Travel to Netherlands likely to get more expensive

[Carolinian]

Last year, the UK at the instigation of Gordon Brown slapped a new departure tax on air passengers of over $100, saying it was intended to discourage air travel in order to ''save the planet''. However the media noted that the amount it would raise just happened to coincide with the announced shortfall for UK Olympics preparation.

Now the center-left government of the Netherlands is up to the same tricks. A bill was debated last week and will be up for amendment next week that would add a €45 tax on long haul air arrivals and departures. Final vote is scheduled for December 18. Again the stated purpose, and this time probably the real intent, is to discourage air travel to ''save the planet''. For a round trip, this tax will add €90 or US$ 130.50 to the cost of a roundtrip trans-Atlantic ticket to Amsterdam. It will be effective in July if it passes. There are contrary press reports as to how it would apply to flights that connect through Amsterdam.

The IATA has denounced the tax bill saying it is unfair to air passengers and violates Article 15 of the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation, to which the Netherlands is a signatory party.

If they do ram this thing through, if you want to go to Amsterdam, it might be better to fly to Brussels, Belgium and take a train to Amsterdam.

[Poobah]

That will be a blow to NWA and to KLM because it is their main hub for Europe. NWA is going to start daily non-stops out of MSP to CDG, which I thought was nuts, but sounds like if we go to Europe we can fly though CDG and save ourselves $260. Maybe they were anticipating this.

I wonder if they airlines will be coerced into collecting it rather than folks at the airport.

Before I retired I travel to Greece on a regular basis. The route was MSP/AMS/ATH. On the way back we would catch a late afternoon flight from ATH to AMS, spend the night in AMS and fly to MSP the next morning. While in AMS we always took the train downtown and had dinner and bar hopped a little. In short WE SPENT MONEY in The Netherlands. Apparently the "left of center" government would prefer that we spent our money in France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, or Belgium. The same with the airlines, The Netherlands would prefer they spend their landing fees elsewhere, along with the contracting of support personnel at the airport.

There are a lot of portals into Europe, I guess The Netherlands no longer wishes to be one of the major ones.

I have flown in and out of CDG, and I don't remember an arrival/departure tax, but there might have been one (knowing the French). I think I would have remembered it had it been substantial, but I am getting old.

All that being said, Schipol it great airport. CDG is showing its age! If the government want to discourage travel then why is it expanding Schipol.

Cheers,

Paul

[Carolinian]

I think the airport expansion was set in motion by a previous government.

The extra tax roundtrip is $130, not $260, but it is enough that I will also avoid flying through Amsterdam if it passes. And I agree, Schipol is a great airport and I will miss it. I also would try to take the train into the city if I could.

[x3 skier]

Originally Posted by Carolinian

I will also avoid flying through Amsterdam if it passes. And I agree, Schipol is a great airport and I will miss it. I also would try to take the train into the city if I could.

Me too. I have always used Schipol as a arrival / departure airport when possible.

Cheers

[Fletcher921]

My college student is planning on studying in Amsterdam in the fall of his Junior year - next year. What city would you recommend he fly into?

Would the Schipol be convenient enough assuming he is hauling a semesters worth of 'stuff'??

Easy enough to navigate to the train station into Amsterdam?

Thank you -

[x3 skier]

Originally Posted by Fletcher921

My college student is planning on studying in Amsterdam in the fall of his Junior year - next year. What city would you recommend he fly into?

Would the Schipol be convenient enough assuming he is hauling a semesters worth of 'stuff'??

Easy enough to navigate to the train station into Amsterdam?

Thank you -

I would go to Amsterdam Schipol

The train station is actually located right inside the terminal. They even have a ramp down to the platforms and trains run frequently to the Main station in Amsterdam. Not knowing how much he has to lug, the biggest problem is getting all your stuff on the train before the doors close.

There are also buses, vans and taxis right outside. I always take the train.

Cheers

[BocaBum99]

I am seriously thinking about shorting the Euro. Such policies tend to be net negative to economies over the long term.

When the US gets a new administration after the 2008 general elections, we are more likely than not to institute better economic policies supporting a stronger dollar. That's true whether it's a Republican or Democrat who is elected.

I believe the dollar is more likely to be 25% stronger against the Euro long term than 25% weaker than it is today.

Today, the Euro is selling at $1.4652. A 25% weakening of that currency would get it back down to $1.10. A 25% strengthening would make it $1.83.

I don't see that happening without crippling the economies of Europe. The US is far more laissez fair than is Europe economically. So, I believe the US is more likely to adapt than is Europe once policies can change.

[Icarus]

A tax on arrivals like that would be very unusual. Usually these taxes are just on departures, as with the UK tax. The only thing I could find on it listed it as a departure tax. Is the arrivals tax one of the amendments?

-David

[Carolinian]

I found the arrivals part a bit unusual, too, but that is what the press over here has reported.