Canadians to be charged a fee for entering the USA

[Bar Sinister]

The problem with that is people are basically too lazy to even do that and will just shrug their shoulders & pay.

You are no doubt correct, but I've already emailed both the White House (had to cheat and use a US postal Code) and the US embassy. I expect if even just a few Canadians did that we'd get some sort of positive reaction. I'd start a Facebook group if I had even the faintest idea how to do that.

 

[EagleSmack]

You are no doubt correct, but I've already emailed both the White House (had to cheat and use a US postal Code) and the US embassy. I expect if even just a few Canadians did that we'd get some sort of positive reaction. I'd start a Facebook group if I had even the faintest idea how to do that.

I would doubt that.

 

[SLM]

Oh my, a whole $5.50 charge?

Let me take a wild stab in the dark on just who is outraged by this.

 

[wulfie68]

I still think this is something stupid to get upset over. Look at the cost, every time you fly someplace.

1) transportation to the airport and/or parking - depends on where you are and how far from the airport you live but in most larger places you're looking a minimum of $10/day or a cab/shuttle that costs at least $20 to start
2) flight cost - varies depending on destination for Mom and Dad to fly from Edmonchuk to Houston to see my sister or Pittsburgh to see us runs between $500-$700 per person, depending on seat sales
3) airport fees - $10-$30
4) baggage fees - $50 per piece of luggage

And of course there are other items we spend money on: coffee at Tim's, books/newspaper/magazine to help kill time waiting, meals in terminals since they airlines don't like feeding people anymore...

$5.50 per person processing fee is insignificant. Its less than grabbing a bite at a fast food kiosk in these airports.

 

[karrie]

If my neighbour is so broke that he can no longer afford to give me a deal he was previously giving me, is it neighbourly to bitch about it? It seems to me to be a db move to whine and snivel over someone else's misfortune.

 

[JLM]

Oh my, a whole $5.50 charge?

Let me take a wild stab in the dark on just who is outraged by this.

I think it's more the idea than the amount, S.L.M. - the straw that "broke the camel's back".

If my neighbour is so broke that he can no longer afford to give me a deal he was previously giving me, is it neighbourly to bitch about it? It seems to me to be a db move to whine and snivel over someone else's misfortune.

You got the right spirit, Karrie, so when is my Xmas present coming ? :lol:

 

[karrie]

I think it's more the idea than the amount, S.L.M. - the straw that "broke the camel's back".



You got the right spirit, Karrie, so when is my Xmas present coming ? :lol:

Sorry JLM, but my portfolio took enough of a kicking that I can't even afford MY Christmas present. Belts tightening all around.

 

[SLM]

I think it's more the idea than the amount, S.L.M. - the straw that "broke the camel's back".

Perhaps more just for those looking for another excuse to bitch and moan?

Everything goes up eventually, price wise, but is $5.50 significant enough for 60 or 70+ comments? That seems like nitpicking to me.

 

[JLM]

Sorry JLM, but my portfolio took enough of a kicking that I can't even afford MY Christmas present. Belts tightening all around.

That's no excuse! Yeah, I've taken a bit of a paper loss myself, hope you've limited yourself to that. Did you buy up more when stuff was cheap?

 

[karrie]

That's no excuse! Yeah, I've taken a bit of a paper loss myself, hope you've limited yourself to that. Did you buy up more when stuff was cheap?

Yep... that's partly where my Christmas fund went. lol. We're young, we have the luxury of time for our portfolio to bounce back.

 

[JLM]

Yep... that's partly where my Christmas fund went. lol. We're young, we have the luxury of time for our portfolio to bounce back.

Smart girl, Karrie. I learned an expensive lesson about 30 years ago with a sh*tty financial adviser who didn't have your brain! :smile:

 

[karrie]

Smart girl, Karrie. I learned an expensive lesson about 30 years ago with a sh*tty financial adviser who didn't have your brain! :smile:

Hubby's got a head for this sort of thing, I have to send the credit his way. We're 'savings poor'. There are days where I have to plan my grocery trips down to the last penny because we're 'out of money', because it's all being socked away in assorted RRSP's, TFSA's, stock purchase plans, and our own stock portfolio.

 

[JLM]

Hubby's got a head for this sort of thing, I have to send the credit his way. We're 'savings poor'. There are days where I have to plan my grocery trips down to the last penny because we're 'out of money', because it's all being socked away in assorted RRSP's, TFSA's, stock purchase plans, and our own stock portfolio.

That's just plain smart. Back in my younger day (when I wasn't quite as smart as you and your hubby) I would put half of any extra or unexpected money into investing and buy beer with the other half. :lol:

 

[EagleSmack]

I think it's more the idea than the amount, S.L.M. - the straw that "broke the camel's back".

But if I am reading this WHOLE story correctly this is a surcharge that the US citizens traveling to Canada have to pay already. Unless I've got it wrong. But I did go to the Air Canada webpage and it listed charges that a US citizen has to pay on entry into Canada and it was much more than $5.50. It also varied from which airport you flew into.

In addition the exemption to the US surcharge was only for Canadians.

 

[BruSan]

But if I am reading this WHOLE story correctly this is a surcharge that the US citizens traveling to Canada have to pay already. Unless I've got it wrong. But I did go to the Air Canada webpage and it listed charges that a US citizen has to pay on entry into Canada and it was much more than $5.50. It also varied from which airport you flew into.

In addition the exemption to the US surcharge was only for Canadians.

And Mexicans.

Here's another take on it. U.S. is in Free Trade talks with some South American nation and as a part of the talks, it comes up that their citizens have not been exempted so .. they simply ask to be treated the same as Canada and Mexico who are already part of a Free Trade agreement with the U.S. Now how would you have handled this given you need to offset some of your operating costs of TSA and Border Patrol etc., ? Exempt everybody or charge everybody equally?

Next item; does anyone on here know or can answer a question regarding Canada imposing airport tax on arriving customers at the ticket purchasing part of the process? You might be surprised! I believe our arrival fees are hidden in ticket prices; kinda sneaky eh?

I own a house in Florida and won't blink an eye at paying $5.50 to enjoy my winter south of the 49th just as I never blinked when paying fees collected by a vast majority of the Caribbean islands to enjoy the sun there.

C'mon folks, an extra large double, double and a donut are gonna set you back the same.

 

[EagleSmack]

And Mexicans.

Here's another take on it. U.S. is in Free Trade talks with some South American nation and as a part of the talks, it comes up that their citizens have not been exempted so .. they simply ask to be treated the same as Canada and Mexico who are already part of a Free Trade agreement with the U.S. Now how would you have handled this given you need to offset some of your operating costs of TSA and Border Patrol etc., ? Exempt everybody or charge everybody equally?

So it was a deal that the US had with Canada and Mexico.

Next item; does anyone on here know or can answer a question regarding Canada imposing airport tax on arriving customers at the ticket purchasing part of the process? You might be surprised! I believe our arrival fees are hidden in ticket prices; kinda sneaky eh?

From what I read there are all kinds of surcharges when a US citizen buys a ticket to Canada via Air Canada. The prices rise and climb depending on which airport you are flying into.

Ok... what I would pay for when I buy an Air Canada ticket...


Fuel Surcharge -depending on distance

NAV Canada Surcharge- (To pay for Canada's Air Navigational Systems) $7.50

Insurance Surcharge- $3

ATSC- (Air travellers security charge) $8-$16

AI Charge- (Airport Improvement Fees) Varies from airport to airport but they range from $5-$40 with $10 to $20 being the average.

 

[karrie]

So it was a deal that the US had with Canada and Mexico.



From what I read there are all kinds of surcharges when a US citizen buys a ticket to Canada via Air Canada. The prices rise and climb depending on which airport you are flying into.

Ok... what I would pay for when I buy an Air Canada ticket...


Fuel Surcharge -depending on distance

NAV Canada Surcharge- (To pay for Canada's Air Navigational Systems) $7.50

Insurance Surcharge- $3

ATSC- (Air travellers security charge) $8-$16

AI Charge- (Airport Improvement Fees) Varies from airport to airport but they range from $5-$40 with $10 to $20 being the average.

To play the devil's advocate though, a Canadian would pay those flying back into Canada as well. Those aren't 'foreigner specific'.

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

Next item; does anyone on here know or can answer a question regarding Canada imposing airport tax on arriving customers at the ticket purchasing part of the process? You might be surprised! I believe our arrival fees are hidden in ticket prices; kinda sneaky eh?

When I buy a ticket, there are a zillion fees and taxes added on. The initial price looks pretty good then when you add on the crap, it is quite expensive.

I think the airports landing fees are still buried into the Airlines operating expenses and not separated out. I can only assume that this is not be choice as they could make their base fare even cheaper if they could separate this out.

 

[EagleSmack]

To play the devil's advocate though, a Canadian would pay those flying back into Canada as well. Those aren't 'foreigner specific'.

And to pay devil's advocate only Canada and Mexico were exempt from that surcharge. How come US flyers to Canada didn't get any exemption in return?

 

[karrie]

And to pay devil's advocate only Canada and Mexico were exempt from that surcharge. How come US flyers to Canada didn't get any exemption in return?

Which tax for being a foreigner would you have liked exemption from exactly?