Australians will soon be slugged with an increased $80 exit fee when they leave the country under new measures announced in the Federal Budget.
The fee is applied to all passengers departing by air or sea from Australia, regardless of whether they are citizens or non-citizens intending to return.
The passenger movement charge, which is already included in a traveller’s ticket, will be increased by $10, from $70 to $80, from January 1, 2027.
However passengers who have already purchased a ticket will benefit from a six-month transition arrangement.
The Albanese Government expects the fee will bring in a total of $755million over the next five years.
It comes as aviation industry experts say they expect airlines will pass on the extra $10 in the form of increased airfares.
Tourism and Transport Forum chief executive Margy Osmond described the changes as ‘literally outrageous’.
‘You’re looking at an environment where the tourism industry is wearing an impossibly uncertain global aviation marketplace,’ Osmond said.
Australians will be slugged with an $80 exit fee when they fly out of the country under new measures announced in the Federal Budget
Jim Chalmers’s fifth budget contained a raft of new measures including the departure tax
‘You’ve got a decimated domestic driving market, which would have been the fallback for a lot of operators, because of the fuel situation [that is making driving holidays less attractive].’
Osmond added: ‘There is absolutely no need to increase this charge. All of the money would just go to consolidated revenue.’
It comes as Qantas warned surging jet fuel prices could raise costs by $800million in the second half of 2026.
The national carrier has also slashed its domestic capacity for the next three months, alongside its budget partner Jetstar.
‘The Qantas Group continues to take action to mitigate the impact of the conflict in the Middle East, including sustained high fuel costs,’ a Qantas Group statement said.
‘The group has extended previously announced capacity reductions of 5 percentage points until the end of September, predominantly on Qantas and Jetstar flights on major capital city routes.’
Customers who were booked on flights impacted by schedule changes are being contacted directly and offered alternative flights or a refund.
Source: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-15813029/New-charge-Aussie-going-overseas-Jim-Chalmers-outlines-cost-saving-mission.html
