www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I am recently new to the CRT and appreciate all the info shared by members. I have not seen my question ever mentioned in the posts I have read so hopefully one of you veterans know the answer. I arrive around 10 PM in SJO in April and want to pay my departure tax as you all recommend (before leaving the airport). How late is the departure tax window open on the departure level at SJO? Thanks in advance.

Are you sure that fee isn't already covered with the airline your flying with?


http://costa-rica-guide.com/practical/d ... rture-tax/

Won't be open at that hour. What airline?

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My departure last november was at 1am. The desk was open and i paid mine at the time i checked in...probably midnight. It may depend on whether departures are scheduled.

That might very well be.

I've had a 10 pm arrival on a Sunday - closed. A midnight arrival on a Wednesday - closed.

With more airlines including the tax I found the line to be shorter. Waited no more than 10 min to pay the day of either departure. No biggie.

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The desk is only open *WHEN* airlines that require it alert the airport communications desk in advance that they have a flight scheduled.

I have a friend that works Spirit, and one of her jobs is liason with the airport process for this. The people that work the counter have other roles in the backoffice, and only come out to the counter when they are scheduled to do so.

It all depends on departing flights that have not advance-collected the tariff.

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bypassin' kinky, and usin' the whole chicken!!!

Thanks, I arrive United so ticket does not include departure tax.

United has been including the departure tax for some time now. The SJO airport website says the taxes are already included for United as well.

http://www.fly2sanjose.net/

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Jetblue as well.

Thanx everyone for more great information, (as usual).

The departure tax desk is open when flights are scheduled to leave, as late as required. Think about it, if there was a flight and people couldn't pay the tax, would they not be allowed to check in? There would be a riot.

This is a bit amusing as I see many "experts" screwing up.

Your departure tax is PAID IN FULL on your departure flight. Just download that receipt to Google Drive or print out a hard copy. It never ceases to amaze me at the "professionals" of the scene who choose to donate an additional $28 to the Costa Rican Airport Authority. They tell you how to pay in advance at a hotel for a small surcharge. Ok, so now not only am I double paying but I'm paying a surcharge? Hmmm. Makes you question any hotel who is associated with this sort of extortion scam or maybe it doesn't. Well shoot, maybe you are staying at the wrong hotel. Only those with an extremely limited cognitive ability would wonder why I am paying my hotel a surcharge plus a fee that is already included in my departure flight. Hey, McFly, it's because they are screwing you. And these are the hotels you book? Hmmm.

Don't be a sucker. You're departure flight included these fees. You only pay again at the airport if you are a complete & utter fool. And to be honest, most people are complete & utter fools. But not you, screen cap your departure fare and they will happily stamp you as Paid In Full. But let's be honest, it's easy to be suckered into thinking you have to double pay. And the Costa Rica government is more than happy to make you pay twice. And any hotel who chooses to participate in this tourist scam is not a hotel I will book ever. But hey, be a sucker. Pay it twice. In fact, pay your hotel a surcharge for paying it twice for the convenience of being screwed more easily.

Yet another reason to avoid SJO.

You can be a Newb, just don't act like a Newb.

Maxbass

I have not flown out of Costa Rica since many of the airlines started collecting the exit tax with the purchase of your ticket so I cannot say for sure just what ALL the airlines are doing BUT! I recently bought tickets to Florida and back with Spirit. There is a complete list of costs and fees listed on my conformation including all government fees for both the USA and CR. No where does it list the exit tax. In fact all the government fees for CR amount to a total of about $8.

It has been stated many times that not all airlines are collecting the exit tax at this time (suppose to at some later date).

By the way, most guys seem to hate Spirit. I have flown Spirit many times over the years and never had a bad experience. No they are not like the airlines of past years in terms of services offered and what they charge extra for. BUT guess what NO airline is what they were back in the 70s, 80s or even the 90s!!

And when I can get a round trip nonstop, mid day flight (both coming and going) for $143 total (plus the exit tax) I will suffer!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Spirit fights against everything that makes the face-price of their fares go up. They will not join TSA-Pre for the same reason, even though it's a real value add (except possibly for the people who fly Spirit anywayz!!! )

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bypassin' kinky, and usin' the whole chicken!!!

[quote="BangBang57"]Maxbass



By the way, most guys seem to hate Spirit. I have flown Spirit many times over the years and never had a bad experience. No they are not like the airlines of past years in terms of services offered and what they charge extra for. BUT guess what NO airline is what they were back in the 70s, 80s or even the 90s!!

And when I can get a round trip nonstop, mid day flight (both coming and going) for $143 total (plus the exit tax) I will suffer!!!!!!!!!!!!![/quote

As you said, nonstop. If you ever have a connecting flight with Spirit you will understand why I would rather pay another airline twice as much as Spirit. I have never had a good experience with them and I've had plenty of bad ones. I've spent a half dozen layovers in Lauderdale of over 8 hours when the connecting flights were delayed. The one time my Spirit connection left on time, there was a fire alarm in the terminal as my flight arrived. They were not allowed to taxi to the terminal and unboard. The line to get through security after customs stretched all the way across ticketing. I was ten minutes late getting to the boarding line and the plane had left. Leaving a half dozen travelers. Our recourse was to wait until the next flight they could put us on or accept a refund for that leg of the trip. The next flight was a two day wait. They made no offer to provide lodging or assist in putting us on another airline. I had to buy a last minute ticket from Lauderdale to Atlanta. Let me tell you about the time I was in Lauderdale for 12 hours waiting for them to provide a plane. The one that they provided was on the tarmac the whole time their customer service blamed not taking off on the lack of a crew. Turns out the crew had not arrived when our flight was set to go and when it did arrive they could not fly because of F.A.A. rest requirements. They lied to us for 12 hours then put us on a Virgin airline flight. Spirit sucks. If they went out of business tomorrow I would celebrate. The last straw was when they put seats in the planes that were made of hard plastic and cut down the leg room to get more rows of seats in the planes. When the person behind me put the table down on the back of my seat I could feel it through the seat for three hours. Spirit's position is if you don't like the way we treat you, fly with someone else. I for one will fly with someone else. They would have to pay me to fly with them.