If air passengers don’t pay fees, Canadian taxpayers will, experts respond to WestJet CEO [Video]

A speech by WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech is reigniting the conversation about air travel costs in Canada — a conversation he stands to benefit from more than Canadians do, some experts say. 

Speaking to a business audience in Calgary Tuesday, von Hoensbroech compared extra air ticket fees in Canada and the United States in a slide presentation and called on the federal government to reduce those fees.

According to von Hoensbroech, in Canada, sales tax, navigation fees, airport improvement fees and security fees amounted to $133 in a round-trip ticket price, whereas south of the border the excise tax and segment fee, passenger facility charge and security fee added up to $49.

“If the government wants to unite Canada and take down internal trade barriers, then reducing the cost of air travel by reducing fees that are imposed on air travel and ultimately make tickets cheaper would be the …