US airlines fight 'cash-grab' ticket tax
Published: 23 Mar 12 16:22 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/money/20120323-41521.html
American airlines have launched a legal bid to strike out a tax which adds up to €45 onto every transatlantic plane ticket leaving German soil.
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In a statement, the group called the tax “a short-sighted cash-grab that will do more harm to the German economy than any short-term benefit that the tax revenue may bring the country’s coffers.”
The challenge was filed at Hesse’s state fiscal court in Kassel, taking issue with the German Air Transport Tax which took effect last January and put airlines serving the US into the highest of three tax brackets.
Until recently A4A, whose members operate 90 percent of American passenger and cargo flights, accepted the tax under protest.
But in a statement released on Friday, it said the decision was taken to make a challenge after legal advice suggested the tax violated several long-standing international agreements, including the US-EU Open Skies Agreement.
A4A feel that passengers coming from the US to Germany already pay enough taxes, the statement said.
“Germany cannot arbitrarily close its budget gap on the backs of the U.S. airlines,” it said.
The organisation announced in the statement that they would be filing a detailed complaint with the German Fiscal Court within the next two months at the same time it urges a referral of the case to the German Federal Constitution Court.
The Local/jcw
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Your comments about this article:
Please don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to defend this policy, but I'm trying to show that this is not typical German (which BTW sounds like a very racist comment) and that before you point with your finger at somebody else, you might want to look at your own mess!
4X4 was just an example that came to mind and the truth of the matter is, I live in a town and at this time am looking for an BMW X5 to replace my 530 Tourer...........I can ironically afford the tax..............
As for the aviation question, I am a licensed aircraft engineer and I do not want to be looking for another job thank you very much......................................
To be fair, I might be wrong on the voting for GW Bush since voting requires the ability to read a ballot. Something that is likely much too complicated for mos101392.
One major component of air travel that they do not pay tax on in any way is aircraft fuel, which is exempt from tax under the 1944 Chicago convention. It would be better for governments to agree to scrap this exemption because a fuel tax would encourage more efficient aircraft, unlike the flat tax that is now being charged.
PS we are now aim for the Spanish, it will just be a matter of time.
It has already began to cause all, sorts of problems too, such as to deny European carriers landing rights, or the cancel and out-right decision not to purchase Airbus planes.
Human life is much easier for those with Spiritual Intelligence. People who are committed to the Non-emotional / Buddhist approach don't engage in the craziness that has plagued humanity since the start of time.
Imagine better things.