[Tim2soza]

The proposal is to increase landing charges to fund the Border control folks. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d861ee76-9394-11e1-8c6f-00144feab49a.html#axzz1thPeAY00. Do landing fees get rolled up into the Passenger service charge or added to the cost of the flight?

[LPPSKrisflyer]

I think we all pay enough taxes related to air travel already especially in the UK. Perhaps air passenger duty should be used to pay for the border services, I’m sure they could be run very well (assuming the current management and personnel are ousted) for that amount of rip off taxation.

As regular travellers we should be making it very clear that the system needs to be fixed through efficiencies, not by spending more money, in fact we should be making clear that more money is not an option.

[RichHI1]

Paying for security and border control is done in many countries and I see no issue with that. However as Krisflyer posts, you either do that or you charge UKAPD. You cannot have it both ways.If you look at tickets you will see such charges are in taxes and airline surcharges separately listed.

[Tete_de_cuvee]

Lets be clear, (as most polititians love to say), the government was happy to pocket saves from Brodie Clark’s initiative where only selected individuals were closely examined (behaviour based profiling) letting others through with a cursory check.

Given the government then demand the UKBA revert to a more thorough check of everyone, it needs to refund the previous save first, only then look to pax for further investment.

[BeckyBoop]

I don’t think the average holiday maker will be so welcoming to pay an additional surcharge to coming through airports just so the UKBA can take there cut. Adding extra costs on to my business travel is fine as I don’t pick up the bill and all expenses are reimbursed to me and that includes visa’s etc.I agree with LPPS “the system needs to be fixed through efficiencies, not by spending more money, in fact we should be making clear that more money is not an option”.

[MartynSinclair]

@ VintageKrug – 02/05/2012 06:46 GMT

The American model worked just fine. Start it off at zero and then increase. No delays, everyone pays in advance.

@ SimonS1 – 02/05/2012 07:53 GMT

couldnt care if UKBA didnt collect any data in advance (in which case they couldnt lose anything). The point of the excecise is to collect revenue from foreign visitors.

[Henkel.Trocken]

Glad Cameron is starting to sort the mess out but the message should be clear, passengers are not going to spend any more money on this, airports are already a fine example of rip off Britain. We need savings and efficiency.

[FlyingChinaman]

VK: Keeping up with my Chinese heritage, I am extremely known for my maths so I have no confusion with the various charges built into the airline ticket to London!!!!!

Henkel.Trochen: You are very right in assuming that most passengers are not prepared to pay more to an already Rip Off Britain.

[MartynSinclair]

Henkel.Trocken – 02/05/2012 10:40 GMT

I think you are partially right, passengers wont want to pay, but they will, if they want to travel to UK. Passengers pay now when they travel outside of the UK.

[RichHI1]

With regard to fees and taxes, where the charge is collected on behalf of a service issuing body then it is clearly a fee where it is collected on behalf of the Revenue it is clearly a tax. Therefore despite other conditions there were seem to be a need for the charge to be collected and raised on behalf of the UKBF and not HMRC (in the UK).
Where there is provision of services in exchange for monetary consideration, there arise some interest legall oportunities for remedy in event of non or partial performance by the service providing authority, irrespective of the agent of collection.

[CXDiamond]

I think business travellers should be standing up and saying that enough is enough on the taxes and charges front. As I think senior people in our organisations we know about the impacts of costs. The UK seems to regard us as a soft target of people who will simply pay.

Martyn is right, we don’t have a choice but to pay but we need to start saying very loudly that we are looking for efficiencies and cuts. I deal week by week with business men from China who never fail to tell me that they want to do business with the UK, their preferred place in Europe but they need an additional visa to a Schengen one, there are insufficient direct flights and surcharges on flights are way to high. The Chinese are very conscious of these things and they are, at the moment simply going elsewhere.

[MartynSinclair]

CXDiamond – 02/05/2012 17:26 GMT

I listen to all these arguments and discussions, but next time you fly into Heathrow from China, or indeed anywhere in Asia, the foreign businessman/women are still filling the seats.

You would be suprised at the number of corporate flights from Asia to London. Taxes and fees on travel are a soft target, passengers have a moan and just pay up.

Try getting a holiday flight to Orlando – people just pay…

So to make the borders more efficient, the Government need to find new ways of increasing revenue (as long as it doesnt affect me). Personally , I do not think there will be a decrease in the numbers using UKBA, probably be an increase – put a barrier and people just jump higher!

[CXDiamond]

Martyn, I couldn’t agree more, but is it right that we simply keep putting up with it? We pay more and more for poorer service.

It’s time to start shouting, loudly especially while Cameron may be taking notice.

[FlyingChinaman]

Marytn: So the UK government view the travelling public as flying “sitting ducks” !

It might lead to retaliation in the future by other countries on imposing certain higher fee to flights originating from the UK similar to the reciprocal visa fee charges to certain nationals that I’ve seen in Argentina, Brazil, Indonesia, Jordan and Turkey

[MartynSinclair]

Flying Chinaman – yes it probably will lead for retaliation, but unless someone comes up with a solution, the fees, taxes and charges will just increase.

Going into Vietnam last week, I got hit with a $31 online visa fee + and entry fee of $20.

I will have to renew my ESTA before my next visit to the States + I want to apply for a 6 month visa for my wife, son and me for the USA. I know UK have visa fees, but the point is that most countries are at it as travellers will always want to travel and they moan and then pay.

I like VK’s comment – “In my opinion you shouldn’t have to pay to enter your own country, and that’s a very important principle.” AGREED!

[Author]

Posts