Will we pay EUR 2.5 more for each plane ticket at Budapest Airport in 2023?

The economic and energy crisis hit Hungary hard, and every sector struggles because of the consequences. The local governments are probably in the worst position since most of them cannot expect considerable government help. Therefore, they must come up with creative solutions to fill the holes in their budget. For instance, the 18th district of Budapest invented a brand new tax, the so-called passenger fee.

According to the early December decision of the local council, all passengers of Budapest Airport would be subject to the new tax. Everybody arriving or departing from Hungary’s biggest international airport would be required to pay HUF 1,000 (EUR 2.5). That would mean billions of forints for the municipal budget only because the airport is officially on the territory of the district.

The local council’s idea is to collect the extra tax from the ground handling companies. Thus, you would not have to turn to the district office or official at the airport. You would only have to pay more for your ticket, and the companies would transfer the extra tax to the district’s local budget. The collected sum would be spent on the renewal of the main roads.