Excessive Taxes for European Flights?

[Peatmoss]

Hi

We just booked a flight to Barcelona this June on aeroplan and I'm staggered by the amount of $$ for "taxes and fuel surcharges". For a family of four the total came to $1800. I was expecting to pay *some* amount, but not upwards of $2000!

We tried altering our routing and it made zero difference - except that we waited a couple of extra days deciding what to do and lost our first choice of route. So it's the same amount of money for ... less of a trip.

Anyhow, I'd love to know whether these high taxes have been a showstopper for other travellers. They certainly seem very high and if they were added to the price of a ticket - that's like a ~30% surcharge. Seems outrageous.

Edit: I forgot to mention that we are departing from Canada


Regards all,


Peatmoss

[vinnie]

I agree with you about the taxes. I have been going to Europe every summer for many years but not in 2008.

You might want to call your MP and have a talk about taxes.

[jimshu]

You may find that the major component of the surchages is fuel, and that the tax part is reasonable.
Here in NZ, airlines have been fined considerable amounts for advertising fares in bold lettering then in the small print, adding fuel and tax surcharges.So now the price advertised is the fare including fuel charges, but plus taxes.A fairer way of selling to the customer.
But sadly that is not the case overseas, or booking online.
Same difference in the end.Still the full amount has got to be paid.But like you , I wish all airlines were up front with the total cost of the flight at the outset.They are so arrogant sometimes, treating us as fools.
I mean, we are grownups, able to understand that fuel prices are soaring.

[Peatmoss]

Hi

Writing an MP is something I hadn't thought of, but it might get results - over the longer term.

Jimshu, you are right, a significant chunk of the ticket surcharge is for fuel. Seems odd to me that with the volatility in world fuel prices, Air Canada can predict what the surcharge ought to be for a flight that is still 6 months away. Here's an unpleasant thought, perhaps I am paying the surcharge for the guy who flew 6 months before me.

I went to the Air Canada website and went through the motions of buying two tickets, one Vancouver to London (UK) and another Vancouver to Bangkok. They kindly break the ticket price down for you before you reach the checkout step. The YVR-LHR flight has some $250 in fuel surcharges while the Bangkok flight had $215. Interesting, eh? The Bangkok flight is 5 hours longer than the London one.

Even more interesting, the surcharges we paid for our "free aeroplan" tickets were even higher than if we'd purchased a ticket with cash.

The whole mechanism seems arbitrary to me and for that reason I'm a little bitter about it.

Regards

Peatmoss

[chenouk]

I totally agree with you that the taxes are awfully high. I have travelled with my airmiles for a very short distance. Dash 8 which has room for 40 passengers and travelled one hour flight. Tax was over $100.

They charge for: Canada Airport Improvement Fee, Canada Security Charge, Goods and Services and they other one called Navcan & Surcharges which I have no idea what it means. So if you think your getting a free ticket....think again. Sometimes it is cheaper to look for deals or specials instead of using your airmiles.

[jackmcmanus21]

taxes are killer...a big reason why I haven't been out of NA in a bit

[Zuleika]

Its not too bad for us actually living in Europe because we can use the budget airlines and flights to most of the European countries for ridiculously cheap prices. Everybody knows that the taxes are added on to these prices which often makes it double the original quoted price - but it is still cheapie cheap even with the tax!! So always check the final amount before buying the flights shown.

[ballu]

I was walking down the street and saw a cheap airfare for Britain...about $350 for a flight to Edingburgh. When I got in to work I looked it up on the internet and the price was twice that after taxes & fees. The taxes and fees were actually more expensive than the flight! Oh well, I guess I've already been to Edinburgh...

[sportskid1]

I feel your pain here. My wife and I were deciding between Greece and Thailand this year and decided on Thailand due to the fact that airfare was about $400US cheaper per person. As an American we get hit twice with souring fuel prices and the exchange rate going to hell. I so want to travel Europe but now is not the time financially.

[Zuleika]

.............. whilst we are loving coming to the US!

But we have to get some bonuses - travel clothes + equipment/electricals/photographic gear - all so much cheaper in the US!

[columbus]

last week sometime, the CBC mentioned on the news that fuel costs for airlines have doubled since the beginning of 2007. that could definitely affect the prices we see...

[LadyBird]

Some of the taxes are also part of the "landing tax" at an airport. London Heathrow and LAX are two airports where just to land there they have to pay a huge amount of money. So Peatmoss I think that explains your Bangkok/London difference.

I was looking at a flight from Toronto to Cairo and the taxes with British Airways were actually higher than the cost of the ticket. - Not that I would fly with British Airways (I want to have my luggage when I get there)

[tts]

I booked a flight to Italy on Aeroplan this year and had to pay $280 on taxes and surcharges for one person. Also, I will have to change planes twice in Europe. Five years ago I booked a flight to the same city in Italy on Aeroplan and had to pay $70. The connections were better, too, with only one stop in Europe. Both times I booked well in advance. I'm starting to wonder if Aeroplan is worth it with its $120 per annum fee. There seem to be plenty of cheap flights to Europe and then there are the budget airlines within Europe. Hmm...