The increase in ticket tax is causing trouble. The travel industry in Germany assumes that it will be stuck with costs running into millions.
The German travel industry is expecting additional costs running into millions due to the increase in air traffic tax. “According to our calculations, the very short-term increase in ticket tax on May 1st and thus before the start of the peak travel season will lead to an additional burden on tour operators of around 21 million euros,” said the President of the German Travel Association (DRV), Norbert Fiebig German press agency. These additional costs cannot be passed on to travelers retroactively, “since a subsequent increase in travel prices for package tours is de facto not possible.”
Tour operators are allowed to subsequently pass on higher costs to customers if there is a corresponding clause in the general terms and conditions (GTCs). However, the increase is linked to numerous conditions, which is why most tour operators are likely to forego it.
However, the increase in ticket tax not only affects package tours, but also all passenger flights that take off from German airports. From May 1st, the tax rates will be between 15.53 and 70.83 euros per ticket, depending on the final destination of the flight. Until now, between 12.48 euros and 56.91 euros were due, which the providers usually pass on to the passengers. The increase is part of the package of measures with which the federal government wants to plug billions in holes in the budget following a ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court.
Source: Stern
