Transparent Airfares Act of 2014: A proposal based on lies

[celedhring]

In all places I have been in Europe most purchases are broken down by base+tax in the receipt, while they advertise the full price you will pay. Seems the fairest way to do it, and I don't know what I'm missing on.

[grumbler]

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.

If you buy a McD's bunch of fries in Atlanta, you'd pay a different tax than in New York, which would be different from that in Detroit, which would be different from that in Dodge City, etc.  McD's couldn't possibly list all the real prices you'd pay for a "$1 bunch o' fries."  All they can list is the retail price.

[grumbler]

In all places I have been in Europe most purchases are broken down by base+tax in the receipt, while they advertise the full price you will pay. Seems the fairest way to do it, and I don't know what I'm missing on.

Most European countries have a VAT, which is easily added to all prices.  It is tougher when you have lots of small tax jurisdictions.  Every merchant would have to hand-mark the price of every good.

[alfred russel]

If you buy a McD's bunch of fries in Atlanta, you'd pay a different tax than in New York, which would be different from that in Detroit, which would be different from that in Dodge City, etc.  McD's couldn't possibly list all the real prices you'd pay for a "$1 bunch o' fries."  All they can list is the retail price.

Airlines price base on route and time. If there is an advertised fare from Washington to Detroit, the airline should know all the taxes and fees associated with that flight, because they know where and when the service will take place.

The taxes will be the same, regardless of where I buy the ticket.

[Admiral Yi]

I wish we would adopt the Yuro pricing policy.

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

Good luck getting state and local governments to agree on a consistent sales tax rate.

[Admiral Yi]

Good luck getting state and local governments to agree on a consistent sales tax rate.

Don't need it.  Just list retail prices including tax.

[Ed Anger]

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

I'll take all but the two fatties.

[grumbler]

Airlines price base on route and time. If there is an advertised fare from Washington to Detroit, the airline should know all the taxes and fees associated with that flight, because they know where and when the service will take place.

The taxes will be the same, regardless of where I buy the ticket.

But that is only true about airline prices.  Neither I, nor the person I was responding to, were referring to airline prices, but to taxes and prices in general.  You'll get better at this discussion thing when you learn to read, not just to write.

[alfred russel]

But that is only true about airline prices.  Neither I, nor the person I was responding to, were referring to airline prices, but to taxes and prices in general.  You'll get better at this discussion thing when you learn to read, not just to write.

The thread topic is about airline tickets.

General statements were made about taxes, by you and Valmy. I highlighted that in the case of airline tickets, the topic of the thread, some of the specifics mentioned don't apply. You responded to me with a specific example of McDonald's. I reiterated again that in the case of airline tickets, the topic of this thread, that doesn't really apply.

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

Good luck getting state and local governments to agree on a consistent sales tax rate.

Don't need it.  Just list retail prices including tax.

Then you can't advertise prices.  Websites that charge tax wouldn't even be able to show you prices until you gave them your address.

[Admiral Yi]

Then you can't advertise prices.  Websites that charge tax wouldn't even be able to show you prices until you gave them your address.

Are there actually websites that charge tax?

[grumbler]

Then you can't advertise prices.  Websites that charge tax wouldn't even be able to show you prices until you gave them your address.

Are there actually websites that charge tax?

Amazon does. 

[grumbler]

The thread topic is about airline tickets.

General statements were made about taxes, by you and Valmy. I highlighted that in the case of airline tickets, the topic of the thread, some of the specifics mentioned don't apply. You responded to me with a specific example of McDonald's. I reiterated again that in the case of airline tickets, the topic of this thread, that doesn't really apply.

The conversation you butted into was not just about airline tickets.  Had you read what I posted, or what Valmy posted, you'd have seen that.  If you are going to respond to posts without knowing what they are about because you haven't bothered to read, then you are going to sound like you don't have a clue as to what you are saying.  Simply re-iterating, Tmmay-like, that the thread was originally discussing airline tickets doesn't help your cause.

[dps]

Good luck getting state and local governments to agree on a consistent sales tax rate.

Don't need it.  Just list retail prices including tax.

How can you do that if taxes aren't the same everywhere, though?  For example, when I lived in Blacksburg, VA, there were at least 7 Wendys locations from Blacksburg to Radford (where I worked), but they were all in different municipalities with different local taxes.  All of them charged $1.99 + tax for a single (IIRC;  it's been a looong time and $1.99 might not  have been the base price, but the point is that the base price was the same in all the locations), but because of the varying local taxes you wouldn't actually pay the same thing in all of them.  And if they advertised in the newspaper, the paper most people actually read was the Roanoke paper, and there were probably at least 50 different tax rates that would have applies in the paper's market.