Why do taxes and charges vary so much on cheap flights?
 

UK to Berlin.
Easyjet charges are £5.00.
Ryanair £12.48.

Tax rates should be the same,are the charges totally arbitrary?


Easyjet
Airfare per adult or child £7.99
(per person)
Taxes and charges per adult or child £5.00
(per person)

Total amount due:

£12.99
(total cost)


Ryanair
5.49 GBP 5.49 GBP
Taxes, Fees & Charges
12.48 GBP


Total Cost of Flight
17.97 GBP

Although there is a mininum charge for airport tax there is no maximum, in fact there are no restrictions as to what an airline can charge in relation to airport tax. Apparently BA and Ryanair are some of the worst for this, basically its a way of making extra money without bumping up the advertised sale price of a ticket. Apparerntly its also totally legal too.

maybe easyjet aren't declaring all their earnings and not paying some tax :)

The other scam is that if you book a cheap flight and don't go on it, in theory, you should get a refund of the tax....as they won't have to pay it, and it's not theirs to keep.

In reality, they charge you to get it back IIRC.

Interesting programme on C4 this coming Monday about Ryanair and their "practices" ;)

So basically they can charge what they want as a way of putting up "low" headline fares.