American, Avianca, Copa, Delta, and Jet Blue are the five airlines currently including the “airport tax” or “exit tax” in the price of the ticket.
In the coming months, United Airlines (as of October 6), Air Panama (as of November 1), Aeromexico (as of November 1) and Air Canada (as of December 5) will be doing so also.
The “included” price is a time saver for travellers, especially at peak hours, like the early morning flights to the United States, when the lines to pay the airport tax reached outside the terminal door. It also eliminates the usual US$4 surcharge paid by many passengers at hotels authorized to collect the tax. And the need for visiting the local bank to pay the tax, to avoid the long lines at the airport.
The airport tax, currently US$29 dollars, is required paid by every passenger using the San Jose (Juan Santamaria – SJO) and Liberia (Daniel Oduber – LIR) airports. At most airports around the world, the airport tax has been included in the price of the ticket, Costa Rica was one of the few countries not doing so. Until now, though a bit behind schedule, the incorporating of the tax in the ticket was to have occurred late last year, then pushed to February of this year, but not actually in practice until last June 1.
With the inclusion of United, starting on October 6, the six airlines represent 85% of the traffic at the international airports in Costa Rica.
Bancredito, the bank that collects the tax for the State, says it will maintain a counter at the airports for any passenger whose ticket does not include the tax.
For flight arrivals and departures at the San Jose airport click here.
For flight arrivals and departures at the Liberia airport click here.
Source: Fly2sanjose.net, Bancredito
Article originally appeared at Qcostarica.com
Article first appeared at COSTA RICA CONFIDENTIAL. Click here to go there!