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Costa Rica will include airport tax in ticket prices

Costa Rica will include airport tax in ticket prices

Old Jan 23, 2015, 1:52 pm
  #16  
 
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Originally Posted by SJOGuy
At the tax counter at SJO is a sign showing the components of the $29. It's made up of four different fees, but none of those are included in your list. (The tourism tax has existed for years and it has always been included in the price of the ticket.) I'm sure you'll have to pay upon departure.

This is so typical of Costa Rica: Announce a move with big fanfare, and then not be able to implement it. I should have known.
Thanks SJOGuy, kinda what I figured but wanted to be sure.

Oh well, will just schedule some extra time.
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Old Jan 27, 2015, 5:40 am
  #17  
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I'm flying out this morning. The woman at the tax counter told me that the system should be up and running for tickets purchased after Mar. 1. She did add the very Costa Rican qualifier "Si Dios lo quiere" ("God willing") to her statement.
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Old Jan 27, 2015, 7:59 am
  #18  
 
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We'll be flying from LIR to JFK in early February. My guess is we'll be checking a bag but I'm not sure. We're currently planning on being there about 2 hours before the departure time. Is that enough time?
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Old Mar 6, 2015, 6:16 am
  #19  
 
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Flew out on Copa Wednesday 3/04 noon, when I arrived the line for the tax was out to the street. (I already had mine) I asked the girl at the counter about it, and she said maybe August, but not sure. I asked about other airlines and she said they had some problems and none are currently including the exit tax in the ticket price, even though Delta had previously.

Returning from SAP, the counter agent stamped by boarding pass "Taxes Paid", and said I no longer need to go pay $39+ at the Banco Lafisse line!! Very embarrassing that SAP can get this figured out faster than SJO.

Also, in addition to the 3rd level Credomatic VIP club at SAP, a Banco Atlantida Club has been added in the second level departure lounge that accepts Priority Pass. Good for 4 adult beverages and a sandwich or empanada. It is small and dark compared to the 3rd level club, but another alternative for those without Credomatic.
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Old Mar 6, 2015, 1:36 pm
  #20  
 
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Originally Posted by SJOGuy
At the tax counter at SJO is a sign showing the components of the $29. It's made up of four different fees, but none of those are included in your list. (The tourism tax has existed for years and it has always been included in the price of the ticket.) I'm sure you'll have to pay upon departure.

This is so typical of Costa Rica: Announce a move with big fanfare, and then not be able to implement it. I should have known.
Is there a rationale behind having some government taxes included in the ticket and some not? I would have thought they'd either all be included or none of them would be!
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Old Mar 6, 2015, 9:34 pm
  #21  
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The only thing I can figure is that Costa Rica used to have a three-tiered exit tax, with one rate for tourists, one rate for residents, and one rate for citizens. An airline or travel agent would have no idea which tax applied when selling a ticket, so it was paid at the airport. The rates became uniform several years ago, but nobody bothered to "fix" the manner in which the tax is collected.
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Old Mar 7, 2015, 3:07 pm
  #22  
 
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Originally Posted by callum9999
Is there a rationale behind having some government taxes included in the ticket and some not? I would have thought they'd either all be included or none of them would be!
Searching for rationale behind any of CR's government decisions/procedures/processes is akin to searching for unicorns on the moon! pura vida mae!
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Old Mar 18, 2015, 4:49 pm
  #23  
 
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Just to reiterate. Flew back from LIR yesterday and had to pay the tax. $29 per person. BTW, prices at the airport are stupid ridiculous. $10 for a can of pilsen? ...???
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Old Mar 18, 2015, 4:50 pm
  #24  
 
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oh, w t f is not a l l ow e d i g u e s s
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Old Mar 18, 2015, 8:00 pm
  #25  
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Thanks for the report, kristian. I'm flying out this weekend. I fully expect to have to pay the tax.
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Old Mar 19, 2015, 3:25 pm
  #26  
 
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According to one of the local English language rags, tickets purchased next week with returns after 14 June 2015 on AA/US and CM will have the departure tax included.

Perhaps even more interesting is that AV will have SJO-LHR service on 787's starting 01 July.
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Old Mar 19, 2015, 5:29 pm
  #27  
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Originally Posted by 24.05.2004
Perhaps even more interesting is that AV will have SJO-LHR service on 787's starting 01 July.
I saw that. It seems very hard to believe. AV has greatly de-hubbed this airport and just laid off 60 local staff people, although not as many as the 260 lost two years ago. You can't even get to MIA with them without connecting through SAL. They've just eliminated SJO-MEX-SJO and replaced it with a SAL connection. I'm looking for the original airline press release. I'm wondering if that isn't the case (a connection in SAL or BOG) with the LON flights.

But if it is true, that's a poorly written article to bury such a big piece of news at the end like that, with no hint of it in the headline.

Good news about the airport taxes. Thanks!

Last edited by SJOGuy; Mar 19, 2015 at 5:47 pm
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Old Mar 21, 2015, 5:31 am
  #28  
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La Nacin here is reporting on the London flights requiring a connection at BOG. In Spanish:

http://www.nacion.com/economia/empre...476052405.html
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Old Mar 22, 2015, 12:47 am
  #29  
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Originally Posted by SJOGuy
The only thing I can figure is that Costa Rica used to have a three-tiered exit tax, with one rate for tourists, one rate for residents, and one rate for citizens. An airline or travel agent would have no idea which tax applied when selling a ticket, so it was paid at the airport. The rates became uniform several years ago, but nobody bothered to "fix" the manner in which the tax is collected.
Close - it's the diplomatic departures that are exempt from the tax that are the sticky wicket.
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Old Mar 22, 2015, 4:15 pm
  #30  
 
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Originally Posted by SJOGuy
La Nacin here is reporting on the London flights requiring a connection at BOG. In Spanish:

http://www.nacion.com/economia/empre...476052405.html
Saw that -- I knew it was too good to be true.

I tweeted AV and actually got a reply -- pointed me to a press release from last year about the 787s!
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