UN Encourages Tax On Air Tickets to Go to Poor Countries

[EngineOut]

UN Encourages Tax On Air Tickets
December 28, 2005 UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged governments to follow France's lead after its parliament approved a tax on airline tickets to finance development aid for poor countries.
"The secretary-general warmly welcomes the adoption by the parliament of France of a levy on airline tickets issued locally that will benefit the health sector of developing countries," UN spokeswoman Marie Okabe said.
Parliamentary approval of the tax came on December 22. It will range from EUR1 to EUR40 (USD$1.18 to USD$47.20) on flights from France, depending on distance traveled and class of ticket. It takes effect on July 1.
French President Jacques Chirac has campaigned hard for an international tax on airline tickets to help fight global poverty. The government hopes that in France alone, the tax will generate EUR210 million (USD$248 million) a year.
French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy has said more than 66 countries support France's campaign.
Chilean President Ricardo Lagos said in September the measure had been approved in his country and would go into effect on January 1, when a USD$2 charge would be added to tickets on all outgoing flights from Chile.
But the plan has encountered resistance in the United States, failed to win widespread backing in Europe and upset airlines, which fear higher fares will drive away passengers.

(Reuters)



Discuss...

 

[UGAflyer]

screw that

 

[NuGuy]

I wouldn't trust the UN to run a Girl Scout Cookie drive....

I say boot the UN out of NYC and sell off the building and real estate, and donate THAT money to the needy. They'll get 100x what the UN will ever give them.

Nu

 

[FN FAL]

screw that

Actually, it's a good idea.

Airlines process everybody's air through their engines for free...and in turn, they charge money for their services.

Any commercial use of air should be taxed, seeing as the air belongs to all of us.

 

[Draginass]

The answer is No F****** Way, for three reasons:

1. The UN continues to have rampant and pervasive corruption at all levels.

2. The nations that the money would go to have rampant and pervasive corruption.

3. Why aviation? Tax the high priced hotel chains. That's where the corporate ruling class stays. Commercial airliners are full of working smucks.

Trust Kofi Anan? The French President whom Saddam called a good friend??? YGBSM. This stupidity is at least good for a laugh.

But, there are many, many "useful fools" in the US that will actually think this is a good idea.

 

[UGAflyer]

Let's put Chuck Norris in charge of the UN and call it a day

 

[9GClub]

I wouldn't trust the UN to run a Girl Scout Cookie drive....

I say boot the UN out of NYC and sell off the building and real estate, and donate THAT money to the needy. They'll get 100x what the UN will ever give them.

Nu

I second that.....

 

[FN FAL]

The answer is No F****** Way, for three reasons:

1. The UN continues to have rampant and pervasive corruption at all levels.

The UN won't collect the tax. All countries will collect the tax.

2. The nations that the money would go to have rampant and pervasive corruption.

Our government gives money to people who are morally bankrupt, every day.

3. Why aviation?

Why not? They consume air and process it and leave behind greenhouse gasses. That air should not be free to airlines to process.

But, there are many, many "useful fools" in the US that will actually think this is a good idea.

Many, many? I'll trump you and say that there are many, many, many. Maybe even many, many, many, many.

Of course there are fools in the US. Where else would you need religion AND criminal law prohibiting man sex with animals? Most people that aren't fools, already know it's wrong already.

 

[A Squared]

Trust Kofi Anan? The French President whom Saddam called a good friend??? YGBSM. This stupidity is at least good for a laugh.

Uhhhhhh....Kofi Anan is the UN secretary general, not the president of France.

 

[FN FAL]

Uhhhhhh....Kofi Anan is the UN secretary general, not the president of France.

Hahahahahaha...