrets the inconvenience that this retroactive tax will cause our customers.

We trust you will have an enjoyable flight on American Airlines and look forward to welcoming you on board

So they are doing exactly the same as Ryanair!

Well, with so many US-UK flights, AA will take a pretty significant financial hit if they eat that cost.

However, I want to know what if someone refuses to pay? Can one get a refund of the ticket?

I just got that email, too. I am flying to and from Barcelona out of DFW - a stop on the way through Gatwick, a stop on the other direction through Heathrow. Will I just have to pay on the return flight home? (Something else to fit in during my short connection?!)

The tax applies to trips originating in the UK, or if your connection through the UK (e.g. Paris - London - New York) exceeds 24 hours. You have six hours (I believe) if you're connecting to a domestic UK flight (e.g. New York - London - Edinburgh.) If you're just landing in the UK, taking the train to Paris, say, and flying home from some other country, then no tax.

It was always a ridiculous tax & now it's doubly so especially considering how high it is.

I am quite pissed about this. I've already flown the first leg and my return is in August, so I guess I will have to pony up the fee then.

I'm feeling very anti-environmentalist right now!

I'm taking a 55 Euro flight on Norwegian out of London Stansted. Do I understand that it will now cost me an additional 40 GB pounds??? Please tell me it isn't so.

The APD rate for economy-class travel within listed countries (most) in Europe is £5, or £10 for non-listed European-region countries. (Norway is in the £5 group.) AA's rates above are in regard to AA flights out of the UK, which by definition are all long-haul (£40 or £80 depending on class of service.)

As if we needed another reason to avoid British airports.... :(

So then if I'm flying out of Nice on BA, connecting in London on AA for my return flight to Chicago 2 hrs later, I WON'T have to pay the tax?

I got the email too; that's why I am asking.

I'm confused too. I booked our flights in Sept. I would have thought that was a legitimate contract to get me from point A to B and back for what I paid!

But what I wonder now is whether , I pay 20 £ or 40£ at the ticket counter. Didn't I already pay the previous 20£ so now I will have to cough up 20£ more.. not 40??

I was told by AA today that if you are at the airport, (UK) less than 12 hours because of a connecting flight, you do not have to pay the extra tax. I also received the e-mail.

I got that AA email, too. Just to clarify -- I am holding roundtrip tickets to London, purchased at the end of November. I trust that I have already paid the initial 20 pounds but will then have to pay an additional 20 pounds upon leaving the UK. Is that correct? Wow. There goes a chunk of change.

That was my question too, Bo, . The email certainly is noy very clear on that point!

<b>I goofed up.</b>

I mistakenly gave out the OLD rates in my post above. Here are the new rates effective for all flights from 1 Feb on...

Economy class flights in Europe, including internal UK flights, &pound;10

Business and first class flights in Europe &pound;20

Economy class long-haul flights &pound;40

Business and first class long-haul flights &pound;80

Again, if you're connecting through the UK with less than a 24 hour window and it's on one ticket, then these taxes are waived. Nobody knows how &lt;24 hr transits where two tickets are involved will work (i.e. you have one ticket from somewhere to the UK, then another from the UK to somewhere else, with less than 24 hours' transit.) Speculation is that you will still be charged, since the UK tax authorities (unlike customs) will have no evidence that you're transiting. Maybe if you have the onward boarding pass in hand in advance they might see it, but I suppose we'll know more by the end of the week. Chaos, anyone?

I am in the same position; I booked the tickets long ago for a March trip and just received the email about the tax. I'm calling American Airlines to complain. :(

...And yes, if you paid &pound;20 before, you will be charged the second &pound;20 before you board, probably at the checkin counters. If it's LHR, I would probably add <i>another</i> hour to the plan.

Thanks Gardyloo..I hadn't given any thought to the additional time at checkin , while the agents explain , then listen to complaints and then do the paperwork for the charges. Yep, probably an extra hours wait time.

Has anyone gotten a direct response when expressing objection to AA? Any chance that they will retreat from their present position? Are other major carriers taking the same stance?