The Dutch authorities have decided to remove the country’s flight tax. The move comes over concerns that the tax has lost the country 900,000 tourists over the last year who opted to use cheaper airports in Germany and Belgium.
Experiencing hard times due to harsh economic strains, Dutch government decided to scrap the flight tax (starting from July first) in order to stimulate tourism. The new move is expected to provide some 1.3 billion euros for the Netherlands.
In the current economic crisis the move has been welcomed by a number of airlines.
Ryanair said the tax had previously seen visitors “turn their backs on the Netherlands as a tourist destination”, and are now in talks with a number of Dutch airports about new routes to Holland. “Today’s decision to abolish this tax is a sensitive step to reverse the steep decline in traffic that the Netherlands has suffered.”
Easyjet chief executive Andy Harrison said: “The Dutch Government has done the right thing to ensure that aviation has a future in The Netherlands
“But even after the tax is abolished, Schiphol will be Europe’s second most expensive airport – more expensive than Paris, Frankfurt or Zurich.”
He added: “The Dutch government has put the ball on the penalty spot; Schiphol must now convert the penalty and bring its cost in line with other major airports in Europe.
“Only if both conditions are met will airlines start investing in The Netherlands again.”