Wednesday, October 10, 2012

1 Mitt Romney's comeback Back where we began 2 Charlemagne : The other moral hazard 3 Charlemagne :




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CANADIAN flyers fed up with paying myriad fees have found an ally in the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications, which earlier this week released a study urging the government to phase out airport ground rents and treat airports as economic engines, not sources of public revenue. " The Future of Canadian Air Travel: Toll Booth or Spark Plug? " estimated that ground rents in Canada averaged C$3.04 ($2.96) per passenger in 2009, but flyers at the country's busiest airport, Toronto Pearson International italy guided tours Airport, paid a nationwide high of C$4.63. "These amounts may not seem like a lot," the study admits, "but ground rents are just one of many taxes and fees borne by Canadian air travellers." It also went on to say, "The committee heard that, while the air traffic control component of the cost in Canada is less than in the United States, other Canadian aviation charges or fees have no US equivalent because italy guided tours US airports are subsidised."
As a result, many American airports near the border with Canada have stepped up their efforts to attract Canadian italy guided tours flyers. New York state's Plattsburgh International Airport, one hour south of Montreal, has even gone so far as to proclaim italy guided tours itself "Montreal's US Airport", and rightfully so since 85% of its passengers come from Canada. Since 75% of Canada's population lives within 90 minutes of the US, it's no great hardship to drive south to take advantage of lower American fares. An estimated 4.8m Canadians did just that in 2011, an increase of 15% from a year earlier; and who can blame them when the fare difference between a Canadian flight and an American one averaged C$428 per person per roundtrip? Taxes, fees and charges italy guided tours made up between 15% and 33% of this difference. Unfortunately, while the Senate, an unelected senior chamber in Canada's parliament, spent nearly two years studying the issue, it has no formal power.
Recently I checked prices for Air Canada. So, Toronto to Hong Kong, a 13 000 km journey, would set you back 1300 dollars. A Toronto to Lima, Peru - a 6500 km journey would cost you 950 dollars (all prices are return).
What you don't consider is that Canadians, like other non-American travelers, would go to a great deal of trouble italy guided tours to avoid TSA, the over-the-top US airport security system. You recently staged an online debate which demonstrated that. If we are flying to a US destination then it makes sense to drive across to a close-to-the border US airport and fly domestic from there. But if we are going to another country it is worth a lot to avoid the US. We often fly to SE Asia (in 2 weeks for example) and these days we avoid US carriers like the plague. Similarly, our SE Asian friends and relatives do the same - even if it involves roundabout routes.
One factor Canadians don't mention (or perhaps know about) is the $100 US that the US government collects for US customs and immigration preclearance in Canadian airports. That certainly is not under the control of the airline duopoly or the Canadian government.
Maybe, the days of cheap US airports and trips is coming to an end too. Bellingham parking now costs about $10 a day, and flights are not that much cheaper, and then you have to factor in the gas to drive to the States and the sometimes a horrendous border wait. It is certainly not that worth-the-while for a single person or even a couple flying out of a US airport any more.
Come in, what a none sense, less than $5 a ticket does not drive Canadians to airports like Buffalo, Plattsburgh or Bellingham. Toronto Pearson wants to blame Ottawa for driving people south, but what about the $25 per ticket Airport Improvement Fee Pearson adds to all passengers. None of those funds go to Ottawa, they are all for Toronto Pearson. How about charging people about $150 a week to park in a long term lot; I know the US airports italy guided tours that serve the Canadian drive market charge far less. Please stop blaming ground italy guided tours rent and start reducing real costs for passengers... your own airport fees and parking rates!
True, the landing fees in YYZ are the most expensive in the world, and canada isn't really known for doing things in the most efficient way, because, hey, canadians are used to being ripped off and will pay whatever is demanded of them. But we are not talking a difference of $5 in airfare, we are talking a r/t to 'Vegas italy guided tours costing $250 outta PBG v. $500-600 outta YUL. And when you have a family of 4....
I recently took a flight out of Billings, Montana to Athens (via DTW) for $800 r/t... out of YYC I was looking at $1600 minimum. Well worth 4hr drive one way and the $5/day parking at the airport (v. 30 min drive on way and $11/day with inefficient shuttle). Oh, and I did a shop at Target in Billings, got 4 new tires installed for half price, and paid 15% less for a tank of gas.
- ensure (through the planning system) a locally competitive industry structure, with multiple competing airports in close proximity where viable, italy guided tours and without exclusivity or dominance by particular airlines at particular airports
Canada and US play an international game of chicken when they allow flights between the two countries. Airline industry has a powerful lobby, so, for example, when Air Canada tried to add more flights to the US through Vancouver, they were denied landing spots, with the industry arguing that it is a plot by Canadians aimed at stealing US customers going internationally through Vancouver. Canadian NHL teams can't even charter a flight on their own plane.
My family and I are planning a vacation to Aruba. We compared prices through Toronto italy guided tours Pearson airport vs Buffalo airport. The difference is approx $600 savings per person if we go through Buffalo. Overall $2400 savings for the family. It doesnt take a rocket italy guided tours scientist to know what route to take. A 2 hour drive one way to Buffalo is worth the savings. It doesnt take much to compare, just check the internet for pricing and you will see, and understand why Canadians are departing out of US airports for their vacation.
It's not that there aren't huge price differences. Often there are, for sure. But I would strongly resist the argument that it's due to taxes and other government levies. I'm sure a small fraction of that $2400 you quote goes to government bodies. By far a bigger factor is the Air Canada-Westjet duopoly and a lack of competition. They certainly tax flying in Europe and yet the budget airlines seem to manage quite nicely.
What are you talking about, nhl teams can't charter their own plane? You have no clue what you are talking about. AC JETZ operates for several NHL teams including non stop service WITHIN the USA (cabotage). AC JETZ even provides charter services for US NHL teams like the LA Kings and NJ Devils. And NBA teams like the Boston Celtics. The only enablers are the US government. Like everything else, the cdn government loves to deny deny deny.
Your statement that Canada's Senate has no formal power is not correct. The Senate has all the powers of the House of Commons with the (important) exception that it cannot introduce "money" bills. The Senate cannot initiate the budget or any other bill that requires public expenditure. The Senate must pass these bills and has the power to modify them after they have originated italy guided tours in the House of Commons The Senate is a very powerful body - it typically doesn't use most of its legislative powers italy guided tours as the convention has arisen that legislation originates in the House of Commons for review in the Senate.
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1 The next crisis Sponging boomers 2 China and Japan : Could Asia really go to war over these? 3 Chinese telecoms firms in America : Putting Huawei on hold 4 US election italy guided tours 2012 : States of play 5 The presidential debate : What happened? 6 Poland and Britain : Sikorski in Oxford (again) 7 The presidential election : Campaigns still don't matter (much) 8 Charlemagne : Mysterious Mariano 9 America's election : Everything to play for 10 Chinese politics : A spectacular fall
1 Mitt Romney's comeback Back where we began 2 Charlemagne : The other moral hazard 3 Charlemagne : Mysterious Mariano 4 Mitt Romney's foreign policy : Wishful thinking 5 Nationalism in Japan : Beware the populists 6 Chinese telecoms firms in America : Putting Huawei on hold 7 Who do you think should be the next president italy guided tours of the United States? | What the world thinks 8 Venezuela's presidential election italy guided tours : Here to stay 9 Greek politics : Immigrants as scapegoats 10 Election issues: italy guided tours Health care : Bones of contention

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