Is it me or are airfares getting expensive?

[CAL]

I just priced out 2 adults and 1 child to YYC and it was 2849......really?
Who the hell can afford to travel in Canada!

[TrailerParkBoy]

Well even if the Flight Crews worked for free, it would still be $2836!

[mbav8r]

Hey CAL, where you looking to fly from? I just did a sample flight from YYZ-YYC and for 2 adults and 1 child aged 2-11 round trip is 1818.66 all in of which 534.66 are taxes and fees from the government. Or you could spend 2and a half days on the bus, each way and pay 1206.70.
I have an idea, lets start another low cost airline in Canada and drive the prices back to where everyone can afford to fly and all pilots make minimum wage.
I know someone who just flew to Ireland from Wisconsin, connected through YYZ on Air Canada and paid 1400.00 all in round trip. NO, airfares are not too high!

[Duster]

Well - Of the 2836 about 400 of that went to taxes and fees thanks to the last several federal governments who see aviation as a cash cow and airport authorities with no oversite, driven by ego and a mania for capital projects. Of the 2 major airlines in this country, one operates consistently at a loss, the other has operating margins of around 7%. AIrline wages are static or have decreased over the past decade, and the airlines operate with relatively high load factors ( 80-85%)

Are Canadian airfares too high ? Absoloutly not under the present operating conditions. Could they be lower - yes if we drop the aviation fuel excise tax, lower landing and airport fees to something reasonable, lower Nav Canada fees, get rid of half the security empire in this country and exercise some real oversite on our airports

[Johnny#5]

Exactly! Not enough of the ticket price goes to actual airline revenue.

[Inverted2]

If you live near the border, and are flying to the US or overseas -fly out of Buffalo, Detroit, Bellingham etc. The prices are a lot cheaper. You aren't really paying a lot less for the ticket per say but you are paying a LOT less in taxes and surcharges. Plus the parking is cheaper than places like YYZ.

[termerair]

If you live near the border, and are flying to the US or overseas -fly out of Buffalo, Detroit, Bellingham etc. The prices are a lot cheaper. You aren't really paying a lot less for the ticket per say but you are paying a LOT less in taxes and surcharges. Plus the parking is cheaper than places like YYZ.

...And this way you are taking away revenue from canadian airlines that employ canadian people who are consumers in Canada... Great way to encourage "local" business when the economy is not in its best shape!

[florch]

Fares themselves are fine - it's the taxes that are extreme.

Airline travel is considered infrastructure in the US and luxury in Canada and is taxed accordingly.

Subsidize what you want more of and over tax what you want to kill.

You can't blame consumers for going south - or do you buy nothing whatsoever that comes from out side of the country? Traveling by its nature takes people into other countries where they may potentially spend their money on items not made in Canada. Combined Canadian travelers flying out of US airports could support an Ottawa sized airport - the 6th or 7th largest in the country and this will continue until taxes are rationalized, so probably never.

[rigpiggy]

Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
Ronald Reagan
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quote ... J8yA3h4.99

[CAL]

I just priced out the same group yyz-yul its 1300.....end of august trip....wow.....
I am a pilot so dont want pilots to make any less money but thats alot of money for 1.5 gate to gate...
wtf...

[confuzed]

I just priced out the same group yyz-yul its 1300.....end of august trip....wow.....
I am a pilot so dont want pilots to make any less money but thats alot of money for 1.5 gate to gate...
wtf...

It costs a lot of money to operate an airplane as I'm sure you're well aware of God forbid an airline wants to make a profit, even a small one at that.

To anybody that bitches about the price of airfares, I usually invite them to sit down for a while and actually run a cost analysis about how much the trip will cost the airline (insurance, maintenance, fuel, labor, landing fees, etc...). Again, god forbid an airline want to make a profit...it's business. I remember the days when it was a luxury to fly somewhere, now in this day and age people think it's their god given right. When it's on average cheaper to fly then it is to take a train or bus, it's no wonder airlines are hurting.

[Mig29]

We can complain all we want, but the airline tickets are too low (on some sectors) these days...

I don't know about you guys, but we are totally contempt paying 800 bucks for an iPad or paying cell phone bills over $100/month, but when we need to get a safe, reliable and efficient mode of transportation (ie. airplane ) then we all get shocked by the price.

In your specific case CAL....did you buy these tickets fairly recently or you bought them in spring time, early summer? If you did it last minute, you know well that it's summer time, and August is peak month for airlines to make money because the demand is highest. It's simple math....

[Localizer]

Maybe you should write your MP, MPP and ask them why an airline ticket should be taxed as a luxury? Its no secret airports and airlines help drive the economy .. secondly .. ask them why we need to pay for a stupid machine that allows some stranger to see under your clothes? Try asking them why airlines pay the highest landing fees in the world (YYZ) and yet they also need to collect an airport improvement fee? (that's double dippin' as far as i'm concerned)

Just a thought.

[Mig29]

we need to pay for a stupid machine that allows some stranger to see under your clothes?

Oh yes, I forgot about that technological "marvel"!!

Anyone know what was the price tag for ordering those scanner all over Canada?? And training costs for personnel and so on...Hundreds of millions of dollars???

[share-once]

I fly 4 times per month as a passenger.
45 min flt 2yrs ago was$49+ if booked a bit in advance. Now $109, both plus tax.
Yes, airfares have gone up quite a bit.

[cv990]

And 109$ is probably still too low... airfares much, much too low for too long. Huge part of the overall problem.

[EA757]

Have air fares gone up or has buying power gone down?

[rigpiggy]

25 years ago I paid 860 and change for a trip yxy-yvr return. If I were to book this for next week well lets see
Air Canada 584
Westjet 382
Air North 413

So No, the cost of flying is way cheaper, before you even look at inflation. 2849, well obviously a busy route and all the cheapseats are already gone.