Germany is the most recent European nation to propose a tax on air passengers, potentially creating a larger expense for those flying between there and the U.S.

The departure tax Germany may add would be as high as $33 per flier leaving on long-haul flights, such as trips to the USA, according to a draft of the bill.
Shorter flights to other areas of the European Union, places such as Turkey and Russia, would be taxed more than $16.

The proposed tax, which airlines would probably add onto airfares, comes with comparable taxes imposed by Britain and Ireland. The Netherlands also imposed a charge but withdrew it.

Some believe that this is a way for Europe to boost government finances. At a time when a majority of Europe is still struggling economically, some say the taxes will set back an industry that’s under pressure to recover from a serious travel decline.

Source:USA TODAY