Kittitians and Nevisians are also not too supportive of the decision to charge them with two other levies, namely the Environmental Levy and Island Enhancement Fund, which previously only applied to non residents, thus visitors only.
The St. Christopher Air & Seaport Authority, SCASPA, in a recent press announcement, confirmed that passengers departing Robert Bradshaw International Airport will be faced with the new charges, as part of ongoing measures to make the statutory body more viable and perhaps profit-making.
While adults will pay EC$100, up from the old fee of EC$50.00, resident and non-resident children who are under twelve years, are now exempt as all departure fees have been removed for this category of travellers, said the SCASPA release.
SCASPA said the Airport Service Charge remains at EC$45.00 for both resident and non-resident adults, but the implementation of charges on the tickets will derive some changes in fees which include the: Security Service Charge which has been raised; the Environmental Levy and Island Enhancement Fund, which will now not only be applied to locals but will also be increased.
The authority is however upbeat about its decision to stop charging the Departure Tax directly at the airport, opting instead to incorporate the departure taxes in the airfare paid when the airline ticket is purchased.
SCASPA says this means that passengers will no longer have to wait in long lines to pay departure fees as of 15th December 2011.
This elimination of a line will accelerate the departure process, creating a more efficient and pleasant experience for outbound passengers, stated the government entity.
A SCASPA official said, “These increases are necessary to maintain international security requirements, and to finance activities promoting St. Kitts as a tourist destination.”