50% Discounts for Senior Flights and other activities

I have been unable to find a forum discussing Ecuador's legally required senior discounts, especially for air fare, even though it seems to it would be a popular topic. My understanding, which I would like to see confirmed or corrected by OTHER THAN RUMOR, is that Ecuadorian residents, with cedula, are entitled to 50% discounts on all air fares (excl taxes and fees) for flights beginning and ending in Ecuador, on any and all airlines.

I have been unable to get confirmation of this from United or American airlines nor from hipmunk.com or travelocity.com. Assuming the above is correct I would also like confirmation that the discount still applies for round trip flights with an additional segment in the middle, like UIO-JFK-LAX-UIO, assuming full route bought at the same time.

CODIFICATION OF THE LAW OF THE ELDERLY
Chapter III Article 15:
Persons over 65 years, enjoy the 50% exemption of tariffs for air, land,
sea and river, and the entrances to public entertainment, cultural, sporting, artistic and recreational activities.To obtain a discount sufficient to submit the identity card or citizenship and identity card or retiree or pensioner.
FROM WHAT I READ, YOU MUST HAVE EITHER A PENSIONER VISA OR CEDULA TO QUALITY. A TOURIST VISA IN NOT SUFFICIENT. THAT IS WHAT I WAS TOLD BY LAN
HERE IT IS IN SPANISH (full law text link does not work for me)
Art. 15.- Las personas mayores de 65 años, gozarán de la
exoneración del 50% de las tarifas de transporte aéreo, terrestre,
marítimo y fluvial, y de las entradas a los espectáculos públicos,
culturales, deportivos, artísticos y recreacionales.
Para obtener tal rebaja bastará presentar la cédula de identidad o de
identidad y ciudadanía o el carné de jubilado o pensionista del
Seguro Social Ecuatoriano.
Se exonera el 50% del valor del consumo que causare el uso de los
servicios de un medidor de energía eléctrica cuyo consumo mensual
sea de hasta 120 Kw/hora; de un medidor de agua potable cuyo
consumo mensual sea de hasta 20 metros cúbicos, el exceso de éstos Ley del Ancia
THE ENTIRE LAW CAN BE FOUND AT:
http://www.dpe.gob.ec/dpe/images/descar … amento.pdf

I heard it only applies to flying on an Ecuadorian airline.

Smitty, your flights must originate in Ecuador with a return to same. Forget American or any other US carrier they don't honor the 50% discount.
You must fly with a SA carrier LAN Copa and the others. Book your flights through an agent until you get a better understanding and can CAN DO THIS ALONE. Are you fluent in Spanish? If not all the more reason to use one. If you have the correct documents they'll get the rate you seek.

Mugsy, Ecuador manages this discount arrangement with the SA carriers not just an Ecuadorian carrier.

Thank you

I confirmed this with LAN, and American airlines at their offices in Quito. It is CLEAR that it applies to ALL flights beginning and ending in Ecuador and I have used it twice but am surprised that there seems to be either no interest in this topic, especially from people who have used it or tried to do so (as opposed to RUMORS).My Next planned trip is UIO-Madrid.....Morocco-Venice-UIO so I will repost after I buy. The basic idea is clear but the application (details) fuzzy.

Smitty88 you are right there are many who are not interested in getting discounts not really.  Then why give them to them?  If they don't need Tax Refunds why have them get them $170.00 a month is like a cocktail for some people so don't give it to them personally I am thrilled with both gifts.  But with the airplane tickets here is the catch..you must buy tickets at airport or you don't qualify and you have to have the original Cedula Card with you and your orginal Passport when Purchasing Ticket.  Now some people don't want to go to air port to purchase fine don't qualify.  Some one else told me that you could purchase through Expedia on line and you could qualify.  Now remember you will get the discount plus later if you have filed previously for Tax Refund like I have I will take tax if any on ticket and claim tax on my monthly
so I will make sure on Airplane ticket my Cedula Number Appears Bright and my Name just like it is on my Cedula Card you know how they love detail so if my Cedula Card Says Smitty Ann Smith they my Ticket must say the same...details details details this I think will pass for Tax Office.  Now we don't know about Expedia for sure.  But two people told us you have to buy tickets at airport to qualify.  Otherwise we have heard people say you can qualify buy it and take it but where????

Smitty I think they are right you have to be flying SA Lan yes and back I have heard this too makes sense.

No, it is not necessary to buy the tickets at the airport. At both the LAN and American Airlines offices in Quito I was told directly by an agent there that I could buy the tickets at the Quito offices. I think I did get the discount once through Expedia on my last trip to the US but am not positive. Last trip UIO-Manta I got the discount at the airport before departure. i think TAME but maybe it was Aerogal. All you need is cedula showing you are a legal resident over 65.

smmr, a fountain of knowledge

insanelycheapflights.com has senior rates

mug, don't be bitter be sweet that's not like you

smmr wrote:

mug, don't be bitter be sweet that's not like you


your cup runeth over

I flew Copa with a 50% discount from GYE to WAS.  I had to buy my ticket at Copa sales office in GYE and show my cedula.  Lan local office told me they honor the discount except for promotional fares. 

American Airlines sales office did not have any information on it.  Has someone actually flown AA and gotten the discount?  If so where did you buy your ticket?

Has anyone else flown any other airline and if so where did you buy your ticket.

As I posted before:" It is not necessary to buy the tickets at the airport. At both the LAN and American Airlines offices in Quito I was told directly by an agent there that I could buy the tickets at the Quito offices. I think I did get the discount once through Expedia on my last trip to the US but am not positive. Last trip UIO-Manta I got the discount at the airport before departure. i think TAME but maybe it was Aerogal. All you need is cedula showing residency and age 65."

When I bought tickets through Expedia I later checked with the Quito LAN office, confirming that I had gotten my discount for a flight to Buenos Aires in April. I learned that the discount is only for legs beginning or ending in Ecuador and does not include taxes and fees (the leg from Buenos Aires to Cusco did not get the discount) I recently flew UIO-JFK with my grandson, paying $386.38 for me and $570.43 for him (high price for one way but was stuck with the date).

Thank you again for the response.  I bought a ticket from Taca for half price(excluding taxes etc) at the Taca office in GYE.  I had already made the mistake of trying to buy tickets at the airport...they don't sell most tickets at the airport...Silly me!!  I am still trying to definitely confirm which airlines give the discounts..

I had American sales office tell me they would give me my discount after I lived here ten years.  The young lady really had no idea what I was talking about.  So again, I am interested in people who have gotten the discount on especially American.  So far I have confirmation of Copa, Lan and Taca/Avianca.