Airlines such as Brussels Airlines and TUI fly are asking the federal government to quickly clarify the flight tax, which should apply from April 1. No royal decree has been published yet, so we don’t know the exact procedures yet. “We need time to adapt our systems and communications,” the companies said.
Finance Minister Vincent van Bettieghem (CD&V) confirmed Tuesday that the airline tax – officially a “boarding tax” – is set to come into effect from April 1. The tax ranges from 2 to 10 euros per departing passenger. Time is running out for Brussels Airlines and TUI fly. Ten days before the tax goes into effect, they are still waiting for the exact instructions. They are afraid that they will not be ready in time to do everything
In any case, the companies are calling for the tax, “just like in other countries,” to be applied to bookings from April 1. And not for all passengers on flights as of April 1. We cannot retroactively impose this tax on passengers who have already booked.
According to the current bill, the tax will be 10 euros per passenger (from 2 years old) for short-haul trips. These are flights to destinations, as the crow flies, at a maximum distance of 500 kilometers. This distance is “calculated from the ARP (center, ed.) of the airport with the largest annual number of passengers in the country”, which is Brussels Airport. For medium-haul flights (more than 500 km, but within the European Economic Area, the UK or Switzerland), the tax will be 2 euros per passenger, and for long-haul flights 4 euros.
The rate is the highest for short-haul flights, to encourage passengers to use other modes of transportation, and to make passengers more aware of the relatively high external costs in the immediate environment (air pollution, greenhouse gases, noise pollution, congestion) associated with short-haul flights. From Belgium, the bill states.
The tax will not apply to passenger transport, but will apply, for example, to helicopter passengers.
Finance Minister Vincent van Bettieghem (CD&V) confirmed Tuesday that the airline tax – officially a “boarding tax” – is set to come into effect from April 1. The tax ranges from 2 to 10 euros per departing passenger. Time is running out for Brussels Airlines and TUI fly. Ten days before the tax goes into effect, they are still waiting for the exact instructions. They fear that they will not be ready in time to implement everything. In any case, the companies are calling for the tax, “just like in other countries,” to be applied to bookings from April 1. And not for all passengers on flights as of April 1. “We cannot retroactively impose this tax on passengers who have already booked,” the statement read. According to the current law, the tax will be 10 euros per passenger (from two years) for short-haul trips. These are flights to destinations no more than 500 kilometers away, as the crow flies. This distance is “calculated from the ARP (center, ed.) of the airport with the largest annual number of passengers in the country”, which is Brussels Airport. For medium-haul trips (more than 500 km, but within the EEA, UK or Switzerland), the tax will be 2 euros per passenger, and for long-haul trips 4 euros. “To encourage passengers to use other modes of transport, and to increase passenger awareness of the relatively high external costs in the immediate vicinity (air pollution, greenhouse gases, noise pollution, congestion) associated with short air travel from Belgium,” the bill provides for passenger transport, but For example for helicopter passengers.
