Just come North if you want to see "real" taxes. For example, YVR-YYC 15NOV, (approx. 500 miles) the lowest base fare is $72.00. The "other charges" amount to $53.07 for a grand total of $125.07 - thats 73% of the fare! No question, its a great fare, but this is just an example of the "other charges" and in CAD$ I hasten to add....nevertheless, it' still 73% of the fare! (Airport parking and TAXES are NOT included - that's a whole other world!) Liam. YVR. ----- Original Message ----- From: "David MR" <damiross2@xxxxxxxxxxx> To: <AIRLINE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Monday, October 27, 2003 7:45 PM Subject: Re: incl taxes > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Alireza Alivandivafa" <DEmocrat2n@xxxxxxx> > To: <AIRLINE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Monday, October 27, 2003 19:07 > Subject: Re: [AIRLINE] incl taxes > > > > In a message dated 10/27/2003 9:43:18 PM Eastern Standard Time, > damiross2@xxxxxxxxxxx writes: > > > > > Then don't read it. I don't consider what I wrote to be "alarmist > > > anti-government rhetoric." If you haven't noticed, the airline industry > is > > > in bad shape. The government adding taxes to the price of a > > > ticket (and > > > cargo, too) is not helping them. > > > > I think most would agree that I follow the industry. Also, most airlines > are returning to profits, and some have never left profit. A total of 20 or > so dollars for a trip in taxes is not bad at all, especially considering > that it feeds the best aviation system in the world. These taxes have been > in place when airlines were doing well too, except the security fee to pay > for the "take-off your boots" administration. > > Excuse me? "A total of 20 or so dollars for a trip in taxes is not bad at > all"? You really should stay out of the smoked-filled casinos if the smoke > is going to affect you that bad. On a round trip, the security fee is $5, > the segment fee is $6. That's $11 and we haven't even included the > passenger tax of 7.5% nor (in many cases) a passenger facility charge of $3 > to $6. Try looking at the tax rate as a percentage of the tax > > 3 airlines have maintained profitability over the past few years. The top 6 > are barely making a profit. Yes, one made $34 million (or is that $43 > million) but that's a drop in the hat. > > No, Alireza, the taxes paid on an airline ticket are extremely high, > especially on short-haul and multi-stop flights. No matter how you look at > it, the minimum you'll get away with in taxes is 15%; in most cases the tax > will be 20% or more. > > Just to prove a point, let me show you some fares with their taxes (all > trips are roundtrips) > > DAL/HOU nonstop > Fare: 81.86 > Taxes: 17.14 (42%) > > LAX/LAS nonstop > fare: 53.96 > taxes: 22.54 (42%) > > LAX/SDF (Louisville, 2 enroute stops to SDF, 1 on the return) > fare: 221.39 > taxes: 56.61 (26%) > > SJC/BWI (nonstop each way) > fare: 221.39 > taxes: 36.61 (17%) > > IAH/MEX (nonstop each way) > fare: 208.00 > taxes: 76.96 (37%) > > Yes, I realize I'm just a <sarcasm begin>simple ol' boy who is paranoid of > the government<sarcasm end> but can you truly say that I'm wrong when I say > the taxes are too high? > > David R > http://home.attbi.com/~damiross > http://home.attbi.com/~damiross/books.html >