Transparent Airfares Act of 2014: A proposal based on lies

Started by jimmy olsen, April 29, 2014, 02:06:50 AM

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frunk

Pretty soon we'll have free air travel plus $500 taxes and fees.

garbon

They already do that sometimes for "free" rewards tickets.
"I've never been quite sure what the point of a eunuch is, if truth be told. It seems to me they're only men with the useful bits cut off."
I drank because I wanted to drown my sorrows, but now the damned things have learned to swim.

alfred russel

Quote from: garbon on April 29, 2014, 11:43:35 AM
They already do that sometimes for "free" rewards tickets.

Actually, this is a great place to hammer the Euros. In flights originating in the US, reward flights are mostly free. But in Europe? The flights are almost as much as a full ticket.
They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.

There's a fine line between salvation and drinking poison in the jungle.

I'm embarrassed. I've been making the mistake of associating with you. It won't happen again. :)
-garbon, February 23, 2014

Valmy

Quote from: MadImmortalMan on April 29, 2014, 04:58:07 AM
Quote from: LaCroix on April 29, 2014, 04:57:01 AM
does it really matter?

It's a matter of citizenship. So it matters in that sense yes.

Do you tally the total sales taxes you pay?  Do you pull out your calculator to make sure you are paying exactly 8.25%?  What sort of grand duties of citizenship am I to do to make up for never knowing exactly how much something costs?
Quote"This is a Russian warship. I propose you lay down arms and surrender to avoid bloodshed & unnecessary victims. Otherwise, you'll be bombed."

Zmiinyi defenders: "Russian warship, go fuck yourself."

MadImmortalMan

Quote from: Valmy on April 29, 2014, 01:03:25 PM
Do you tally the total sales taxes you pay?  Do you pull out your calculator to make sure you are paying exactly 8.25%?  What sort of grand duties of citizenship am I to do to make up for never knowing exactly how much something costs?

I don't have to. It's right on the receipt.  :huh:

I know exactly how much the thing costs and I know exactly what the tax was on it.
"Stability is destabilizing." --Hyman Minsky

"Complacency can be a self-denying prophecy."
"We have nothing to fear but lack of fear itself." --Larry Summers

Valmy

Quote from: DontSayBanana on April 29, 2014, 06:05:28 AM
Taxes are a given.  The only time I expect to see taxes included in an advertised price is at the gas pump, so I see that as a non-issue.

But they vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.  It is just so they can advertise their products at less than you will actually pay.  There is no reason why they cannot list the taxes on an advertisement except to mislead and obscure.  It is not like they change every day.
Quote"This is a Russian warship. I propose you lay down arms and surrender to avoid bloodshed & unnecessary victims. Otherwise, you'll be bombed."

Zmiinyi defenders: "Russian warship, go fuck yourself."

Valmy

Quote from: MadImmortalMan on April 29, 2014, 01:07:10 PM
I don't have to. It's right on the receipt.  :huh:

I know exactly how much the thing costs and I know exactly what the tax was on it.

Ok so what is gained from not advertising it or listing the price plus tax?  It could still be on the receipt so we could all be good citizens.
Quote"This is a Russian warship. I propose you lay down arms and surrender to avoid bloodshed & unnecessary victims. Otherwise, you'll be bombed."

Zmiinyi defenders: "Russian warship, go fuck yourself."

Zanza

Quote from: alfred russel on April 29, 2014, 11:50:14 AM
Actually, this is a great place to hammer the Euros. In flights originating in the US, reward flights are mostly free. But in Europe? The flights are almost as much as a full ticket.
Yes. Makes more sense to buy an economy ticket and an upgrade to business class as otherwise you still have to pay like half the price or more of an economy ticket anyway.

MadImmortalMan

Quote from: Valmy on April 29, 2014, 01:09:43 PM
Ok so what is gained from not advertising it or listing the price plus tax?  It could still be on the receipt so we could all be good citizens.

Nothing I can think of. Obviously, it would be best if it was advertised as actual price and price after tax, but hey.
"Stability is destabilizing." --Hyman Minsky

"Complacency can be a self-denying prophecy."
"We have nothing to fear but lack of fear itself." --Larry Summers

Zanza

Quote from: MadImmortalMan on April 29, 2014, 01:07:10 PM
I don't have to. It's right on the receipt.  :huh:

I know exactly how much the thing costs and I know exactly what the tax was on it.
Except for all the other taxes that go into the price but aren't shown?

alfred russel

Quote from: MadImmortalMan on April 29, 2014, 01:07:10 PM
Quote from: Valmy on April 29, 2014, 01:03:25 PM
Do you tally the total sales taxes you pay?  Do you pull out your calculator to make sure you are paying exactly 8.25%?  What sort of grand duties of citizenship am I to do to make up for never knowing exactly how much something costs?

I don't have to. It's right on the receipt.  :huh:

I know exactly how much the thing costs and I know exactly what the tax was on it.

It is one thing to not list sales taxes. They typically aren't much, and it might be a pain to have to label with prices inclusive of tax based on the zillion tax jurisdiction in this country.

Plane tickets are a bit different. Before carriers had to advertise inclusive prices, the advertised headline price often had little connection to the actual price. FLY TO BERLIN FOR $199!!! (Price with taxes and fees $1200. Add an additional $100 each way for Friday or Sunday departure).
They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.

There's a fine line between salvation and drinking poison in the jungle.

I'm embarrassed. I've been making the mistake of associating with you. It won't happen again. :)
-garbon, February 23, 2014

LaCroix

Quote from: Zanza on April 29, 2014, 06:05:13 AMI thought you had budget airlines too that would put a lot of pressure on prices. Like Southwest, Jetblue, Spirit or so.

frontier is amazingly cheap. plus, there's all sorts of different animals painted on the fins of its planes. that's the sign of a professional airline

MadImmortalMan

Southwest was the last professional airline before they got rid of the hot pants and go-go boots.

"Stability is destabilizing." --Hyman Minsky

"Complacency can be a self-denying prophecy."
"We have nothing to fear but lack of fear itself." --Larry Summers

grumbler

Quote from: Valmy on April 29, 2014, 01:08:31 PM
But they vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.  It is just so they can advertise their products at less than you will actually pay.  There is no reason why they cannot list the taxes on an advertisement except to mislead and obscure.  It is not like they change every day.
:huh:  If the taxes "from jurisdiction to jurisdiction", how can "they" just "list the taxes on an advertisement?"  The taxes depend on where you are reading the advertisement!
The future is all around us, waiting, in moments of transition, to be born in moments of revelation. No one knows the shape of that future or where it will take us. We know only that it is always born in pain.   -G'Kar

Bayraktar!

alfred russel

Quote from: grumbler on April 29, 2014, 02:34:46 PM
Quote from: Valmy on April 29, 2014, 01:08:31 PM
But they vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.  It is just so they can advertise their products at less than you will actually pay.  There is no reason why they cannot list the taxes on an advertisement except to mislead and obscure.  It is not like they change every day.
:huh:  If the taxes "from jurisdiction to jurisdiction", how can "they" just "list the taxes on an advertisement?"  The taxes depend on where you are reading the advertisement!

I think the taxes and fees relate to where the service is provided. If I buy a ticket from Washington to New York, the airport in Atlanta doesn't collect the fees just because that is where I bought the ticket.
They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.

There's a fine line between salvation and drinking poison in the jungle.

I'm embarrassed. I've been making the mistake of associating with you. It won't happen again. :)
-garbon, February 23, 2014