Gabon: New tax and price increase for air tickets from 27 July
The Covid-19 crisis has led to the introduction of new taxes and the increase of existing ones in some countries, such as Gabon. According to AFRAA, there are no less than 200 airport taxes and aeronautical charges in Africa. Their proliferation adds a further burden to an operating environment already suffocated by harmful protectionism.
Airline ticket prices for travel to Gabon are expected to soar from 27 July. This is the consequence of the entry into force of a new tax called "passenger fee", decided by the government last April, which will be collected by airlines and companies issuing tickets for commercial flights to and from Gabon. The sums thus collected, in the capacity of legal debtors, will be transferred "to the tax office with territorial jurisdiction; at the latest on the 20th of the month following the month in which these sales were made", informs the Director General of Taxes, Gabin Otha Ndoumba. According to the authorities, the proceeds of this collection will be allocated to the financing of the Libreville airport development project, in accordance with the concession agreement of 17 November 2015. Thus, the new tariffs on international flights to or from Gabon lasting more than 2 hours are 32,798 FCFA (50 EUR) per passenger in economy class, 39,357 FCFA (60 EUR) in business class and 65,596 FCFA (100 EUR) in first class. For flights of less than 2 hours, the new fares are FCFA 26,239 (EUR 40) per passenger in economy class, FCFA 32,798 (EUR 50) in business class and FCFA 42,638 (EUR 65) in first class.
