Originally Posted by
LTNman
Yes and some don’t like it
A lot don't.
As SWBKB unnnecessarily reminded me earlier, :Loganair clearly displays the tax component (like most other airlines I've ever used) in its quotes. The point I was making -- in the context of my belief that Carlisle Airport's future isn't going to be ensured by non-business travelers, and that there ain't enough business travelers to sustain it longterm -- was that perception is all, whether it be right or wrong.
The perceptiion of "tax" is such that nobody has ever said "oh goody, look: there's tax to pay, let's do it!" And in the context of non-business travel, where passengers aren't insulated from reality by corporate bookings and expense accounts, the tax issue is even more off-putting. You can spend as long as you want pointing out to people that their train tickets also include tax, and that just about every damn thing you buy in this country includes tax, but that makes no difference. They look at flight tickets, and then a seemingly separate tax bill levied on top, and if there's a viable alternative on offer, say: 'No thanks: no chance". Thoae alternatives don't exist in abundance for international travel, but domestic travel is a different matter. . .
Tot up the overall cost of CAX-SEN return tickets compared with using a Two Together rail card for a return trip to central London rather than somewhere outside of it in Essex, and for domestic non-business users, there's no competition. Mrs M and I fly twice every year from Newcastle to southern Spain and back and each trip is considerably less than Loganair's £300+ (including tax) Carlisle - London Southend fare. We won't be the only ones in this part of the world who can do the math.
Incidentally, we moved up here 20 years ago from Heald Green, Cheshire. We lived there for umpteen decades during which time we watched neighbouring Manchester Airport grow and grow. . . and how delighted we were that it did, considering the stimulus it gave to the area economy. Sadly, those who ever thought that a 'proper' Carlisle Airport would do the same for Carlisle and its surrounding area are most probably delusional.