Dutch Air Tax Hike Sparks Backlash from Aviation Groups

The Dutch government has announced a 2.9 percent increase in the air passenger tax under its new Tax Plan, effective January 1, 2026. The per-ticket charge will rise from €29.40 to €30.25 (approximately from $34.50 to $35.60).

There are also plans for further tax hikes for 2027, potentially increasing fees for medium-haul flights to over €47 (around $55) per ticket and long-haul flights up to €70 (around $82) per ticket.

The tax is currently one of the highest in Europe and, if implemented as planned, would make the Netherlands the EU’s most expensive country for air travel.

European aviation groups, including Airlines for Europe (A4E) and Airports Council International Europe (ACI Europe), have criticized the hike, stating it will undermine connectivity, hurt passengers, and weaken funding for aviation carbon reduction initiatives.

While the Dutch government claims to use part of the increased tax revenue to support aviation sustainability, critics highlight that no existing revenues have been committed to green programs.

A4E Managing Director Ourania Georgoutsakou said previous tax increases never benefited either passengers or environmental objectives and only made the Netherlands less appealing for both tourism and business.

Marjan Rintel, CEO of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, which recently experienced flight disruption due to a two-hour strike, warned that the hikes threaten the country’s status as a global aviation hub and can push travelers to use airports in neighboring countries like Germany and Belgium instead.

Photo by Pedro Menezes on Unsplash