Eco-tax has big impact on KLM, says CEO

[Puffin13]

Eco-tax has big impact on KLM, says CEO
7 October 2008

Dutch airline KLM carried 230,000 fewer passengers from Amsterdam’s Schiphol in July and August compared to the same period last year as a result of the Dutch eco-tax on air travel,
KLM CEO Peter Hartman told Dutch press agency ANP on Monday.

The levy was introduced in the Netherlands in July to compensate the environmental effects of flying. Hartman called the tax "a nasty measure which will have a contrary effect on the environment".

The tax levied at Schiphol (11.25 euros per passenger on flights up to 2,500 kilometres and 45 euros for longer journeys) has encouraged people to fly from airports in Belgium and Germany rather than Schiphol.

Hartman estimates that KLM will lose 500,000 euros and Schiphol will miss out on 1 million euros worth of revenue as a result of the levy.
He called on the government to reconsider the eco-tax, especially now that economic conditions are deteriorating.

The KLM CEO said he fears the effect of further taxes when European airlines are forced to compensate their carbon dioxide emissions.

Source

[echc1]

figure this....return fare from norwich to schipol...33 gbp...total price after tax............139 gbp....how much taxation????? this was booked with klm via their own online booking site......if ferries were faster i'd sail,but stena took away the high speed ferry....so now its 6 hours crossing ..at crap times o day/night