Budget Airtax

I’m currently in Singapore right now. This is the fourth time I am going to Singapore. Twice for the last 2 weeks. What!? Is the great Singapore sale really that great ?

Nope. FYI: There always be ’sale’ in Singapore every month. Nothing is so great about that especially if you have lived here for years (I feel so old).

In any case, I am here for scholarship interview(s) by iDA – yes, my last trip was also to attend interview. Yes, they offer option for the phone-interview but I do not really like that type of interview – basicly I do not like any interview.

I think this will be my last trip dedicated for iDA interview. I do not mind the air tix since I always use budget airlines. US$40-50+ for return airfare is still acceptable for me. However, what disgust me most is the tax(es) imposed to every traveller thanks to Osama-Bin-Laden, Oil-brokers, dumb/corrupt politicians and many more.

The average tax is about 100% of the budget airline’s tix price. Do you think its so bad? Wait till you (if you are Indonesians) need to pay "Fiscal" – specially brought to you by gov.id – of Rp 1000.000,00. Oh yes. While rupiah may be look weak, 1 million is still mount to something. (today 1US$ = 9400IDR). So on average, a return budget flight to Singapore will translate to me being pooer by US$160-200

My point is simple: I do not think it is fair to pay nett tax of 300% of airfare tix just because one person in turban think destroying two big towers is a holy deed and the other idiot who happens to sit in the office by thin margin of votes decided to gloriously rebuild undemocratic country.

Well… there are other factors of course but the one I just describe I believe is the most annoying.

Oh… So far, I just need to pay 100% tax since I got ‘immunity’ from fiscal four times a year (no… the immunity is legal). And today I just used my last immunity. Duh.