PASSENGERS FLYING from all airports in the country will be hit by an exit tax from March 30th next.
Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan yesterday announced plans to introduce a €10 per passenger charge for people travelling more than 300km, and €2 for those taking shorter journeys.
Virtually all trips outside the State will fall into the net for the higher tax. The exceptions are flights from Dublin to the west coast of England and Wales, Glasgow and the Isle of Man, and services from Cork to Newquay and Donegal to Glasgow.
All domestic flights within the Republic will be taxed at the lower rate. Passengers moving between airports in Ireland will have to pay €4 for their round trip.
The measure is expected to raise €95 million in 2009 and €150 million in a full year.
Aer Lingus described it as an "anti-consumer, an anti-tourism and an anti-business" measure and said that the lower rate should have applied to UK airports.
Children under two, disabled passengers and their assistants and transit passengers are exempt from the tax.