Lester B. Pearson International Airport in Toronto is the most expensive airport in North America — and second most expensive in the world, behind one in Tokyo — to land a plane in. Airport operators typically charge airlines a landing fee to cover the costs of putting a plane down on the tarmac. But at Pearson, the cost for a average-sized jet (an Airbus 300) is more than $3,300 (U.S.) and that's nearly double what it costs to land at the second most expensive airport in North America, New York's LaGuardia. Atlanta, the busiest airport in North American, charges less than $150 for the same service that Pearson charges more than $3,300 for.
Last week, my Globe and Mail colleague Brent Jang reported that Pearson's operator – the not-for-profit agency known as the Greater Toronto Airport Authority — had floated the idea of bumping those landing fees by a further 18 per cent. As one source on the story told me, if Pearson went ahead with that increase — and it appears from Brent's article that they are backing away — that would have meant that landing fees would have doubled at Pearson since 2002.
Of course, even though airlines pay these fees, it's passengers who are ultimately dinged for them in higher ticket prices. And since Toronto is Canada's busiest airport — 50 25 million passengers a year — and acts as a hub for much of the country's domestic and international traffic, that means that costs of air travel in Canada are higher than many other jurisdictions.
And while Toronto was tops, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton all placed near the top end when it comes to landing fees.
This data — a selected chunk of which is reproduced in the table below — was compiled by a University of British Columbia researcher, working for a group called the Air Transport Research Society.
I used some of that data in a CTV National News piece I did on Pearson's plans to open a new $2-billion airport east of Toronto in Pickering, Ont. In the following table, all dollar figures are in U.S. currency.
| BOEING 747-400 (524 seats) |
AIRBUS 300 (266 seats) |
CRJ200-LR (50 seats) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Toronto |
$7,965
|
3,311
|
483
|
| New York – LaGuardia |
4,506
|
1,874
|
2,73
|
| New York – JFK |
3,063
|
1,273
|
186
|
| Cleveland |
2,818
|
1,171
|
171
|
| Newark NJ |
2,450
|
1,019
|
148
|
|
Denver |
2,441
|
1,015
|
148
|
| Seattle |
2,188
|
910
|
133
|
| Vancouver |
2,084
|
866
|
74
|
| Calgary |
1,974
|
821
|
77
|
| Boston |
1,934
|
804
|
117
|
| Washington, D.C. |
1,864
|
775
|
113
|
| Edmonton |
1,818
|
756
|
93
|
| San Francisco |
1,733
|
720
|
105
|
| Philadelphia |
1,654
|
688
|
100
|
| Los Angeles |
1,488
|
618
|
90
|
| St. Louis |
1,470
|
611
|
89
|
| Miami |
1,348
|
560
|
82
|
| Phoenix |
691
|
287
|
42
|
| Atlanta |
350
|
146
|
21
|
You need to check your passenger figures Toronto does not handle 50 million passengers a year. Their website most recent figures show just under 25 million for 2003.
Thanks for pointing that out. The 50-million passenger figure was stuck in my head from the Pickering story. The GTAA estimates 50-million passengers will pass through its Pearson facility by 2032.
Do you the fees for the 767 for Hamilton vs. Toronto. I am very interested to know what the increased cost is for Westjet per plane since they went to Toronto.
I'm afraid I don't have the fees for Hamilton. I included in the table below any of the Canadian airports that were referred to in the study. I think it's safe to say, however, that Hamilton's landing fees are considerably less than Pearson's. By how much, though — I don't know. Something to look into though . . .
An interesting sidenote. Last night I went to a dinner at a golf club here in Winnipeg. The people I was talking with at the table where saying how much they do not like going thru Toronto to fly. They were Westjet “converts” and loved flying in and out of Hamilton. Now they fly JetsGo to Toronto only because they do not like Air Canada and are upset at Westjet. One person was commented on how great it will be when CanJet expands to Winnipeg.
Why hasn't the government offered to return all those ridiculous fees passengers paid IN ADVANCE for their JetsGo tickets?
It's one thing for the Federal government to say it was unfortunate for a private company to go down, but for the government to keep the money THEY also got in advance? Shame on them. I can see them keeping it if the passengers actually got to use the service they paid for, but for all those passengers who never got off the ground?
Paul Martin could still look like a saint if he would endorse what I'm suggesting. JetsGo is gone. There is no money left. And it's sad.
What excuse does the government have?
Keep an eye on Canjet.
Everyone predicted the demise of JetsGo.
Most predict the same for WestJet.
Why?
Ego and even superior service can only take you so far.
Eventually, BIG BROTHER, Mr.Government airline will find a way to squish them like a bug.
Even though Air Canada has a culture that just doesn't work in the private sector….they will always be a “government” airline despite what the shares state and there is no way the Canadian government is ever going to allow their flag carrier to fall even if it's run by Americans.
I predict that it will be Canjet who will slide in under the emotional radars of both Air Canada and WestJet to steal the profitability show.
Maybe not the most planes, or the most stops.
But they will make the most money because they are led by a billionaire, not some hippie with a loan or ego maniac government whiners.
Unlike WestJet and JetsGo and many others….Canjet has the staying power because all their eggs are not in the airline basket.