I emailed a Bangkok based travel agent based on a ticket they had listed on their website: ANA to USA for 32,800. I got a response back that blew me away, They wanted another 17,000+ in tax bringing the total to 50,000! (and no, its not a West Coast city). So, I emailed back asking if the tax was really 50% and she wrote back saying airlines have much higher fuel surcharges now.

50% of the ticket price??? Doesn't that seem, well, extreme?

Extreme? Yes.

Normal? Sadly yes and some.

A colleague just bought his gf a KL - Manila return with Cebu Air and the tax was 100% of the ticket so it seems the percentage gets worse when you go with the budget carriers.

The taxes/fuel surcharge on flights within Europe are often rather high relative to the price of the ticket. As PhilHarries points out, it's rather extreme percentage-wise on the budget carriers.

I emailed a Bangkok based travel agent based on a ticket they had listed on their website: ANA to USA for 32,800. I got a response back that blew me away, They wanted another 17,000+ in tax bringing the total to 50,000! (and no, its not a West Coast city). So, I emailed back asking if the tax was really 50% and she wrote back saying airlines have much higher fuel surcharges now.

50% of the ticket price??? Doesn't that seem, well, extreme?

Air Asia Bangok/Penang/Bangkok

Flight : 1.532 Bath

Taxes and Fees : 2.450 Bath

Yes, it is normal, my EMIRATES ticket cost 19,000 baht and 30,300 with tax BKK to LHR. I wish that published air ticket prices included taxes, because it is always a body-blow to hear the full ticket price.

I used to think buying air tickets in the LOS was better value, but now I reckon it is cheaper to purchase tickets in the U.K. Any thoughts on this?

Yes, it is normal, my EMIRATES ticket cost 19,000 baht and 30,300 with tax BKK to LHR. I wish that published air ticket prices included taxes, because it is always a body-blow to hear the full ticket price.

I used to think buying air tickets in the LOS was better value, but now I reckon it is cheaper to purchase tickets in the U.K. Any thoughts on this?

I just paid (sorry cant work out baht right now) £450 for a return flight (heathrow to bkk) - bought in UK and the tax was £132. Pretty high, but obviously not 50% the taxes on all flights have just recently risen again here I beleive.

Do these taxes vary from airline to airline then or will I get hit with the same amt no matter who I fly with?

Do these taxes vary from airline to airline then or will I get hit with the same amt no matter who I fly with?

It's generally pretty similar if you look at the actual final fare breakdown. The difference is that different airlines/agencies might work up their initial quote using varying methods, quoting some/none/all of the taxes/fees.

I've found the taxes can vary depending on which airport you land at. Some airports have noise polution taxes for example, others don't. Different countries have different taxes that are added onto the ticket.

I used to think buying air tickets in the LOS was better value, but now I reckon it is cheaper to purchase tickets in the U.K. Any thoughts on this?

I tend to agree with this observation using the US for my base comparison. I can find much better deals in 2007 flying US-Thailand-US than Thailand-US-Thailand. It was previously the other way around.

They vary dramatically airline to airline and do not seem to follow any rational reasoning. It always seems a bit dodgy to me to quote a price and then find that the quote has little to do with the actual price. What if I went to buy a car and they told me 10,000 baht but.... you want an engine? another 50,000 baht, oh? seats? another 100,000 and on and on. I think thats all bad business and airlines are notarious for pissing off their customers with their lunatic pricing structure. Why is a ticket bought at midnight 20,000 baht and four hours later 100,000 baht and ten minutes later 8,000 baht. I have better things to do with my time than monitoring ticket pricing computers for weeks trying to get a reasonable deal. I would pay more for a reasonable pricing structure and the time it would save me. Thats the secret of success in SouthWest airlines in the US. Their tickets are not cheaper, just rational. They get more per mile than legacy carriers but because they have a rational pricing structure and frequent flyer operation I always look there first when flying in the US.

Nothing you can do about this tax game, eventually a SWA will pop up on the international route structure and put all that mess to rest.

I've found the taxes can vary depending on which airport you land at. Some airports have noise polution taxes for example, others don't. Different countries have different taxes that are added onto the ticket.

Yes, but if you are comparing tickets from Thailand to the US between different airlines, the fees should all be relatively similar assuming you are not making stopovers en route in other countries. Fuel surcharges could vary between airlines but since each airline seems to ape what the other carriers are doing, I'd be surprised if even this were to vary much.

For flights out of BKK from 1/Feb/07 passenger service charge of Baht 700 will be shown in the ticket. No need to pay at the airport anymore (used to be Baht 500)

I know Axel, but that still only leaves 16,300 + in unexplained taxes

SBK - unfortunately taxes in some cases are more than the ticket themselves.

It can get REALLY extreme on the low cost airlines.

Taxes as such remain fixed to a large degree no matter what the fare, fuel surcharge (always the killer) is the variable.

Taxes are mostly based on full fare and while almost nobody pays a full fare

the taxes are never discounted.

Do these taxes vary from airline to airline then or will I get hit with the same amt no matter who I fly with?

We purchased Tickets with singapore airlines , Brisbane to Basel 2 return tickets price 2900dollars australian , plus 1411dollars and 44 cents tax, we also purchased 2return tickets with tiger airlines singapore to phuket price for both return tickets 8Dollars!!!!!!!!!!! taxes 182dollars still very cheap Nignoy

Taxes as such remain fixed to a large degree no matter what the fare, fuel surcharge (always the killer) is the variable.

The travel agent said the higher price was due to higher fuel charges, so this might vary from airline to airline then? Would it be a considerable variance or unlikely to be much different?

Nok Air is a good example of this..I was checking ticket prices with them and it was around 1500 Thai baht for the ticket to Phuket which is excellent but with taxes it worked out to be around 4000 baht..Yikes

I know Axel, but that still only leaves 16,300 + in unexplained taxes

If you don't trust the offered taxes; go to the Airline Website and check it there. Every stopover increases your taxes. This makes a direct flight more attractive, although the price without taxes may be higher.

I emailed a Bangkok based travel agent based on a ticket they had listed on their website: ANA to USA for 32,800. I got a response back that blew me away, They wanted another 17,000+ in tax bringing the total to 50,000! (and no, its not a West Coast city). So, I emailed back asking if the tax was really 50% and she wrote back saying airlines have much higher fuel surcharges now.

50% of the ticket price??? Doesn't that seem, well, extreme?

You need to ask for a detailed fare breakdown. Also you could price this itin. on NH's website to get a feel for base fares and associated taxes, surcharges, security fees and BKK departure tax.

On this routing total expenses over and above the published base fare should be no more than 15 ~ 20 % (of the base fare).

I suspect the agency was creatively marketing fares in an effort to drive sales leads and inquiries. 50,000 THB all in for BKK-East Coast USA-BKK on NH (and possibly a code share on UA) is today's market price.

I always buy USA-BKK-USA (on UA) as these are ~ 15% less expensive for my routing/carrier than BKK-USA-BKK, but did have to buy a 'nested' BKK-USA-BKK last week. I paid 52,600 THB all in (46,920 base fare, 5,680 in taxes and fees, which includes the 700 THB passenger service fee for BKK, or ~ 12% of the base fare).

Taxes & Fees:

Travel within Domestic 50 United States

* Airport passenger facility charges (PFCs) of up to US$18 roundtrip

* U.S. government excise tax of US$3.40 on each flight segment†

* September 11th Security Fee of US$2.50 per U.S. enplanement, up to US$5 one way and US$10 roundtrip

* For travel to or from Hawaii and Alaska: U.S. government excise tax of $7.30 per direction

International Travel (including Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands)

* Airport passenger facility charges (PFCs) of up to $18 roundtrip

* September 11th Security Fee of $2.50 per enplanement at a U.S. airport (up to $5 one way and $10 roundtrip)

* Other government taxes and fees (including U.S. government excise tax) of up to $140 based on destination; total may vary slightly based upon currency exchange rate at time of purchase

* Taxes and fees are subject to change without notice and at the discretion of each country’s government.

* Carrier-imposed fuel surcharges (YQ) of up to $150 per direction of travel, and which are subject to change at United’s discretion, without notice

Anyone one see airasia had free flights to phuket BUT 1700 taxes. 1 2 go used to just have a combined price

I emailed a Bangkok based travel agent based on a ticket they had listed on their website: ANA to USA for 32,800. I got a response back that blew me away, They wanted another 17,000+ in tax bringing the total to 50,000! (and no, its not a West Coast city). So, I emailed back asking if the tax was really 50% and she wrote back saying airlines have much higher fuel surcharges now.

50% of the ticket price??? Doesn't that seem, well, extreme?

You need to ask for a detailed fare breakdown. Also you could price this itin. on NH's website to get a feel for base fares and associated taxes, surcharges, security fees and BKK departure tax.

On this routing total expenses over and above the published base fare should be no more than 15 ~ 20 % (of the base fare).

I suspect the agency was creatively marketing fares in an effort to drive sales leads and inquiries. 50,000 THB all in for BKK-East Coast USA-BKK on NH (and possibly a code share on UA) is today's market price.

I always buy USA-BKK-USA (on UA) as these are ~ 15% less expensive for my routing/carrier than BKK-USA-BKK, but did have to buy a 'nested' BKK-USA-BKK last week. I paid 52,600 THB all in (46,920 base fare, 5,680 in taxes and fees, which includes the 700 THB passenger service fee for BKK, or ~ 12% of the base fare).

Taxes & Fees:

Travel within Domestic 50 United States

* Airport passenger facility charges (PFCs) of up to US$18 roundtrip

* U.S. government excise tax of US$3.40 on each flight segment†

* September 11th Security Fee of US$2.50 per U.S. enplanement, up to US$5 one way and US$10 roundtrip

* For travel to or from Hawaii and Alaska: U.S. government excise tax of $7.30 per direction

International Travel (including Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands)

* Airport passenger facility charges (PFCs) of up to $18 roundtrip

* September 11th Security Fee of $2.50 per enplanement at a U.S. airport (up to $5 one way and $10 roundtrip)

* Other government taxes and fees (including U.S. government excise tax) of up to $140 based on destination; total may vary slightly based upon currency exchange rate at time of purchase

* Taxes and fees are subject to change without notice and at the discretion of each country’s government.

* Carrier-imposed fuel surcharges (YQ) of up to $150 per direction of travel, and which are subject to change at United’s discretion, without notice

Thanks lomatopo, "creative marketing" sounds like a more reasonable answer than anything else. I usually fly UA but thought I might try something different this year. Perhaps not after all

any info on price ams-bkk with china airlines for feb through mar.

I did a check with Travelocity and Expedia and found their tickets to be the same price as the Bangkok travel agent. But with one major difference, the tax and fuel surcharges were only about $250. So, the actual ticket price was higher in comparison to their "advertised price" but the tax and fuel surcharges were much more in line with reality.