Dutch airlines and travel companies are fighting back against plans to introduce the EU’s highest flight taxes, warning the sharp increases could make holidays unaffordable for ordinary families.
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The campaign comes after it was revealed that two-thirds of Dutch travellers are concerned that air travel from the Netherlands will become too expensive if the planned tax rises go ahead.
According to new data, extracted from a survey of 1,000 people by Markteffect, 71% of Dutch citizens believe that air travel should remain accessible for people on lower incomes.
As a result, ANVR – the Dutch Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators – has launched a new campaign, "Gelijke Vliegtaks", which translates to equal air travel tax.
Alongside TUI, Corendon, Transavia and KLM, the companies are calling on The Hague to rethink Dutch air travel taxes, which could become the highest across the whole EU from next year.
Higher aviation taxes could change face of travel in Netherlands
“For many people, the annual vacation is an important moment to relax and spend time together,” ANVR Director Frank Radstake said.
“By 2027, the Dutch air travel tax for long-haul flights will rise from around €30 to €72 per ticket, a 140% increase. That places a significant financial burden on travellers, especially compared to neighbouring countries.”
The body says aviation should be addressed at a European level, with no individual country needing to bear the brunt of higher taxes.
According to the ANVR, from 2027, a family of four travelling to Turkey from the Netherlands could expect to pay more than €190 in air travel taxes alone. Across the border in Belgium, the same-sized family would only have to pay around €40 for a comparable trip.
If the tax rise does go ahead, Radstake explained that Dutch travellers will “pay significantly more for comparable flights than travellers departing from airports just across the border”. He added: “That difference isn’t always visible to the consumer, but the additional costs can quickly add up for individuals and families.”
Marjan Rintel, President and CEO of KLM, agrees with the calls, saying that Dutch travellers may abandon Netherlands-based airports in order to fly more cheaply from nearby countries.
“Dutch travellers will either be hit hard financially or choose to depart from airports across the border instead,” she said.
“That does not benefit the climate, and if travellers and businesses leave, destinations will disappear. These plans should be reconsidered, and Dutch air travel taxes should be brought back in line with neighbouring countries.”