Traveltalkonline.com Forums

.


SXM Cruise Schedule TTOL Sponsors SXM Travel Calendar
Forum Statistics
Forums39
Topics39,564
Posts320,874
Members26,686
Most Online4,031
Dec 15th, 2024
Top Posters(30 Days)
jazzgal 44
RonDon 35
GaKaye 24
Kennys 21
Member Spotlight
islandgem
islandgem
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 13,197
Joined: January 2008
Today's Birthdays
SteveCrane
Who's Online Now
23 members (Whale Tail, xrayman67, Carib_Ian, Todd, MrEZgoin, BillDauterive, bostonbob, MGA, Zanshin, Kennys, alecu7, SXMBND, JandIrene, SXMScubaman, knitsoftwear, CLIFFTOPS, CaribbeanCanadians, mark37, Don_and_Linda, Alltech63, eightzerobits, 2 invisible), 1,726 guests, and 90 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
#118789 01/26/2017 07:25 AM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,843
Likes: 2
Traveler
OP Offline
Traveler
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,843
Likes: 2
We all know who actually pays when any government imposes a tax.

Tax Article


J.D.
SXM Sponsors
.
ruralcarrier #118790 01/26/2017 07:38 AM
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,123
Likes: 2
Traveler
Offline
Traveler
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,123
Likes: 2
I really don't think it makes ANY sense to have the airport be the sole beneficiary of $36/pp..that's a lot of cash. Maybe the original plan should have been a 50/50 split or whatever....now they want to add the governments' take...and the vehicle licensing fee...why not a toll to cross the bridges

boucharda #118791 01/26/2017 07:42 AM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,843
Likes: 2
Traveler
OP Offline
Traveler
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,843
Likes: 2
Give it time! You know if the government wants a cut from the airport it will NOT come out of what is already being collected. It will be an additional tax/fee that the passenger will ultimately pay.


J.D.
boucharda #118792 01/26/2017 08:14 AM
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 789
Traveler
Offline
Traveler
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 789
Don't give them such ideas

boucharda #118793 01/26/2017 08:18 AM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,992
Likes: 4
Traveler
Offline
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,992
Likes: 4
Like someone said, don't give them any ideas!! A toll to cross either the Simpson Bay bridge or the causeway? If you think traffic in Simpson Bay is bad now, with a backup for a toll??? Yikes!!

Regarding departure tax, it is pretty ridiculous that there is a departure tax now and the whole thing goes to the airport, and nothing to the government. The airport is like GEBE, they are supposedly owned by government, but they do whatever they darn please!


Carol Hill
Carol_Hill #118794 01/26/2017 09:59 PM
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 268
J
Traveler
Offline
Traveler
J
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 268
I didn't look at my booking closely when I purchased our tickets for our last trip, so I don't know if PJIA charges both an improvement fee and the 'departure' fee. If it is just the departure fee it is not unlike many airports in North America that charge an airport improvement fee. The airport keeps that fee and uses it, in theory, to improve the airport. The fee, like a departure tax is usually included in your ticket cost so you may not notice it.

My point is that the name may be different, but the fee probably isn't that unusual. And the fee and a departure tax wouldn't be extraordinary in the Caribbean.

(Please don't mistake the above for an endorsement of these fees and taxes.)



ruralcarrier #118795 01/27/2017 06:53 AM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,843
Likes: 2
Traveler
OP Offline
Traveler
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,843
Likes: 2


J.D.
ruralcarrier #118796 01/27/2017 03:42 PM
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 324
Traveler
Offline
Traveler
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 324
We have already booked out trip to SXM in February. We haven't been for years and if the tax is $36 pp ($72). I think this might be our last trip to SXM. There are way too many other good places to travel. They can nickel and dime us to death but at some point it has to stop.


Jimmy Buffett for President
Caribbean5 #118797 01/27/2017 03:49 PM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,843
Likes: 2
Traveler
OP Offline
Traveler
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,843
Likes: 2
The current departure/airport fee is built into your ticket price. Check your receipt if you have access to it and you will see it. Virtually every island has some sort of arrival/departure fee or tax but it is getting to the point it will make people think.


J.D.
ruralcarrier #118798 01/27/2017 04:06 PM
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,712
Likes: 1
pat Offline
Traveler
Offline
Traveler
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,712
Likes: 1
I'm laughing because one of the articles I read on this subject said that at one time the departure 'fee' was only five dollars. DH and I were reminded during our brief visit with the friend we saw in SXM that the first trip we made in 1973 or '74 the fee was only $2.00 US pp.

The thing is, with it included in the airline tickets many don't even realize they're paying one and I have to admit, I hadn't realized it had climbed to $36.00.

But still, I can't imagine having to choose another destination for an extra few dollars in airfare but that's just me. Certainly none of us want to pay more than we have to but we each have to decide if this location is worth the extra money.

Personally speaking and never having been there myself, a lot of my Canadian friends keep talking about how beautiful and affordable Cuba is. Lookout SXM, you could be plucking the feathers off the golden goose if you aren't careful. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />


Respectfully,

pat



"Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat
them."
pat #118799 01/27/2017 05:30 PM
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,595
Likes: 2
Traveler
Online Content
Traveler
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,595
Likes: 2
Pat, the son of a friend of ours married a girl from Cuba and my friend says it it truly beautiful yet lost in the 50's We should visit now before it becomes a tourist trap.

pat #118800 01/28/2017 07:24 AM
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,123
Likes: 2
Traveler
Offline
Traveler
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,123
Likes: 2
Any fee/tax that is "included" or automatic can rise quietly at the whim of the agency involved. Hidden airport taxes, departure fees, and even roll tolls. Massachusetts has gone to a no toll booth system which is great ..but...you it's not easy to find out what the actual cost is...

ruralcarrier #118801 01/28/2017 08:09 AM
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,460
Traveler
Offline
Traveler
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,460
Yes, J.D. you hit the nail on the head. The e-ticket issued by the airline provides a complete breakdown of all fees/taxes - a close examination revealed some startling facts - the departure fee is small potatoes to the overall fees charged by the domestic (in this case the US) airport/govt.

When we budget for vacation these total fees are not the deciding factor in our going or not.


[Linked Image]
Bobcat #118802 01/28/2017 08:16 AM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,843
Likes: 2
Traveler
OP Offline
Traveler
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,843
Likes: 2
In my personal case, the $36 going for SXM departure fee/tax is the biggest add-on followed by the US transportation tax. A total of over $129 in taxes/fees.

Taxes, Fees and Charges
United States - Immigration and Naturalization Fee(Immigration User Fee) (XY) $7.00 USD
Sint Maarten - Passenger Screening Fee (FG) $10.91 USD
Sint Maarten - Airport Departure Tax (SXM) (FH) $36.00 USD
United States - September 11th Security Fee(Passenger Civil Aviation Security Service Fee) (AY) $11.20 USD
United States - Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Fee (APHIS User Fee - Passengers (XA) $3.96 USD
United States - Custom User Fee (YC) $5.50 USD
Sint Maarten - Airport Improvement Fee (IW) $5.50 USD
United States - Passenger Facility Charge (XF) $13.50 USD
United States - Transportation Tax (US) $35.60 USD


J.D.
ruralcarrier #118803 01/28/2017 08:58 AM
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 648
Traveler
Offline
Traveler
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 648
Wow, owning and managing Caribbean airports is an attractive business.
I wonder who gets the Passenger Screening Fees and Airport Improvement Fees. I'm assuming the Airport Improvement fees go to the airport owners as well. So that is $41.50 a passenger x 800,000 passengers for a cool $33 million annually plus all the other income generating activities. Not bad for an airport.
One thing to keep in mind is that many of these airports split fees with Airlines.
For instance, American Airlines makes a killing at CLT since they get a cut of parking fees, vendor fees and other airport generated revenue as part of their deal to use CLT as a hub. Not sure what the deals are with airlines but I would assume a 50/50 split is not unreasonable in order to get the cooperation of airlines and have it automatically billed.
It's a shame that this money is not going to the government where it is badly needed to invest in schools, infrastructure and security that ultimately benefits tourists.

sxmblue #118804 01/28/2017 10:52 AM
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 7,378
Traveler
Offline
Traveler
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 7,378
if the airlines get a 50/50 cut too bad they don't reflect that in their ticket pricing.

Wendell

sxmblue #118805 01/28/2017 04:48 PM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,843
Likes: 2
Traveler
OP Offline
Traveler
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,843
Likes: 2
No idea for sure but I would guess gate/parking fees are a totally separate thing and are probably built into the price of the ticket.


J.D.
ruralcarrier #118806 02/02/2017 05:28 AM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,843
Likes: 2
Traveler
OP Offline
Traveler
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,843
Likes: 2


J.D.
ruralcarrier #118807 02/02/2017 07:17 AM
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 733
Likes: 1
S
Traveler
Online Content
Traveler
S
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 733
Likes: 1
Is there a similar tax on cruise ship passengers as well?

SXMBND #118808 02/02/2017 07:28 AM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,843
Likes: 2
Traveler
OP Offline
Traveler
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,843
Likes: 2
Yes (although a lesser amount) and I believe there was discussion of raising that also. Every port has a port tax per passenger and that is whether they leave the ship or not.

From the original article: "The Port, charges US $7 per tourist"


J.D.
ruralcarrier #118809 02/02/2017 09:24 AM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,992
Likes: 4
Traveler
Offline
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,992
Likes: 4
Wow, I guess I didn't realize they were talking about putting these new taxes on day trips. Wow. That will be really popular...


Carol Hill

Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5