Taxpayers group takes aim at flying tax Last Updated Thu, 28 Mar 2002 0:43:25 OTTAWA - The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has launched another attack on the flying tax the federal government will introduce Monday. The lobby group says the tax is simply a revenue grab and has been poorly thought out. It will add $24 to the cost of a domestic round-trip ticket, $12 to a U.S. flight and $24 to international trips. Announced in the December budget, the tax is expected to raise $2.2 billion over five years to pay for increased airport security. But the federation, with airports, travel agents, tourism organizations and opposition parties in Ottawa, says there are troubling unanswered questions about the tax. It wants to know why passengers flying into remote airports with no security equipment have to pay the tax, and why the fee wasn't set as a percentage of the ticket price? As its stands now, the tax will represent a small increase in the price of a cross country flight, but a significant addition to a discount fare. The short-haul carrier WestJet has already said it may have to cut some bargain flights. Federation director Walter Robinson says that since the budget, air travel has rebounded and some estimates now put the take from the tax at $3 billion. Transport Minister David Collenette has said the tax will not generate revenue for the government and will be used for security measures. Written by CBC News Online staff The owner of Roger's Trinbago Site: Roj (Roger James) *************************************************** escape email mailto:ejames@escape.ca Trinbago site: http://www.tntisland.com CBSC Website http://www.tntisland.com/caribbeansocabrassconnection/ The Trinbago Site of the Week: (HCL) http://www.hcltt.com/ (HCL Group of Companies) courtesy of Roj Trinbago Website & TnT Web Directory Roj's Trinbago Website: http://www.tntisland.com TnT Web Directory: http://search.co.tt *********************************************************