Northwest CEO Richard Anderson Jabs General Aviation

While the airlines consume 94% of annual aviation fuel sales*, it's my
understanding that they are largely exempt fuel tax**. So who's right
on the issue of ATC funding?


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AOPA ePilot Volume 6, Issue 11 March 12, 2004
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AIRLINE MAGAZINE TAKES SHOTS AT GA
If you happened to travel on Northwest Airlines recently you may
have been upset by a little turbulence, but not the kind caused by
meteorological forces. A column
(http://www.nwa.com/corpinfo/aword/ )
in the airline's magazine, written by Northwest CEO Richard
Anderson, took some jabs at general aviation and how the air
traffic control system is funded. "As the system works today, you,
the commercial airline passenger, are subsidizing private aircraft
ownership. This is not right," he wrote. But he's not right. As a
general aviation pilot, you know very well that flying and using
the system isn't free. You pay a wide range of fees from fuel
taxes to landing fees. And you also know that you don't enjoy many
of the services the airlines do. AOPA President Phil Boyer wants
to arrange a meeting with Anderson to straighten out
misconceptions caused by the column (as well as discuss issues
regarding reliever airports in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area). We
will keep you posted.



* http://www.aopa.org/special/newsroom.../activity.html

** Message-ID:

http://www.aopa.org/members/files/pi...caact0008.html
Airlines are already exempt from paying a two-cent-per-gallon excise
tax on jet fuel that general aviation aircraft must pay in addition to
the regular sales tax on fuel.

Larry Dighera wrote:

While the airlines consume 94% of annual aviation fuel sales*, it's my
understanding that they are largely exempt fuel tax**.

But they pay something like 10% of all their ticket sales into the fund. One
flight by a twin-engine commuter in this area pays more taxes into the fund than
I do in a year. That flight also uses more facilities than I do, but they're
still paying their way.

George Patterson
Battle, n; A method of untying with the teeth a political knot that would
not yield to the tongue.

But they pay something like 10% of all their ticket sales into the fund.


Not quite. The taxes are added to the price of the ticket after the advertised
price. So, the money being paid comes directly (rather than indirectly) from
the public, inasmuch as when I buy a $400 ticket, I have to pay more like $400
+ $20 + $43 + $2 + $14. The airline gets the (large) beneift of advertising a
$400 fare, and I get the "benefit" of paying $479 for this $400 ticket.

Jose

--
(for Email, make the obvious changes in my address)

Teacherjh wrote:


But they pay something like 10% of all their ticket sales into the fund.


Not quite. The taxes are added to the price of the ticket after the advertised
price. So, the money being paid comes directly (rather than indirectly) from
the public, inasmuch as when I buy a $400 ticket, I have to pay more like $400
+ $20 + $43 + $2 + $14. The airline gets the (large) beneift of advertising a
$400 fare, and I get the "benefit" of paying $479 for this $400 ticket.

Same thing. Everything is paid for by the consumer in the end.

George Patterson
Battle, n; A method of untying with the teeth a political knot that would
not yield to the tongue.

On Sat, 13 Mar 2004 17:20:16 GMT, "G.R. Patterson III"
wrote in Message-Id:
:

Everything is paid for by the consumer in the end.

I haven't noticed any airline consumers paying the tax on GA fuel nor
GA landing fees.

"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 13 Mar 2004 17:20:16 GMT, "G.R. Patterson III"
wrote in Message-Id:
:

Everything is paid for by the consumer in the end.

I haven't noticed any airline consumers paying the tax on GA fuel nor
GA landing fees.

what about all the post 9/11 funding the airlines got from federal funds.
Who supplies that money - the tooth fairy?

Good point. Airlines also don't pay much, if any, income taxes.

Mike
MU-2


"S Green" wrote in message
...

"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 13 Mar 2004 17:20:16 GMT, "G.R. Patterson III"
wrote in Message-Id:
:

Everything is paid for by the consumer in the end.

I haven't noticed any airline consumers paying the tax on GA fuel nor
GA landing fees.

what about all the post 9/11 funding the airlines got from federal funds.
Who supplies that money - the tooth fairy?

Larry Dighera wrote:I haven't noticed any airline consumers paying the
tax on GA fuel nor

GA landing fees.

Airlines usually pay a landing fee based on aircraft weight. ie.... $$$$
per 1000 pounds gross weight.
Here in Columbus OH is something like $1.25/1000 lbs.

In article , Eric Rood
wrote:

Larry Dighera wrote:I haven't noticed any airline consumers paying the
tax on GA fuel nor

GA landing fees.

Airlines usually pay a landing fee based on aircraft weight. ie.... $$$$
per 1000 pounds gross weight.
Here in Columbus OH is something like $1.25/1000 lbs.


Of course, GA doesn't need 10000 feet of concrete 12 feet thick, nor
fancy terminals with elaborate security, nor baggage handling machines
nor Class B/C air traffic control measures, either.

All we need are runways paved to highway specs and 3000 - 5000 feeet
long, plus simple facilities containing an FBO office and a flight
planning room with DUATS and Weather Channel.

"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
...

While the airlines consume 94% of annual aviation fuel sales*, it's my
understanding that they are largely exempt fuel tax**. So who's right


Drop Mr. Anderson a word or two. I just did. They have a "Talk to us" web
email page to comment back to Northwest. So while he is "working with the
federal government to find solutions" to this so called injustice, I will
not help his profit margin by buying a NWA ticket ever again. Very simple.
Jab back.

J. Severyn