APD

we have booked through vh.do we have to pay the APD .as it does state in there booking conditions that the price is guaranteed and ther will be no additional surcharges.

If Virgin are going to claim the additional tax on our flights booked months ago, can we claim back a refund on the lower fuel surcharge on the same basis?

Angry Viso.

[preiffer]

Originally posted by Visoflex
If Virgin are going to claim the additional tax on our flights booked months ago, can we claim back a refund on the lower fuel surcharge on the same basis?

Fuel surcharge = fixed payment, determined by the airline, frozen at that point in time.

APD = payment altered at will, by the government, now implemented post-purchase.

VIRGIN are not "claiming" anything "from months ago" - the government are. Also, remember, BA are not "letting customers off" - they are PAYING the government on their customers' behalf. That will cost them a fortune, and it's not their (or any other airline's) fault.


The Fuel Surcharge is entirely in the airline's control. The same as they will not refund it when it lowers, they ALSO don't ask for more from you when it increases and it is frozen at the point of purchase. APD is out of their control - effectively, they are merely collecting tax for Mr. Brown. It is HE that has moved the goalposts, not the airlines.


You're comparing apples with oranges.

I for one will be watching Virgins response to this with interest.

Normally I can only afford to book in economy. But thanks to MBNA My friend and I have booked UC out and PE back using Miles paying around £256 tax and charges.

As I understand it if Virgin decide to charge retrospectively I would be hit with an additional £80 charge thatÕs 25% extra[V]

[preiffer]

Originally posted by infrequentflyer
I for one will be watching Virgins response to this with interest.

Normally I can only afford to book in economy. But thanks to MBNA My friend and I have booked UC out and PE back using Miles paying around £256 tax and charges.

As I understand it if Virgin decide to charge retrospectively I would be hit with an additional £80 charge thatÕs 25% extra[V]

Aaaaarrgggh - it's NOT VIRGIN that are "charging retrospectively" [ii]

I give up. [V]


Are you going to complain to your estate agent that the council are increasing council tax this year on your house? After all, everyone bought their houses ages ago, when council tax was lower too.

I accept it is not Virgins fault this charge has been levied by the chancellor and that he has decided to make it retrospective.

I was trying to make the point that the % increase in my case is high.

I would also disagree that

Aaaaarrgggh - it's NOT VIRGIN that are "charging retrospectively"

the chancellor levied the charge however as proved by BA it is Virgins choice to collect it. I would also like to point out I was not passing judgement on the rights or wrongs of collecting the charge.

We got a letter from Airline Network claiming £80 each as soon as the new tax was announced. We fly 11th Feb with Qatar Airways.
Now I am not cynical and I am happy to pay an extra £80 as I know the government will put every penny of it towards helping the environment. I know this is true as the guy who said it was a politician and we all know they can be trusted.

I've already received a bill for £120 for our flights in April (booked last May) from the Travel Agent. I though Virgin hadn't started collecting APD yet ???

Has anyone any idea how much I will have to pay? Booked last June, 5 x PE LGW-MCO-LGW, Thanks

Kaz

[mitchja]

It will be an extra 5 x £40 for PE flights (well that's what V Hols are charging extra for my PE flights I've booked with them)

Regards

[Neil]

Originally posted by mitchja
It will be an extra 5 x £40 for PE flights (well that's what V Hols are charging extra for my PE flights I've booked with them)

Regards

Have you already had contact from VH asking for the extra money James? We have heard nothing from Thomson about the extra money for our flight to Jamaica in 3 weeks time.

Neil

[mitchja]

It's on my invoice.

AIR PASSENGER DUTY INCREASE 1 40.00 40.00

V Hols have been adding this to all bookings since before Christmas.

Regards

I've yet to hear anything from Virgin about paying the extra tax, booked in November and I fly in a few weeks PE to JFK. (Is Premium classed as economy or business when it comes to tax?)

[preiffer]

PE's classed as a "higher cabin" than Economy, so the business class taxes apply.

PE = Business when it comes to the APD tax. The only way you can get away with paying the basic economy tax rate in a "premium" cabin is to fly a "single class" airline like MaxJet or eos.

I've yet to receive a demand for extra payment from VS for flights to MCO in Apr - still there's lots of time yet.

More worryingly, I've heard nothing from Air Berlin about extra APD for our flights to Germany next month [?]

Any update on this guys?

Not sure why Virgin are so slow in coming up with a plan- other airlines seem to have come up with some sort of system or have decided not to collect the extra- seems no one knows whats going on- poor managment!

[RichardMannion]

Originally posted by Paul H
We got a letter from Airline Network claiming £80 each as soon as the new tax was announced. We fly 11th Feb with Qatar Airways.
Now I am not cynical and I am happy to pay an extra £80 as I know the government will put every penny of it towards helping the environment. I know this is true as the guy who said it was a politician and we all know they can be trusted.

£80?

Surely you mean £20 or £40?

Thanks,
Richard

[honey lamb]

I booked flights with Ryanair for myself and friends for mid-February on two separate PNRs as one of them required a return flight. Today I received the following email

In his budget speech on 6th December 2006, the UK Chancellor, Mr Gordon Brown MP, announced his decision to DOUBLE ÒUK Air Passenger DutyÓ. This tax grab which is applicable to every passenger departing from a UK airport will generate £1bn. in tax revenues for the UK Government, but will do nothing for the environment.

Unfortunately, as you booked your flight - confirmation number ****** before the 7th December 2006 with a travel date after the 1st February 2007 (see the below flight details), we have no alternative, in this instance, but to act as the UK ChancellorÕs tax collector.

In accordance, with Article 4.2.2 of RyanairÕs General Conditions of Carriage, the additional tax amount required by the UK government will automatically be charged to the credit card or debit card used to pay for this flight booking. These credit/debit card transactions will automatically take place over the next 2 weeks

I'm relieved to know what will happen given that Ryanair stated they would not collect on the day at the airport

I've still had nothing from bmibaby for the flight to spain next month. Do I keep quiet? I have spoken to reservations in the last week but they said nothing (and to honest I'd forgotten about the extra charge).Can't find much info on their website. Don't want to arrive at the airport and be denied boarding..

Originally posted by DragonLady
I've still had nothing from bmibaby for the flight to spain next month. Do I keep quiet? I have spoken to reservations in the last week but they said nothing (and to honest I'd forgotten about the extra charge).Can't find much info on their website. Don't want to arrive at the airport and be denied boarding..

I got an email today from BMIbaby with regard to my flight in August - they too are planning to charge it to the card used to make the booking.

Regards
Pat

[RichardMannion]

VS Press release om APD, site goes live tomorrow morning.



VSO/2007 26 January 2007



VIRGIN ATLANTIC'S PRICE DEAL HELPS PASSENGERS PAYING EXTRA APD TO GET MONEY

OFF FUTURE FLIGHTS



Virgin Atlantic Airways today unveiled its own APD Ð Atlantic's Price Deal

- for those passengers stung by the UK Government's increased Air Passenger

Duty after they booked their flights.



The Chancellor, Gordon Brown, announced last December that anyone flying

out of the UK on or after 1st February 2007 would have to pay double the

tax currently charged, including passengers who had booked their trips many

months before the announcement. The tax rises from £20 to £40 for Economy

passengers and from £40 to £80 for Premium Economy and Upper Class

passengers for travel after 1 February.



With Virgin APD (Atlantic's Price Deal), those passengers who are liable

for additional Air Passenger Duty because they booked their trip on or

before 12th December 2006, will be given a voucher which can be exchanged

for £20 off a future economy booking or £40 off a future Premium Economy or

Upper Class booking. The voucher will be given to passengers when they

check in for their flight after 1 February 2007.



Steve Ridgway, Chief Executive of Virgin Atlantic, commented:



"Virgin Atlantic is really disappointed that Gordon Brown took the

extraordinary measure of charging additional APD to passengers who

had already booked their travel before the announcement was made.

Therefore we have decided to offer those passengers money off a

future flight with Virgin Atlantic. We at Virgin Atlantic, along

with our passengers, will be very interested to see whether the

additional taxes do indeed go into environmental initiatives as

promised by the Government."



ADVICE TO PASSENGERS

Passengers who booked travel on or before 13 December and are travelling

after 1 February now owe additional taxes following the Chancellor, Gordon

BrownÕs decision to increase the duty by £20 for each Economy passenger and

£40 for every Premium Economy and Upper Class passenger. Virgin Atlantic

will be collecting the additional compulsory taxes on behalf of the

Government. Passengers can pay the additional APD in the following ways:


1) Log onto http://www.virginatlantic.com/greenorbrown where by typing in flight

details the website will calculate how much tax is owed and allow the

passenger to pay this in advance of checking in at the airport. The tax

can be paid online up to 48 hours prior to the time of travel and

passengers must remember to bring their receipt from this transaction to

the airport as proof of payment.



2) Pay at the airport

Any passengers who have been unable to pay the additional APD online prior

to passengers the date of travel can pay at the airport instead. Virgin

Atlantic staff at the airport will be able to inform passengers if they

have outstanding taxes to pay at the airport before they check in.



All passengers who receive a discount voucher can use this for a future

flight until 31 December 2008 to any of Virgin AtlanticÕs destinations

worldwide.

Glad they have come up with something!

Just wonder if the discount will only be off the full fairs or if a K or N will be able to get the discount too?

[RichardMannion]

Think it can, but can't be used against NETT fares such as MpM.