I recently investigated ticket prices from UK to Canada and was surprised to find that there were substantial extra charges (of the order of 50 - 60% of the airline prices) listed as "taxes". What are these taxes and is it possible to avoid paying them ?
The taxes are UK AIr Passenger Duty (�20) , the Airport charge , Canadian departure taxes, canadian airport security charges , canadian airport improvement charges and the bulk of it is a fuel tax , which airlines pass onto clients to pay because of the rise in the cost of airline fuel costs.
Taxes on a ticket to Canada are approx �120 now
Environmentalists are, of course, campaigning for much greater taxes on all flights. (Although I enjoy cheap air travel, I have to admit that they might have a point).
The figures which are often suggested are around US$1000 (over �500) extra tax on a one-way Transatlantic flight. If we don't get to grips with global warming soon, taxes at those sorts of levels might have to become reality in the not too distant future.