Don't visit Cambodia Airport Surcharge

[ethernet]

Air Asia has announced retrospective increases in airport departure taxes out of Cambodia. Link Cambodia International Airports Charges.

I hate discrimination. Give Cambodia a miss year.

In this case I have no beef with AirAsia, as in reality the Cambodian PM is a proxy of Vietnam government However racist and discrimatory airport taxes based on Nationality is a 'new one' - along with pricey airfares to begin with. Adult USD 25, Child USD 13.

Are these nationality based departure taxes a world first?
If so they deserve to be punished.

• Cambodian nationals will be entitled to refunds amounting to USD 7 (Adults) and USD 3 (Children) as in line with the existing rates configuration will be charged USD 18 and USD 10 respectively.

• This PSC affects guests that purchased their tickets on/after 21 January 2011 for travels on/after 1 April 2011.

 

[drron]

Racism is alive and kicking throughout Asia.Yesterday visited Ayathuya north of BKK.At those sites charging admissions there is 1 window for Thai nationals and 1 for foreigners.Just guess which one is more expensive?

 

[samh004]

Lots of countries charge differently based on your passport, I think Australia even charges one South American country more, which in turn then charged Australians more to visit.

I know when I go to China I use my Australian passport, as a British passport attracts a higher fee, probably based on Hong Kong

There’s nothing new about it.

 

[coyote25]

Lots of countries charge differently based on your passport, I think Australia even charges one South American country more, which in turn then charged Australians more to visit.

I know when I go to China I use my Australian passport, as a British passport attracts a higher fee, probably based on Hong Kong

There’s nothing new about it.

Try Brazil, they charge more for Australians (nothing for NZ) and huge fees for USA citizens based on what their citizens get charged.

Not really unusual and in a lot (not all) situations it's understandable.

 

[oz_mark]

Personally, I struggle with the concept of this being racist. There are plenty of government fees and charges worldwide that offer lower prices to their own citizens.

 

[casanovawa]

Yeah flying to South America i will have to pay $100 for being an aussie to get into Buenos Aries, I would have had to pay $95 to stop in Santiago (so deicided not too) and $77 to get into Brazil while the NZer i'm travelling with won't have to pay any... They say these are all reciprocal for visas we charge them, but if they are a processing fee for the amount of people from these countries that overstay their visas and then incur charges to follow i think that is fair (ie a reason behind them) rather than then them just saying you charge us, we will charge you... In the end it was enough for me not to stop in Chile, Argentina and Brazil are just lucky i want to see them but still wanting to figure out if i can avoid teh Argie one...

In Egypt last year visiting the Temple of Philae, happened to run into an arabic speaking guy from Algeria i think who was able to translate the sign with prices on, i think for Westerners it was like 50 egyptian pounds or so for an adult and maybe 25 pounds or so for a student... For North Africans (i think was the discount group) it was like 2 and 1 pounds...

That cough sucks... One tip in Greece, they do offer free entry to several historical sites for EU students while foreign students get a reduce fee from normal adults... My couchsurfing host just told me to show my international ISIC student card and say the uni was in Wales or somewhere and they wouldn't know the difference, so i did and got in free everywhere...

 

[dajop]

What's all the fuss about? These fees where always there, there is no increase. When I visited Phnom Penh last January I paid these fees at a counter prior to going through immigration. From what I see, Cambodia is now becoming aligned with many parts of the world in that the fee will be included in the airfare and a separate payment at the airport will not be required.

And as for Cambodians paying less it's a whopping $7 USD, as is the case at the moment. Big deal!!! That is common worldwide, perhaps not at airports on departure, but there are loads of examples in the tourism sphere where there are different prices for visitors and locals, even in Australia. I am sure there are many other things on a visit to Cambodia that a western tourist will be paying more for as well.

I actually find the title of this thread itself in the same league as nonews headlines, inflammatory and inaccurate.. So should we call the Australian departure tax the "Don't visit Australia airport surcharge" etc. And let's not start on the UK....

 

[Stephen65]

The worst discrimination in pricing I ever saw was for entrance tickets to Petra in Jordan. IIRC it was about $60 for foreigners and about $1.40 for Jordanians and other Arab nationals.

 

[Alanslegal]

Discrimination or not, would you miss the ruins of Angkor Wat because of a lousy departure tax?! Would you not support the friendly locals who many live off a dollar or two per day?!

The Cambodian govt is corrupt and stupid as one could be, and they probably keep your departure tax too but until that ugly govt is gone, there's not much we could do.

 

[ethernet]

1) I correct my statement, its not really an increase, but more of a rebate for nationals.
2) Its not a tax but a Passenger Service Charge (PSC) for using the airport, and I think this is the first time dual pricing for (PSC) charge. In theory , used to improve the airport.
2.5) Fat foreign visitor usage is 'lumpy' more high season, lower lows, so all operators
loose if the formula is inflexible. My bet is locals stopped flying low season, making it tough for LLC's to get a steady stream of predictable business.
3) PP and SR airports do not compare favorably relative to say Changi.
4) $USD 44 is the Monthly wage of a city based Cambodian base grade worker.
5) The wealthy Cambodians can afford to pay this easy, so it makes no sense.
6) Fraud Assistance. This allows some to pocket the difference. There was a good case in Indonesia where short/long time visa fees did not add up.
7) Per Km flown, flights in/out Cambo are not 'cheap'.
8) As pointed out, getting the price point wrong, can distort the market, and turn away tourism, short term passer by's even more. If pax numbers are not growing, you probably have the mix wrong.
I say all .govs are trying to chisel and money grubb, but they don't like it when
discriminatory differences become too well known.
9) Do something? Sure will. WikiTravel is a good place to start.
10) Cambodia travel guide - Wikitravel demonstrates countries that make it 'hard/awkward' get honest press, and less money overall. Travelers are making their 'Base' in Thailand or .Vn. That is why Cambodia will have a longer tourism development cycle.