I think the new government regulations will be very helpful in letting the consumer know exactly what his/her ticket will cost when initially buying it. I understand the concern that the customer may not realize how much of this price is due to taxes. But is there anything written into the law preventing your company from breaking down the costs of the flight (how much of the purchase price is going to the customer and how much is going to taxes) later on in the transaction after the total price is displayed on the initial purchase screen?
As for the concern that the government rules will mask the amount of taxes it is charging passengers---we really do get a lot of protection and services for the taxes that are imposed. Don't the taxes provide funding for the FAA and TSA which provide passengers with accident prevention and security? Taxes also provide infrastructure improvements needed to keep airports up to date. Aren't all the fees and taxes used to benefit the air travel industry? Or are they being spent on something else?
If the concern is that the government is not spending the tax money it raises with the fees wisely---then a case should be made against the perceived waste not against the new policy. After all shouldn't the airlines have been just as concerned about their passengers having to pay taxes for wasteful airport or air traffic projects before the new rules went into effect? If wasteful tax spending wasn't an issue to the airlines before the new rules went into effect---then why is it important now that the taxes are included in the ticket price? The passenger is ultimately paying the same final price regardless of how the price is required to be displayed.
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