AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Talk Belize Travel An open letter about the cost of airfare

Belizean Tourism Industry Association
Belize Hotel Association
San Pedro Branch of Belize Hotel Association
Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Civil Aviation
Belize Airport Concession Company
Johnny Grief - Tropic Air
Betty Longsworth - Travel Belize
Steve Schulte - Tropic Air

To whom it may concern;

Over the past 3 years I have noticed a steady increase in the cost of airfare from the US to Belize and would like to bring this to your attention and raise some awareness. I am sure you are fully aware that with the sagging US economy a lot of financial belts are being tightened and travel decisions are being effected by this. I bring this up because my wife and I attempt to travel to Belize 3 times a year to visit friends, family and enjoy all that the country has to offer. Currently the cost of a round trip ticket in February from MEM to BZE is $800.00 and ask why can I fly significantly cheaper to other Central America destinations ( SJO, STT, CUN, CZM, SAP) using the same date range? One destination beat the price by 38% and as much as I love visiting the country of Belize one has to wonder why La Isla Bonita is so expensive?

Sincerely,

John & Shawna Robilio

yeah!

Do you suppose that if the SP C of C were to invite the heads of the groups listed, to an open forum, in SP, that any would attend and respond to questions from the audience?

What about Minister Heredia?

That is an excellent letter

Once again. What do you expect these people can do other than lobby. Government has no money to subsidise incoming flights and airlines, it seems, won't drop prices without volume.

I could be wrong but if the landing fees of say $300.00 were removed from the general ticket price, the offset effect to tourism would outstrip its loss. Someone has to make the first move. In any fight, there has to be the first punch so to speak.

Or, if like I said in another thread, the gov't could raise cash to subsidise flights by increasing land tax on properties owned by non-citizens. That in turn could allow tourism to flourish and generate more cash for the gov't that could be used in other areas such as education, health, agriculture, transportion etc.

Govt has trouble collecting the current property tax, there's not much point in raising the rates if they're not collecting it.

KLCMAN on the other site posted a very good breakdown of the ticket fare.

OK Gang -

The data below comes from an extremely current ticket - purchased less than 8 hours ago and INCLUDES the BZE departure taxes. Routing is PWM/EWR/BZE

Anybody see anything striking?

Airfare: 366.00 USD
U.S. APHIS User Fee: 5.00
Bellize Conservation Tax: 3.75
U.S. Passenger Facility Charge: 13.50
U.S. Immigration User Fee: 7.00
U.S. Federal Transportation Tax: 32.20
U.S. Security Service Fee: 7.50
Belize Airport Development Fee: 18.00
Fuel Surcharge: 240.00
U.S. Customs User Fee: 5.50
Belize Passenger Service Charge: 15.00
Belize Security Tax: 2.50
Per Person Total: 715.95 USD

The airfare you paid on this itinerary totals: 366.00 USD

The taxes you paid on this itinerary total: 349.95 USD