the_happiness_store
Apr 15, 07, 3:04 pm
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070415/ap_on_bi_ge/ticket_taxes
Newsstand - An interesting link to your airline tax dollars
View Full Version : An interesting link to your airline tax dollars
redbeard911
Apr 16, 07, 11:57 am
The federal government has taken billions of dollars from the taxes and fees paid by airline passengers every time they fly and awarded it to small airports used mainly by private pilots and globe-trotting corporate executives.
Some of these "general aviation" facilities used the federal dollars for enhancements such as longer runways and passenger terminals aimed at luring traffic, an Associated Press review has found. And the money comes with little oversight, and at the expense of an increasingly beleaguered air transportation system.
"They're making out like bandits," said Bob Poole, director of transportation studies at Southern California's Reason Foundation and author of several studies on air transportation costs. "It's not only that airline passengers are paying more than their fair share, but they're being overtaxed to give private jets a free ride."
Passengers pay as many as six separate taxes and fees on a single airline ticket, adding up to more than $104 billion since 1997, the AP found. Yet these assessments often are overlooked by the millions who click the "buy" button to purchase tickets online, even though they can exceed 25 percent of the total airfare.Interesting that they highlighted Aspen, which has considerable commercial traffic and is a bona fide tourist destination. I also read about an airport in Brigham City Utah that received IIRC $15M and there is zero commercial traffic.
Some of these "general aviation" facilities used the federal dollars for enhancements such as longer runways and passenger terminals aimed at luring traffic, an Associated Press review has found. And the money comes with little oversight, and at the expense of an increasingly beleaguered air transportation system.
"They're making out like bandits," said Bob Poole, director of transportation studies at Southern California's Reason Foundation and author of several studies on air transportation costs. "It's not only that airline passengers are paying more than their fair share, but they're being overtaxed to give private jets a free ride."
Passengers pay as many as six separate taxes and fees on a single airline ticket, adding up to more than $104 billion since 1997, the AP found. Yet these assessments often are overlooked by the millions who click the "buy" button to purchase tickets online, even though they can exceed 25 percent of the total airfare.Interesting that they highlighted Aspen, which has considerable commercial traffic and is a bona fide tourist destination. I also read about an airport in Brigham City Utah that received IIRC $15M and there is zero commercial traffic.
obscure2k
Apr 16, 07, 12:25 pm
Moving to Newsstand
Obscure2k
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Obscure2k
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Jalinth
Apr 16, 07, 1:56 pm
But how much mainstream commercial traffic does Aspen really have? Should your once every 10 years in Aspen skiers subsidize your "fly via private jet" crowd who can afford to go every week if they so choose.
The real questions are:
Exactly how much subsidization does the non-airline sector get?
The $2.4 billion cost is calculated how? I'd expect your small private airplanes to be pretty cheap - little to no ATC required depending on the location. They can also use grass fields or fairly roughly conditions.
Private jets are another story. They can't take the rougher conditions, tend to fly where ATC is required, have passengers wanting/needing
So I'd have no problem dinging the private jet sector but I'm not sure how you can charge one type of plane without charging the other. Your small prop planes don't need anything fancy, so why should they pay for longer runways, paved runways, etc... One solution could be an annual fee for licensing based on the plane. Not perfect since it would encourage people to register planes in other countries, but it is one solution.
The real questions are:
Exactly how much subsidization does the non-airline sector get?
The $2.4 billion cost is calculated how? I'd expect your small private airplanes to be pretty cheap - little to no ATC required depending on the location. They can also use grass fields or fairly roughly conditions.
Private jets are another story. They can't take the rougher conditions, tend to fly where ATC is required, have passengers wanting/needing
So I'd have no problem dinging the private jet sector but I'm not sure how you can charge one type of plane without charging the other. Your small prop planes don't need anything fancy, so why should they pay for longer runways, paved runways, etc... One solution could be an annual fee for licensing based on the plane. Not perfect since it would encourage people to register planes in other countries, but it is one solution.