Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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609. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on reports that airlines operating in the Irish market are profiting from what are advertised as taxes and charges; if he considers it appropriate that airlines are charging excess for fees levied on customers for taxes, Irish Aviation Authority fees, landing fees and others; the measures that he will take arising out of this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19993/13]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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What comprises “taxes, fees and charges” in the context of airline travel is very often misconstrued.  Most elements are not, in fact, taxes imposed by the State; e.g. in the case of travel from Ireland the only tax imposed by the State is the Air Travel Tax which currently applies at the rate of €3 per departing passenger.  Rather, the majority of what are often referred to as "taxes, fees and charges" are charges imposed by the airlines themselves.  In general,  these can include charges such as security charges, insurance surcharges, fuel surcharges  etc.   In some cases, they may reflect charges imposed by other Government authorities or by airport authorities but in most cases, these charges are not payable by the airline to any other organisation. If there is any evidence that various charges are being misrepresented to consumers, then the National Consumer Agency has the power to investigate such claims.