Captain Nigel Harris, CEO of local airline Fly Montserrat is calling on the Government of Montserrat to intervene on a new regulation which requires passengers landing in Antigua to pay a new tax.
Harris told Basil Chambers during a Breakfast Show interview on Tuesday, June 4, that the new transit tax will disadvantage Montserrat travellers who will in most cases be paying the tax twice.
An airport tax was introduced in 2012 while the V.C. Bird International Airport was under construction. In 2016, the Government of Montserrat received approval for the waiving of the tax for travellers who were in transit to other destinations within 24 hours.
The airport tax already adds US$37.50 each way on the airfare for passengers staying more than 24 hours in Antigua.
This new transit tax arrangement would require that travellers in transit pay US$20 each way. Those remaining in Antigua for more than 24 hours would pay US$40.
“We think that’s unfair,” Captain Harris stated.
He explained that passengers connecting with American Airlines, Delta and other airlines will already be paying the transit fee. By paying the same tax on the Montserrat leg of their journey, they will essentially be charged twice both ways.
The new Antigua transit tax is included in the airfare on Fly Montserrat and SVG/ABM Air.
However, the airline head has asked the Government of Montserrat to discuss exempting Montserrat travellers from paying the transit tax.
Listen to interview here.
