Civil Aviation Minister Hossam Kamal said the new tax levied on airplane tickets raised prices by no more than 1 percent.
The tax on first and business class tickets was raised from LE300 to LE400, and on economy class from LE100 to LE150.
Abdel Moneim Matar, head of the Tax Authority, said there have always been taxes on airline tickets. “They were slightly raised, that’s all,” he said.
“Bearers of free tickets will also have to pay the tax,” he said, adding that the tax was requested by the Tourism and Aviation Ministries and not by the Finance Ministry.
For their part, travel and tourism experts said the tax is a burden for travellers. “Most of them are students, patients or pilgrims who cannot afford it,” says Bassil al-Sisi of the Tourism Chamber.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
