Airport exit taxes

[fred mertz]

Just wondering. Are Argentina and Uruguay the only countries (anywhere) that make travelers pay an exit tax? There are no exit taxes for those leaving the U.S. or any European Union country. Lithuania and Latvia don´t even have passport controls.

 

[katti]

Mostly exit taxes are already included in the ticket. You pay them, only you don't realise you do.

 

[cavemanugh]

katti is correct. i've been to many countries where they used to make you pay a seperate exit tax, but now they include the tax directly onto the price of the ticket when you buy it.

 

[djlinse37]

There are such taxes, or similar, everywhere. I know Japan had a specific, separate exit tax when I visited several times in the mid-90s going through Narita. You had to do it just as you (used to?) do in Buenos Aires at EZE: make a separate stop. I just left EZE via American Airlines last week, and I asked if I had to make that stop at the ticket counter and was told it was included in my ticket price...

Airports all across the US charge various "airport fees" which are the equivalent of "exit taxes". These are included in your ticket prices. And have a look at rental car prices to see the barrage of similar taxes...

 

[Liam3494]

As said above, most countries do it, they tend to be more subtle than the tax introduced in Argentina, and force it into the ticket, so you blame the airline. Ireland have introduced another exit tax this year, much to the chagrin of the travel industry, especially during a recession when tourism is falling anyway, but what do they care!

Again, as said above, when I last left BsAs last month, the exit tax was included in my ticket and the check in desk just stamped my ticket saying it was paid. When I left in March, I assumed it was, as that has become the norm around the world, and had an argument (to no avail) with the security folk, naturally I lost and had to go and pay at the booth.

I remember flying out of Bangkok around 20 years ago and having no money left, and ended up "borrowing" a few bhat from a fellow traveller so I could get on the plane. The locals were unimpressed with my arguments I had no cash (and no credit cards in those days), I would bet a few backpapckers have been through similar....

 

[windy]

Bangkok has had an exit tax for as long as i remember. And last month when flying out of Ireland we were cherged 10 euros each, which they called a DEVELOPEMENT tax.
I think the development was was a massive budget defecit.
But most countries do put it in the ticket price as an easy way to hoover extra cash out of Jo public

 

[captdave]

As I understand, the money you pay when ou leave isn't really a "tax" but rather an "airport fee", so it would be hard to include in your ticket price. Last time I looked it was just under 20 U$D (18 I think), payable after you check in, payed in dollars, pesos, or with a Debit/Credit card.

Saludos,

David

 

[Ries]

Funny- I flew out at the end of May, and they told me, you dont have to pay the airport tax anymore- its included in your ticket now- and I didnt pay it, didnt stand in line, and nobody said a word.
I got on my plane without incident.

Has anyone flown out since then?
Is this still the case?
I believe this flight was on Delta.

 

[Liam3494]

As I said above - Yep - It was included in my ticket out of BsAs in May, and they sure called it a TAX

 

[erindanelle]

the departure tax should be enforced by the government so it should not have anything to do with which airline you fly. I used to manage a travel agency until about 2 years ago and at least whilst I was working, Canada and NZ were two prime examples of western countries that still charge their departure tax at the airport rather than as part of the ticket. I know Australia was AUD38 and was part of the ticket 'taxes'. (I use 'taxes' as some of these are indeed fees rather than taxes, imposed by airlines and airports, the airline just lumps it all together and calls it 'taxes')
I think when the new airport opened in Thailand about 2 years ago they changed to departure tax on ticket rather than at the airport. As far as I know most South American countries collect the departure tax at the airport... although I have not flown out of Argentina since 2006, only overland and didn't pay that way.