Belfast Airport charges £1 to light up a fag in designated area past security gate..

Run_to_da_hills

Good idea, I can't see why people are moaning about it given that in most airports it is impossible to light up once you past security.

If this catches on down south expect to pay €5 for the privilage.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2011/0507/1224296358285.html

A320

haha its free at SNN anyway,that was more than likely provided for the troops

Cicero

It would probably make revenue than the travel tax did...it's a no-brainer IMO..most smokers would pay EUR5 for being able to smoke there.

Stinicker

Smokers are jokers, still if it allows for any reduction in my base fare through tax reductions to the Airlines i'm all for it!

lord lucan

Cicero wrote: »

most smokers would pay EUR5 for being able to smoke there.

I certainly wouldn't,just on principal. IIRC they also charge a pound for cars dropping people off outside the airport.

lord lucan

Stinicker wrote: »

Smokers are jokers, still if it allows for any reduction in my base fare through tax reductions to the Airlines i'm all for it!

It would never be passed on in reductions to the airlines,just seen as an extra revenue stream for the airport authority.

Stinicker

Stinicker wrote: »

Smokers are jokers, still if it allows for any reduction in my base fare through tax reductions to the Airlines i'm all for it!

Why would you be entitled to my pound?

Lapin

I'd tell the DAA where to shove their €? if they tried charging me.

At €8.55 for a packet of cigarettes I already pay enough for the privalige.

And the anti smoking lobby can sod off too. Smoking is confined to designated areas so it shouldn't concern them.

Stinicker

lord lucan wrote: »

It would never be passed on in reductions to the airlines,just seen as an extra revenue stream for the airport authority.

Well its a better way to raise revenue than hiking taxes and fees, its a bit like a stupid tax and smokers being stupid enough to smoke to begin with will happily pay it.

PS. I personally hate smokers.

lord lucan

Stinicker wrote: »

Well its a better way to raise revenue than hiking taxes and fees, its a bit like a stupid tax and smokers being stupid enough to smoke to begin with will happily pay it.

PS. I personally hate smokers.

Truth be told you could use that argument with every facet of the airport. I don't like religion,so maybe they should charge people €1 to use the multi faith room!:pac:

On the one hand the airport authorities don't want to seem to pander to smokers as it's very un-PC these days. On the other hand smokers are a huge source of income through tobacco sales. Revenue from Retail and Food & Beverage is what helps keep landing costs etc. at a reasonable level.

Another consideration is the cost of fire alarm activations being caused by smokers having a crafty smoke in the toilets. In the wake of the Dusseldorf Airport fire in '96 it became mandatory that fire alarm activations at the airport be responded to by both the AFB and DFB. The cost was huge as the numbers of activations rose steadily over the years. The smoking area/beer garden in T1X has pretty much negated that now.

Lapin

Stinicker wrote: »

Well its a better way to raise revenue than hiking taxes and fees, its a bit like a stupid tax and smokers being stupid enough to smoke to begin with will happily pay it.

PS. I personally hate smokers.

The smoking area after security can accommodate about 60 people and even then its very rare that there would be that many there.

Compared to the thousands of passengers that pass through the airport daily, there is no way that charging a few smokers could come close to matching the revenue generated by airport charges.

If anything, the presence of a designated smoking area generates income as smokers will be more inclind to spend money in the bar, newsagents etc.

Furthermore, The Garden Terrace bar and restaurant (where the smoking area is located) would probably have a claim for compensation if they were to lose out on potential custom that would result from smoking charges being enforced on their premises. Who's gonna pay for that ?

Whether you hate smokers or not, the argument that charging them for the privilage will help lower travel costs for everyone else is nonsense.

L1011

lord lucan wrote: »

On the other hand smokers are a huge source of income through tobacco sales.

Profit margin on cigarettes for the retailer is brutal, I doubt the few extra sales of single packs that having more smoking areas would give would have any impact.

pclancy

Just another in the long line of small charges that mount up over time to make people's travel more and more expensive. The charge for the little security bags was pretty bad but to charge a pound to drop people off is madness.

I'm sure this won't be the last airport to begin charging for use of their smoking rooms, its not really fair but thats just the way the world is going i'm afraid. Taxes on fags will keep on mounting but thats only fair as the dying smokers of the future will cost the healthcare industry billions.