GlennA said:
The actual cost to get the plane in the air for 100 miles is a minor part of the fare. Wanna know why it cost so much to fly between SJU and EIS?
Start with emplaned passenger fees (each way): SJU - $23 EIS -$20
US International departure tax $13.40 Arrival tax $13.40
SJU Facilities fee $4.50
Federal Security Segment Tax $5.00
Customs Fee $5.00
Immegrations Fee $7.00
Dept of Agriculture Fee $3.10
That comes up to $81.00 that the carrier adds to the ticket plus the $20 you pay to get out of the BVI!
In addition the airlines pay Landing fees:SJU - $4.50/ton GTOW EIS $4.00/ton GTOW
Counter, gate and ramp space rent and at least 3 or 4 ground support personel.
And somewhere in there there has to be a little profit to justify being in an industry as crazy as air travel.
That all adds up for me as 9+ reasons why the BVI cannot bet their future on any STT, SJU, Ferry or any other Caribbean island connection outside of the BVI's direct control. Taxes, Fees, Rivalry, lost time, inconsistency, plus the laws of physics to climb from each runway doom all those plans at some point. The same is also true all over our 50 Northern states where the airlines are systematically abandoning the short hop feeder airports. Flights of 300 miles or less have no future.
