Airline Taxes

cee_jay

Just a quick query - am wondering why on the same route, at different dates, the taxes you pay on your flight amount to a different amount?

For example if I were to fly Aberdeen-Dublin on 8th June with Ryanair (flight cost £14.99), the taxes and charges are £18.80
Breakdown:
£10 Government Tax
£5 PSC - Non Refundable
£3.80 Ins & Wchr Levy

Also the PCS coming back is £11.13, Ins & Wchr still the same.

The same route and carrier on 9th June, the taxes are £9.99 (flight cost £0.01)
This £9.99 is just Government tax
Why doesn't this have the PCS and Ins & Wchr Levy?
And can someone explain what they actually are?

Coming back there is no Government tax or Ins&Wchr, just PCS of £9.99

I travel this route a lot and the taxes are always different!
Can anyone explain why?

BuffyBot

Different aiports levey different charges to the airlines. So apart from the goverment tax, you may also be paying money to the airport for facilities etc.

cee_jay

Yes I understand that, with different landing charges and the likes.
But this is the same route, to the same destination, from the same airport - just a day later! That's what I don't understand?

Zaph

The £10 government tax only applies on the Aberdeen-Dublin leg because it's a British goverment tax for leaving the country. It was recently increased from £5 to £10 for any journey booked from a UK airport for travel after 1st February 2007.

The PCS, according to the article on page 2 of today's Irish Times Weekend supplement is the "Passenger Service Charge", which covers payments to the airport and the aviation authority for use of the airport and air traffic control respectively. Presumably different airports in different countries have different charges. The article doesn't mention what the insurance and wheelchair charge is, but if I remember correctly Ryanair got caught up in some negative public relations a little while ago for charging extra for passengers needing the use of a wheelchair to get to the plane. They discontinued the charge (not sure if it was voluntary or they were ordered to) and instead slapped a smaller charge onto every ticket to compensate for not applying this charge to individuals.

oceansapart

You have experienced Ryanairs unique ability to make up their own taxes to suit the flights they want to push sales on i.e "special offer" and the ones they wan't to screw you for "last minute buyers"

Take a look at Dublin - Cork tommorow , where anybody buying a ticket at this late stage would have a genuine need to travel and little option, taxes are €22.74

Take a look at the same route, Dublin - Cork on 1st May which Ryanair want to push sales on , taxes are €9.98 ....

It ain't a coincidence.