2015 Spring PAC Updates
Legislative Symposium 2015 April 28-29 in Washington, DC
Brought to you by GBTA Government Relations
This annual event brings together passionate professionals who want to advocate for the future of the business travel industry. It presents attendees the unique opportunity to:
- Meet one-on-one with your Senators and Representative to share opinions and advocate for policies that support the business travel industry
- Learn about Congressional debates with outcomes that will impact the business travel industry
- Hear perspectives from Administration Officials and Members of Congress
- Connect with other industry professionals who want to make a difference
Even if you can’t make it to Washington, you can still support our industry. Use the Legislative Action Center to contact your reps with a single click. Let us hear your voice on Twitter at #GBTALegislative15
About the Legislative Symposium.
This is an exciting 2 days on Capitol Hill learning and advocating for the rights of the travel industry on such issues as NextGen, TSA, Car rental tax and issues that affect all of our jobs in the Business Travel Industry. Meet with your local Congressmen and Senators on Capitol Hill. Anyone can attend. Estimated cost for registration is $325 plus airfare, room and food.
WHY GBTA DOESN’T SUPPORT A PASSENGER FACILITY CHARGE (PFC) INCREASE:
The current flat tax rate per boarding is $4.50; airports and administration are asking that this fee be increased to $8. While some say it’s only a $3.50 increase that assumes all flights are non-stop and one way. Most travelers like to come home and most flights on network carriers stop at one of the major airline hubs. This $3.50 increase is really a $14 increase where one-stop, round-trip flights are involved.
Let’s break down the numbers
Currently, every passenger on a one-stop, round-trip flight has to fork over $11.20 for the TSA Security Fee. Passengers then pay $4.50 for each boarding — totaling $18 for a connecting round-trip flight. That’s $29.20 before they even start paying airfare! Airfare is then taxed a further 7.5 percent (an additional $15 tax on a $200 ticket). All these fees end up being $44.20 for an individual ticket.
$11.20
$4.50 x4
+ $15
----------
$44.20
If the proposed increase goes into effect, in addition to the $11.20 TSA security fee, passengers will be paying $8 for each boarding — adding up to $32 in passenger facility charges for every one-stop round-trip. That will result in a $43.20 charge before airfare! When the 7.5 percent excise tax is figured into a $200 airfare, the total tax will end up being $58.20 for an individual ticket.
$11.20
$8.00 x4
+ $15
----------
$58.20
LEGISLATIVE ACTION CENTER:
Tell Congress NO to PFC Increase http://capwiz.com/nbta/issues/alert/?alertid=64198771
Your Voice Makes a Difference!
Shane Downey
Director, Public Policy
GBTA
Global Business Travel Association
Main: +1 703-684-0836 ext 131
Direct: +1 703-236-1131
gbta.org
Government Relations Committee - GBTA
Mission
The mission of the Government Relations Committee is to review, research, and make recommendations on legislation and policies that impact the business travel community and to help determine GBTA’s legislative agenda.
Goals
• To inform the GBTA Board, Committee Chairs and membership of legislative priorities
• To act on all legislative policies deemed appropriate by the Executive Director & COO or the GBTA Board Members
Dianne Bradley
Chair
Tokyo Electron U.S. Holdings, Inc.
Toni Bonnette-Verdi, CCTE, GTP
Best Western International
