Canadian airline fares decline but added fees keep going up

Sophia Harris, www.cbc.ca
It may come as a shock, but Canadian airfares have actually dropped in price.

According to Statistics Canada's latest numbers, domestic and international base fares combined averaged $248.70 in the third quarter of 2015, down 1.7% from the same period in 2014.

This marks the second consecutive year-over-year quarterly decline in airline fares. The numbers were based on flights offered by Air Canada, WestJet and Air Transat.

Numbers don't lie so why does flying still seem so pricey to so many Canadians? Chances are it's those pesky add-ons — everything from airport improvement fees to the bill for checking your bag.

"I'm paying more and more," says Pat Renahan, on her way to Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport to catch a flight to Moncton. "It's really twice the price when you put in the taxes and [fees]."

And as Canadians clamour for the lowest fare possible, some of those added charges keep going up.

"The carriers have sliced and diced their product up every which way they can," says Calgary-based aviation consultant Rick Erickson. FULL STORY