All posts by Frequent flyer

U.S. airlines will receive almost $60 billion bailout from coronavirus stimulus bill

The airline industry is facing its biggest crisis since the September 11, 2001 attacks. On 16th of March, 2020 global airline alliances (oneworld, SkyTeam and Star Alliance) jointly called on governments for support during COVID-19 pandemic.

U.S. airlines will receive bailout

And on 27th of March, 2020 President Donald Trump signed $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill and U.S. airlines will get almost $60 billion from that stimulus package. Bill prohibits layoffs, stock buybacks, and dividends.

Continue reading U.S. airlines will receive almost $60 billion bailout from coronavirus stimulus bill

Departure Tax in Japan

From 7th January 2019 all visitors to Japan will pay a ¥1,000 ($9 or €8 by today’s exchange rate) departure tax. Officially it is called “International Tourist Tax”, but this tax will need to pay anybody who is leaving Japan by airline or cruise line. It means this tourist tax will be payable by everybody and not just tourists coming to visit Japan. Continue reading Departure Tax in Japan

Free wifi and internet access at Australian airports

Most airlines require you to arrive to airport for check-in at least 2-3 hours before your flight. It won’t take much time if you arrived earlier, so what to do with another waiting time you left? For most people it means shopping or internet browsing. Unfortunately not all airports have free wifi. Here is list of major airports in Australia with internet details. Continue reading Free wifi and internet access at Australian airports

New Zealand departure tax

Since February 2015 New Zealand is free from departure tax!

I am glad to announce that travellers will have less departure tax to pay in NZ airports in 2012 comparing with last year, so travel experience to New Zealand is getting less annoying. In the second half of 2011 Dunedin airport joined Auckland and Christchurch airports and replaced international departure fee passenger service charge (PSC) of NZ$12.78 each way which is now included in ticket price.

In 2012 Queenstown, Wellington and Palmerston North airports also wiped departure taxes.

In 2014 Hamilton airport become tax free. At least you don’t need to pay any additional taxes at airport and everything already included in ticket price.

Since February, 2015 Rotorua airport also stopped charging departure taxes at airport. It was last airport in New Zealand which was charging fees at the departure.

Here is table with current departure tax at airports in New Zealand:

Name of Airport Arrival fee NZ$ Departure fee NZ$ Where to pay
Auckland airport 12.50 12.50 included in ticket price
Christchurch airport 12.50 12.50 included in ticket price
Dunedin airport 12.78 12.78 included in ticket price
Hamilton airport 5 included in ticket price. There is no international flights, domestic only.
Palmerston North airport 8 included in ticket price
Queenstown airport ??? ??? included in ticket price
Rotorua airport 15.00 included in ticket price
Wellington airport ??? ??? included in ticket price

As you can see from this table your total payable tax can go up to NZ$37.50 if you are arriving to Christchurch (NZ$12.50 passenger services charge) and departing from Queenstown (NZ$25.00 departure fee). But if you are doing opposite your total taxes would be only NZ$12.50, i.e. arriving to Queenstown (NZ$0.00 passenger services charge) and departing from Christchurch(NZ$12.50 passenger services charge). For one person may be it is not big saving, but for families or frequent fliers it can make difference.

Also you should know that at Hamilton and Rotorua airports there is domestic departure tax too, not only international departure fee. You need to pay a NZ$5 departure fee on domestic services out of these airports.

UPDATE May, 2008. 1st of July 2008 is the last day passengers need to pay International Departure Fee in Auckland airport. Commonly known as a departure fee was actually an Airport Development Charge (ADC) paid by travellers via the $25 departure fee at Auckland Airport. This ADC fee has now been replaced bya Passenger Services Charge (PSC), which, from 1 July 2008, will be levied on airlines rather than on travellers. In practice, this means that instead of travellers paying a departure fee, a new charge (PSC) will be levied onto airlines at a charge of $13 for each way of a traveller’s journey (both arrival and departure). Individual airlines will be responsible for deciding if and how they collect the charge from passengers. (Airport Times, May 2018)

UPDATE April, 2012. From 1st of April 2012 International Departure Fee is no longer applicable at Wellington Airport. If you have pre-purchased an International Departure Fee you can obtain a refund from Travelex at Wellington Airport by presenting your Departure Fee Sticker.

UPDATE September, 2012. Somehow we missed this news but Queenstown Airport has wiped its NZ$25 international departure fee at the end of June. As airport chief executive said: “Removing the fee will greatly improve the experience international passengers have when leaving the airport.” He is so right!

UPDATE October, 2012. It looks like this year is tax cut year. From 1st of October passenger won’t need to pay NZ$5 domestic departure tax at Palmerston North Airport, but landing fee will be increased by NZ$3 and will be included in the ticket price, so Air New Zealand wasn’t happy about it.

UPDATE April, 2013. Talk about new departure tax in Christchurch started. Lets hope it will be only talk.

UPDATE April, 2014.There is no departure levy at Hamilton airport. All taxes are included in ticket price.

UPDATE February, 2015. No more departure taxes to pay at Rotorua airport. Read more here.

 

New departure tax in Christchurch airport?

Not so long ago existing international New Zealand departure tax of $NZ25 was wiped from Christchurch (CHC) airport. Everybody was glad about it. Of course these taxes didn’t disappear.

You need to pay NZ$12.50 so called passenger services charge on inbound and outbound flights which totals $NZ25. But at least this service charge is included in your ticket price and you don’t need to worry about anything on your arrival to airport. Continue reading New departure tax in Christchurch airport?

Departure fee at Riga airport, Latvia

At least once a year I am in transit at Riga airport to Middle East countries, so I didn’t notice they have some departure fees to pay at airport. This departure tax applies only to Ryanair passengers who has direct flights from Riga airport (RIX).

Up to 1st of January, 2012 the security function at Riga airport was financed from the state government, but as of 1st of January 2012 this fee was included into ticket price. Continue reading Departure fee at Riga airport, Latvia

Departure tax in Kathmandu (KTM) airport, Nepal

In most printed travel guides there is information about departure taxes you need to pay on departure from Tribhuvan (KTM) airport in Kathmandu.

But from year 2010 there is no such departure fee any more for international departures. All taxes are included in your ticket.

Thought you still need to pay domestic departure fee. As of April, 2013 this fee is 200 Rupees. So if you are flying from Kathmandu to Lukla or Pokhara be ready to have some spare cash to pay these taxes.

Free wifi and internet access at airports in New Zealand

A lot of people hate internet connection in Australia – it is expensive and slow, but wait till you come to New Zealand. It probably has worst internet in developed world and it was hard to find free internet(WiFi ) at airports in New Zealand, but it is getting better. Here are the options you can find in New Zealand. Continue reading Free wifi and internet access at airports in New Zealand