AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Talk Belize Travel Still at a Loss to Understand

Just got back from San Pedro Tuesday and already looking for another cheap flight. Well, Guess what. AA has a r/t flight from Miami to San Pedro Sula for
$213.30 (tax included) which is about 1/2 the r/t fare to BZE. Just don't understand. Any ideas?

I dont understand it either. I can fly R/T from Dallas to Istanbul for the same price as Austin/Bze.

it's the bze airport landing fee. we don't have millions of tax payers in belize. more like about 100,000 tax payers. so our taxes can't supplement the airport - which is what happens in many other countries.

Sux but true.

And I would rather be in San Pedro Belize than San Pedro Sula!

Sorry I missed your visit Don. See you next trip?

A

Sorry too, that we missed each other. There are a bunch of things that I'd like to discuss with you.
Don

Does anyone think that if the airport landing fee were reduced it would have a net benefit to the whole country with increased tourism?....just wondering

Does anyone know what the landing fees are vs Virgin islands, Jamaica, Guat, sp sula ? Still makes no sense to me

Are they really so high here as to have such a massive effect on fares? Anyone know any numbers? There's hardly a massive infrastructure at the airport to support, compared with most international airports.

The airlines keep telling us that fuel is by far their largest cost - perhaps that's very costly here? Though do airliners refuel here? - I've never seen it.

I think you can only get a true picture of the "taxes and fees" associated with ticketing fron the airline you buy the ticket from. I recently bought tickets from Continental for our October trip from Kansas City and the break down is:
r/t Airfare= $333.00
US Tax&fees=$55.80
Belize Tax&fees=40.80
Totl=$429.60

Another example is:
AA r/t frpm Miami to San Pedro Sula= $158
Taxes and fees (no breakdown)=$55.30

I think fares have a lot more to do with the cost of fuel at the turnaround point than do airport taxes. Perhaps if Continental were to go to the world bank and get funding to build a small "jet fuel" refinery for BZ they might be in a position to forward contract the "fill-ups" for the return flights at a price that would let them significantly reduce the fares from IAH and "REALLY" increase tourism. Na' Not likely' Even if it would put the GOB in the jet fuel selling business.
It is my understanding that all jet fuel is imported to Belize and is very expensive. And, yes, Co and AA do refuel at BZE.