Passenger Movement Charge

rdf:langString Passenger Movement Charge

rdf:langString The passenger movement charge (PMC) is an Australian tax payable by passengers departing Australia on international flights or sea transport, whether or not the passenger intends to return to Australia. The PMC was introduced in July 1995 (replacing the previous departure tax which commenced in October 1978) and was initially described as a charge to partially offset the cost to government of the provision of passenger facilitation at airports, principally customs, immigration and quarantine functions, and the justification has changed each time it was increased. Since 2012, no justification for increases in the PMC has been given. Since 2017, the PMC has been A$60 per passenger over 12 years of age, with a few limited exemptions. The PMC is a flat rate, and not a percentage of the ticket price. The same charge applies for low-price tickets, as well as for free or points tickets, and for first-class fares, and for short-distance flights and long-haul flights. The PMC is imposed in addition to airport fees and airline surcharges. The PMC is paid by airlines and recovered from passengers as part of the fare or as a special charge (e.g., in the case of free or points tickets). In 2001, when the PMC was $30, the revenue from the PMC was approximately A$226 million per annum. According to a 2013 survey by the International Air Transport Association, the average cost of the PMC on the airfare was 3.5%.