Nov 23rd, 2009 at 3:00PM: It's been a tough month year decade for the airline industry. In the United States, it's lost $58.5 billion and cut 158,000 jobs. There never seems to be an answer, and news of an industry in jeopardy has become routine. So, .
But, it will be different this time. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says it will not be "just another advisory committee."
On his Department of Transportation blog, ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
taxes posts
Another "blue ribbon" panel to fix the airline industry
Nov 23rd, 2009 at 3:00PM: It's been a tough month year decade for the airline industry. In the United States, it's lost $58.5 billion and cut 158,000 jobs. There never seems to be an answer, and news of an industry in jeopardy has become routine. So, .
But, it will be different this time. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says it will not be "just another advisory committee."
On his Department of Transportation blog, ...Congress to investigate airline fees ... but not for your benefit
Nov 14th, 2009 at 2:00PM: Congress is digging into all those new airline fees. Extra bags, special check-in situations ... you name it. Before you start cheering on our lawmakers, though, you should know that they aren't doing this from a sense of consumer advocacy. Frankly, Congress doesn't give a damn how much you pay for air travel. But, it does care how you pay. Why? A cash-strapped government is wondering if it's ...Are you paying for an airstrip of convenience?
Sep 18th, 2009 at 1:00PM: Taxpayers are paying to subsidize several airports around the country. Many don't service commercial passengers and do very little to add to the communities in which they reside. Take Williamsburg-Whitley County Airport in Kentucky. It was built with $11 million in cash from the U.S. government and usually sees only a handful of flights a day take off or touch down – some days, the runway is ...Increased passenger ticket fee may help pay for airport expansions
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Sep 7th, 2009 at 12:00PM: Ever paid attention to the breakdown of the fees tacked on to your ticket? In addition to the $2.50 9/11 security fee, and a government tax of about $4, you also pay a passenger facility charge (PFC) of $4.50.
This PFC is how the government pays for all the horribly outdated airports in the country. That is right - proceeds from selling $9 airport sandwiches are not enough to maintain and ...The newest hidden cost in travel: taxes
Jul 7th, 2009 at 5:00PM: Cities and states are pumping up their coffers at the expense of visitors. Unemployment has led to a fall in income taxes, and with consumer spending off, sales taxes aren't bring in what they did in the past. So, municipalities have had to look elsewhere.
And, travel is a great place to start!
How can a city or state raise money without incurring the wrath of its own voters? You guessed it ...2/3 of Brit pubs to increase beer prices
May 4th, 2009 at 10:00AM: Nearly a fifth of British pub owners are increasing beer prices now, taking the national average above the current level of ₤3 a pint. Ten percent are looking to pop an extra 15 pence on every glass, with two-thirds looking to push prices higher by 5 pence to 10 pence. The price of a beer has tripled over the past 20 years, obviously making it a better investment than that Enron stock you're ...Backpackers learn how to steal Australian travel
Apr 7th, 2009 at 12:00PM: It's really pretty simple. Foreign backpackers go to Australia. For several weeks, they'll wander the country, get drunk and ... I don't know ... go to the opera. When the trip's over, these visitors file fake income claims, which get them thousands of dollars in tax refunds – despite not having actually worked (and thus not having paid any taxes). Through word of mouth, and probably a few ...Which U.S. cities charge travelers the most taxes
Oct 27th, 2008 at 4:30PM: Perhaps you've been one of those folks to receive your hotel bill and you clutch your chest in dismay. "My word! How can this be?" you exclaim.
You didn't touch your mini-bar. You didn't use the phone. You didn't slip so much as a washcloth into your luggage. Still, your bill is well over what you expected. What you thought was a bargain vacation has turned into more than you counted on. How ...Economics abroad: Denmark surpasses Sweden for world's highest tax burden
Mar 14th, 2008 at 4:00PM: When it comes to choosing a place to live abroad, we all know the Scandinavian countries have it made. The standard of living is high, upper education is subsidized and everyone seems to have a job and a nice living situation. But all of this comes at a price; it's called taxes. Sweden has long been known for its high taxes, the highest in the world in fact. But Denmark recently beat out it's ...Combining Business and Pleasure and how to Write it off
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Jun 6th, 2007 at 12:18PM: While travel for most of us means good times and new adventures, for others--such as businessmen--it can be simply hell.
Jetting all over the country attending meetings or pitching goods, however, does have an advantage here in the States; it is tax deductible. Well, mostly.
Travel the World and Write it Off is a great little article in Budget Travel detailing the complicated tax laws and how ...Forget Flying for Cheap: Have Them Pay You to Fly!
Nov 7th, 2006 at 9:05AM: Who doesn't love to fly cheap? Well, now a European airline is offering tickets for less than zero. Yes, SkyEurope offered tickets that sold for MINUS 10 Czech crowns (about 46 U.S. cents) for some one-way tickets. Heck, I thought it was cool when I bought tickets from them for "free."
Does this honestly mean they're paying you to fly? No, the hitch is that you still have to pick up the taxes and ...
