more opportunity for thievery

Porfirio · #1 02-05-2006, 07:40 PM

In Friday´s issue of DR 1, read item #7. The condition pertaining to air fares creates an opportunity for CORRUPTED OFFICIALS to rake in millions of dollars in pay offs. #7 states, ¨THE HIGH COST OF PRIVATE AIRPORT OPERATION AFFECTS TRAVEL TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. AIRPORT CHARGES FOR SECURITY & TAXES ACCOUNT FOR MORE THAN 100% OF THE COST OF AIRFARE. #7, GOES ON TO STATE ¨INTER AIRLINE TRAFFIC IS LOST DUE TO THIS REDICULOUS ARRANGEMENT, AND AIRLINE PERSONNEL AVOID THE DR DUE TO THE INFLATED TAXES, AND CHARGES THEY MUST PAY. THEY CAN STAY ON MANY OTHER CARIBBEAN ISLANDS, FOR LESS THAN ONE HALF 1/2 THE COST OF STAYING IN THE D.R. THE HIGHEST TAXED AIR FARE IN THE CARIBBEAN. Putting the Airports in the hands of a¨friendly¨ so called private company permits the private company to charge excessive rates for security, with ¨friends¨in Government giving full permission to escalate the charges that are arranged between the so called, Private Company, and the good friend in Government who awarded this gold mine to the private company. Then the payoffs begin. Causing airfares in the DR to have the bad distinction of having the highest priced airline tickets in the Carribbean
SOLUTION: THERE ARE LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF MILITARY PERSONNEL WHO COULD PERFORM THIS VERY EXPENSIVE SERVICE WE NOW MUST PAY A PRIVATE COMPANY FOR. MANY SOLDIERS STAND OUTSIDE THE HOMES OF POLITICIANS, MILITARY OFFICERS, AND ANY OTHER CONNECTED PERSON, WHICH WE PAY FOR. LET THESE SO CALLED SPECIAL PEOPLE PAY FOR THEIR SECURITY, AS WE MUST PAY FOR OURS. HUNDREDS MORE SOLDIERS ARE AVAILABLE TO BE ASIGNED TO THE AIRPORTS FOR SECURITY PURPOSES, AND SAVE US A FORTUNE, AND REDUCE THE PRICE OF AIRLINE TICKETS AND END THE CORRUPTION. MANY TOURISTS, AND DOMINICANS IN THE US AVOID TRAVEL HERE DUE TO THE PRICE OF AIRLINE TICKETS. TAXES ARE OUT OF CONTROL, AND IT GETS WORSE EVERY DAY.

cobraboy · #2 02-10-2006, 09:41 AM

I don't know about potential corruption, but I will say this:

I have flown my private aircraft from FL to POP 9 times the last 18 months. Since the time of my first flight, I have seen the fees and costs (not including fuel) go up so ridiculously high that I have chosen to fly commercial.

My last flight, excluding fuel (which was over $US 5.00 a gallon for Avgas-and I buy 65-70 gals. at a time), the fees came to over $500 for a 7 day stay. Some of this were "normal" tourist fees, but MOST were not.

In a supply and demand world, the price has driven me from the market. It's just not worth it to fly there privately anymore.

I normally fly with 2 others, for a total of 3 passengers. In 10/2004, the total cost per person for a week was around $375 RT. Last November, the total cost per person was $550. For $375, the convenience was worth it. At $550, it's not.

I fly to SD on 2/21 for $250 RT on Spirit.

In my case, the DR loses considerable revenue because they priced me out of the market of consumption of aviation services.

NALs · #3 02-10-2006, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cobraboy

I don't know about potential corruption, but I will say this:

I have flown my private aircraft from FL to POP 9 times the last 18 months. Since the time of my first flight, I have seen the fees and costs (not including fuel) go up so ridiculously high that I have chosen to fly commercial.

My last flight, excluding fuel (which was over $US 5.00 a gallon for Avgas-and I buy 65-70 gals. at a time), the fees came to over $500 for a 7 day stay. Some of this were "normal" tourist fees, but MOST were not.

In a supply and demand world, the price has driven me from the market. It's just not worth it to fly there privately anymore.

I normally fly with 2 others, for a total of 3 passengers. In 10/2004, the total cost per person for a week was around $375 RT. Last November, the total cost per person was $550. For $375, the convenience was worth it. At $550, it's not.

I fly to SD on 2/21 for $250 RT on Spirit.

In my case, the DR loses considerable revenue because they priced me out of the market of consumption of aviation services.

Don't worry too much.

As is often with capitalism (not the best economic system, but compared to what?), prices will increase until demand drops to such levels that losses begin to be incured. Once that occurs, everything that can be done to cut prices will be done and the consumer will win in the end.

The only thing that can and always has distorted this has been government intervention. Plenty of virtually bankrupted enterprises kept alive around the world due to government intervention. From Alitalia to the EDES of DR, virtual bankrupted enterprises being kept alive by government intervention.

-NALs