The Financial Post reports in its Friday edition that a new study suggests federal and provincial governments can help ease some of the frustrations of travellers by reducing taxes and fees. A Canadian Press dispatch to the Post quotes Alexandre Moreau of the right-leaning Montreal Economic Institute saying that Canada's massive geography and low population density help keep airline prices high, but even a small reduction in taxes and fees could make a big difference for travellers. In his study, Mr. Moreau writes that comparatively high airport rents and security charges, coupled with provincial taxes, are restricting the potential for growth in the country's air transport sector. Canada is ranked 31st out of 32 countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for the competitiveness of airport fees and taxes. Mr. Moreau says Transport Canada collected $349-million in the 2016-17 fiscal year in airport rents and over the past five years, the feds collected $404-million more in security fees than it spent on security-related expenses during the same period. Mr. Moreau says research shows that consumers are sensitive to modest price decreases, especially for tourism-related travel.