Fed Taxes Make Airfare More Expensive than Cigarettes

Why Are Airfare Taxes So Costly?
Just a quick glance at the number of taxes imposed by the government when purchasing a ticket makes it quite clear that there is a lot of taxing going on. Here is the average list of taxes to expect:
Flight segment
Frequent-flier
Cargo waybill
Commercial jet fuel
9/11 fee
Passenger ticket
It’s these and other taxes that make your flight, originally priced at $150, jump to $180. And of course, these costs don’t include the new fees many airlines charge for checking bags or changing your tickets.
When Fortune writer, Becky Quick, asked the heads of Continental Airlines and Delta Air Lines about the taxes, neither could provide a reason for the hikes. In fact, Gordon Bethune of Continental said the airline has been complaining about them for years.
His belief is that airlines are an easy target for the government to add taxes, since it can say it will use the large sums of money to better the airline industry. But the money that he says should be used for air traffic control has not revealed itself in the industry’s outdated systems and processes.