Quote Originally Posted by Nick View Post
So who out there is a ticketing whiz with understanding all the taxes? ... I always liked the US model, where domestic taxes aren't levied to airline staff. How do you levy a tax on a free ticket? You don't. How do you levy it on a reduced rate ticket.... well in the US you don't, rest of world seems to be at the full prevailing rate, which really is a shame
First, let me clarify that US taxes, in general, do not exempt staff travel. Some do, but most do not apply to free tickets and since most US employees are not assessed service charges on their own airline's domestic flights, taxes do not apply. You would collect taxes on reduced fare (e.g., ZED or ID90) tickets because you're collecting a fare amount. There are a few international taxes that don't apply to free travel, travel specifically by airline employees, travel by airline employees on business, etc.

Quote Originally Posted by Nick View Post
For example, on Tiger from SIN-SGN, the fare is SGD$50, but the taxes/fees are SGD$55 (!!). Jetstar Asia have their fare at $81.95, and taxes at $28... so how can that be so? Does the tax vary with ticket price? Is Tiger's more full of "fees" than actual "taxes"? You click the breakdown button on Tiger site and it just pops up and says again "taxes/fees/charges sgd$55". Most of the taxes ex SIN seem somewhat excessive to me... especially if you are departing from a budget terminal.
There are three taxes that apply ex SIN, they are the Passenger Service Charge (SG1), the Passenger Security Service Charge (OO), and the Aviation Levy (OP). The rules and amount applicable vary for each.

SG1 = SGD13.90 pretty much, applies to every traveler type, except airline crew on duty/positioning
OO = SGD8.00, same application
OP = ranges from SGD2.20 to SGD6.10 depending on the transporting airline and also applies to pretty much everyone but crew.

On a SIN-HKG IDZM3R2, for example, the total tax would be SGD28. The same amount would apply to SIN-FRA IDZM8R2.