EU airport tax regime to cost Palma millions

Palma airport will this year be around £4 million out of pocket because of the European Union's move last week to unify EU airport taxes. While there has been dismay and outrage in the Balearics because the bringing into line of EU airport taxes is forcing the price of airline tickets up in Spain and the islands, but for the rest of Europe, airport tax unification means that non domestic users of Palma airport will pay around 200 pesetas less in airport taxes. With 80 percent of Son San Joan's passenger traffic being foreign, the 200 pesetas less per passenger will add up to just over 1'000 million pesetas over the course of this year. Palma airport sources said yesterday that in accordance with the new European Union airport tax regulations, each EU passengers will be paying 619 pesetas, whereas before, foreigners flying into Spain were paying 822 pesetas per head.