vlad.tribnet.com / Issue #166 / Opinion / Reading article...

A Siberian court recently made a decision that is a welcome one for foreigners in Russia: Sibir airline, which charged different rates for foreigners and Russians, must repay a German citizen who sued them.

It is galling for a foreigner to buy a train ticket, or book a hotel room, at a higher rate than a Russian pays for the same service. Perhaps the logic of different price scales is that foreigners, on average, tend to be better off than Russians, and thus they present a tempting target for raking in a little extra profit.

But there are other, fairer ways to extract revenue from those who can afford it. Cities in the West routinely charge taxes on restaurants and hotels, and such fees don’t distinguish between the customers’ passports. Hotels, trains, and airlines can offer luxury rooms or business class travel that appeal to the better-off customer. This way, the profit is made by providing better service.