Keith and stuff
07-21-2014, 10:30 AM
The federal government came up with a new plan to reduce the debt, increase the TSA flight security fee from $2.50-$5 to $5.60-$10. I'm sure families on vacation or traveling on holiday to see their extended families will love this. Of course, business travelers will also have to pay billions in new fees/taxes because of this. That likely won't be good for the struggling economy... Thank you Speaker of the House, Senate Majority Leader and President Obama!
TSA security fee on airline tickets rises Monday
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/07/20/tsa-security-fee/12849631/
Transportation Security Administration fees on plane tickets are rising Monday, and travelers used to non-stop flights or long layovers will notice the biggest change.
The current fee is $2.50 for a non-stop flight or $5 for a connecting flight. The new fee will be $5.60 for all flights, with any connection longer than four hours counting as a separate flight.
Patrick Riehl of Cambridge, Mass., argued that two things other than the TSA have made aviation safer since the Sept. 11 attacks that prompted creation of the agency: reinforced cockpit doors and passengers who fight back. "It only succeeds in humiliating the elderly, scaring children and making all travelers feel like criminal suspects," he said in submitted comments. "We should scale back airport security, not expand it."
Jonathan Peterson, of Atlanta, said he strongly opposes the higher fee because of past TSA mistakes in buying equipment that was later discarded. "The TSA has wasted tremendous traveler time and money, with useless security theater and lobbyist payout devices like whole-body scanners," he said.
James Cartmill said because money is diverted to the general fund, the higher fee should be considered a tax — and House Republicans should be blamed for going against their pledge not to raise taxes. "It's all a very expensive fleecing of consumers, and now the TSA fee will become another thing to be cynical about and to add to the cost of travel," he said.
Congress agreed to the increase in December to raise $12.6 billion to cut the deficit. TSA estimates the hike will generate $16.9 billion more than current collections.
"In accordance with federal law, the revenue generated from the security fee will be deposited in the general fund of the Treasury," said David Castelveter, a TSA spokesman. "The revenue is to be used to offset TSA costs for providing civil aviation security services, after stipulated amounts are applied to reduction of the federal deficit."
"It's like paying for a root canal," said George Hobica, founder of airfarewatchdog.com, which monitors ticket prices. "It's something you didn't want anyway. Now you're paying more for it."
TSA security fee on airline tickets rises Monday
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/07/20/tsa-security-fee/12849631/
Transportation Security Administration fees on plane tickets are rising Monday, and travelers used to non-stop flights or long layovers will notice the biggest change.
The current fee is $2.50 for a non-stop flight or $5 for a connecting flight. The new fee will be $5.60 for all flights, with any connection longer than four hours counting as a separate flight.
Patrick Riehl of Cambridge, Mass., argued that two things other than the TSA have made aviation safer since the Sept. 11 attacks that prompted creation of the agency: reinforced cockpit doors and passengers who fight back. "It only succeeds in humiliating the elderly, scaring children and making all travelers feel like criminal suspects," he said in submitted comments. "We should scale back airport security, not expand it."
Jonathan Peterson, of Atlanta, said he strongly opposes the higher fee because of past TSA mistakes in buying equipment that was later discarded. "The TSA has wasted tremendous traveler time and money, with useless security theater and lobbyist payout devices like whole-body scanners," he said.
James Cartmill said because money is diverted to the general fund, the higher fee should be considered a tax — and House Republicans should be blamed for going against their pledge not to raise taxes. "It's all a very expensive fleecing of consumers, and now the TSA fee will become another thing to be cynical about and to add to the cost of travel," he said.
Congress agreed to the increase in December to raise $12.6 billion to cut the deficit. TSA estimates the hike will generate $16.9 billion more than current collections.
"In accordance with federal law, the revenue generated from the security fee will be deposited in the general fund of the Treasury," said David Castelveter, a TSA spokesman. "The revenue is to be used to offset TSA costs for providing civil aviation security services, after stipulated amounts are applied to reduction of the federal deficit."
"It's like paying for a root canal," said George Hobica, founder of airfarewatchdog.com, which monitors ticket prices. "It's something you didn't want anyway. Now you're paying more for it."