nateusa

What happened to the flight prices to London? It seems the prices of tickets have astronomically jumped compared to 1.5 years ago. British Airways used to advertise tickets as low as 550-700 on their website. Now 1000 dollars? Hell's Horses!

nateusa

sorry please move to the park.

Michael

If you look at the breakdown, about $650-$700 are taxes and fees so charging $700 would mean the airline would be flying you for free. I suspect most of the taxes and fees are levied by LHR since SFO to JFK has only $55 of taxes and fees but SFO or JFK to LHR has $650-$700 in taxes and fees. That is why it only costs about an extra $100 to fly from SFO than from JFK even if there is a stopover at JFK.

nateusa

Have they gone up recently though? The price I paid was 700 dollars a year and a half ago.

Nokoman

Indeed. The taxes are out of control in the UK

nateusa

is there a cheaper way to get there?

i have to go there to renew my passport's stamp every two years.

perhaps there can be a way around that. maybe i can just do it in an embassy?

Michael

I don't think it is just the UK since taxes and fees are similar (slightly less at some other airports) for all airports to Europe from the US. Even a trip from LHR to Rome has taxes and fees of $184 but a trip from Paris to Rome has taxes and fees of $104. The taxes and fees flying out of LHR to other European countries seems to be overall higher than between other European countries.

Europe seems have a high landing fees (depends on the size of the plane) and then charges taxes by the mile.

nateusa

btw 1.5 yrs ago

tickets purchased for 628 dollars and the taxes were 150 dollars.

how can it go up 400 percent in a year and a half?????

Michael

Some go to Canada or one of the Caribbean Islands. You don't need the stamp unless you leave the country and then you can get it at the emabssy before you return.

nateusa

this is the stamp you need to work there correct?

you have to go back to the UK every two years to renew it.

Michael

The stamp is just used to enter the US. Your status is ok as long as you remain in the US. However you may need the stamp (if there isn't any other way) to prove to the DMV that you are a valid resident to renew your driver's license. Anyway that is my understanding and unless someone more knowledgeable on BE states otherwise, that is my understanding.

civilservant

Air Passenger Duty increased 4% this year, and the fuel duty has been suspended. The cost in tickets is not coming from the Treasury. I appreciate the landing fees may have increased.

But consider its always been more expensive (IM experience) to fly eastbound, why is anyones guess.

Bob

Taxes for international flights are huge going into the UK.

It's a lower tax flying in from mainland EU, so fly to somewhere in the Netherlands and transfer in from there, or some such location.

Michael

The taxes and fees via Shannon or Schiphol may be $50 less but not a big savings. It looks like the EU countries have banded together to require high fees and taxes within a range so as to not give any one county a significant advantage over others and therefore screwing consumers.

If the EU could be proactive to close down tax havens for the rich so they could reduce taxes and fees for the consumer, that would probably be the fair way of doing things but that is unlikely to be done.

Nokoman

You are right. Air taxes in Europe are very high.