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Damn we are getting fee'd to friggin death! Sorry Uncle Sam, why should we pay for your debt on top of everything else we give you?
By The Canadian Press, thecanadianpress.com, Updated: February 17, 2011 5:32 PM
The fees and taxes air travellers already pay
TORONTO - A 2012 U.S. federal draft budget outlines a proposal to charge a $5.50 fee for every Canadian entering the U.S. by air or sea. Here are some air travel fees and taxes that passengers already face.
Fees included in the tax portion of an airline ticket:
— Fuel surcharges (vary by destination);
— Surcharge to cover NAV Canada services, $7.50 each way for cross-border flights, variable for domestic flights;
— Insurance Surcharge, $3 each way within Canada;
— Air Travellers Security Charge, $7.12 each way within Canada, $8 each way for cross-border travel.
Airport improvement fees vary by location, but range from $5 to $40. Most Canadian airport fees are included in the ticket price.
A peak travel premium is sometimes added when travelling to certain destinations at specific peak travel times; details vary. Federal, harmonized or provincial sales taxes apply as necessary.
For travel to and from the United States, the following taxes and fees may be added:
— U.S. International Tax;
— U.S. INS Fee;
— Passenger Facility Charge (up to US$4.50 per passenger);
— U.S. September 11 Security Fee;
— U.S. Transportation Tax, and U.S Department of Agriculture APHIS Fee (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service).
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration charges "overflight" fees for all flights that fly in U.S. air space but take off or land elsewhere. There are two types of overflight fees:
— Enroute: $33.72 per 100 nautical miles (nm), Great Circle Distance (GCD), from point of entry into to point of exit from U.S.-controlled airspace,
— Oceanic: $15.94 per 100 nautical miles, Great Circle Distance.
Baggage fees vary from among airlines and are influenced by type of baggage, class of travel and destination. Some common baggage fees:
— Air Canada (economy to the U.S.): 1 bag checked for free, $30 per direction for each additional bag. Within Canada, to Mexico and the Caribbean, $20 per direction for each extra bag. To Europe, $50 per direction for each extra bag.
— WestJet, most destinations: $20 for a second bag, $50 for third and fourth bag.
A single adult flying one-way from Vancouver to Los Angeles can expect to pay $694 in basic air fair before tax, according to Air Canada. Once taxes, surcharges and fees have been factored in, the price jumps another $100.10 for a total of $794.10.
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Feb 18 2011, 05:47 PM
