Fresh air is one of the only things in the world that comes free – until now that is.
Managers at the largest international airport in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas have put a price on breathing inside the terminals after installing a state-of-the-art system for purifying air – and are charging departing passengers for breathing inside the terminals.
Everyone taking a flight out of Maiquetia International Airport must now pay a £12 levy for breathing.
The government claims the system safeguards the health of passengers by removing bacteria from the air, but opponents of the charge are not convinced.
Although Venezuela stands alone taxing breathing, other governments and airlines impose several dubious charges on passengers.
Luton logic
London’s Luton Airport is a busy budget airline base – and the place where airlines and management think outside the box for ways to make extra money out of passengers wherever they can:
- The airport came under fire in 2007 for charging passenger 50p each for resealable bags to store liquid containers to meet the 100ml security rule for boarding an aircraft
- Luton-based Wizz Air was the first European airline to make fliers pay for taking hand luggage on to a plane – bags that breach size rules must go in an overhead locker, providing the passenger coughs up a £12 fee
- The airport charges at least £2 for parking for no more than 15 minutes outside terminals – and jacks the fine up to £80 for any driver who stays any longer
Cold comfort
Last year Samoa Air, a small South Pacific airline, started charging passengers extra if they were overweight.
Samoa has a huge obesity problem and the airline was finding passengers carrying extra pounds were taking up too much space and weighing down aircraft.
Smokers are the target of managers at Belfast International Airport, who charge anyone wanting a quick puff before flying £1 for access to a smoking zone.
Passengers feeling chill flying with Norwegian must fork out nearly £3 for a blanket, but US low cost airline Allegiant leaves fliers cold with a £15 charge for covering up with one of their blankets.
Allegiant also charges for carry-on luggage, along with other US no-frills fliers Frontier and Spirit. Frontier wins hands down on price, charging up to £66 for the privilege.
Passengers at the tiny UK airports of Blackpool, Durham, Newquay and East Midlands have to hand over £10 on top of all the other fees and charges they have to pay as a ‘development cost’ of using the facilities.
