For the people wondering what's going on, here's a very concrete, specific example:
In Sabre you can pull up a very detailed breakout of all of the price of a ticket. You can also force Sabre to price (and even issue) a ticket on another airline's ticket stock. Bad things may happen if you issue a ticket on the stock of an airline on which no segments will be flown (for example, an all-SkyTeam ticket issued on AA stock).
Here's a hypothetical itinerary to South Africa, BOS-JFK-JNB and back on SA, with some AA segments:
Code:
*I«
1 AA1673S 20FEB Q BOSJFK SS1 715A 830A /DCAA /E
2 SA 204W 20FEB Q JFKJNB SS1 1040A 825A 21FEB F /DCSA /E
3 SA 203W 02MAR S JNBJFK SS1 815P 745A 03MAR M /DCSA /E
4 AA1786S 03MAR M JFKBOS SS1 400P 525P /DCAA /E
Price comes out to a base fare of $825.00, total $1,337.50, as follows:
Code:
WP«
20FEB DEPARTURE DATE-----LAST DAY TO PURCHASE 02SEP/2359
BASE FARE TAXES TOTAL
1- USD825.00 512.50XT USD1337.50ADT
XT 386.00YR 34.40US 5.50YC 7.00XY
5.00XA 7.50AY 31.80ZA 18.40WC
1.50EV 1.90UM 13.50XF
825.00 512.50 1337.50TTL
ADT-01 WLRT2US
BOS AA X/NYC SA JNB M412.50SA X/NYC AA BOS M412.50NUC825.00
END ROE1.00 XFBOS4.5JFK4.5JFK4.5
NON REF/SPEX
VALIDATING CARRIER - SA
BAG ALLOWANCE -BOSJNB-02P/SA
BAG ALLOWANCE -JNBBOS-02P/SA
CARRY ON ALLOWANCE
BOSJFK JFKBOS-02P/AA
01/UP TO 45 LINEAR INCHES/115 LINEAR CENTIMETERS
01/UP TO 36 LINEAR INCHES/92 LINEAR CENTIMETERS
JFKJNB JNBJFK-SA-CARRY ON ALLOWANCE UNKNOWN-CONTACT CARRIER ‡
WPDF«
WPDF
PSGR TYPE ADT
FARE USD 825.00
TAX USD 512.50XT
TOTAL USD 1337.50
BOS AA X/NYC SA JNB M412.50SA X/NYC AA BOS M412.50NUC825.00END R
OE1.00 XFBOS4.5JFK4.5JFK4.5
XT 386.00YR 34.40US 5.50YC 7.00XY 5.00XA
XT 7.50AY 31.80ZA 18.40WC 1.50EV 1.90UM
XT 13.50XFBOS4.5JFK4.5JFK4.5
/////////////// TRAFFIC DOCUMENT ISSUED IN PHX ///////////////
PU -FARE BASIS-CUR NUC AMT ELEMENT DESCRIPTION ----------- GI
01 WLRT2US USD 412.50 BOS-JNB SA /HR 0M AT
01 WLRT2US USD 412.50 BOS-JNB SA /HR 0M AT
825.00 - TOTAL NUC
-TAX AMT/USD/-- CUR CODES DESCRIPTION------------------------
386.00 /YRF SERVICE FEE - FUEL
193.00:USD 193.00 *JFK* *SA*
193.00:USD 193.00 *JNB* *SA*
34.40 US/US2 US INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORTATION TAX ‡
MD«
17.20:USD 17.20 *JFK* *SA* ‡
17.20:USD 17.20 *JNB* *SA*
5.50 US/YC US CUSTOMS USER FEE
5.50:USD 5.50 *JNB* *SA*
7.00 US/XY US FEDERAL INSPECTION FEE
7.00:USD 7.00 *JNB* *SA*
5.00 US/XA US APHIS USER FEE
5.00:USD 5.00 *JNB* *SA*
7.50 US/AY US SECURITY FEE
2.50:USD 2.50 *BOS*
2.50:USD 2.50 *JFK*
2.50:USD 2.50 *JFK*
31.80 ZA/ZA PASSENGER CHARGE
31.80:ZAR 328 *JNB* *SA*
18.40 ZA/WC AIR PASSENGER TAX
18.40:ZAR 190 *JNB* *SA*
1.50 ZA/EV PASSENGER SAFETY CHARGE
1.50:ZAR 16 *JNB* *SA*
1.90 ZA/UM PASSENGER SERVICES AND SECURITY CHAR‡
MD«
1.90:ZAR 20 *JNB* *SA* ‡
13.50 US/XF PASSENGER FACILITY CHARGES
4.50:USD 4.50 *BOS*
4.50:USD 4.50 *JFK*
4.50:USD 4.50 *JFK*
-IATA RATES OF EXCHANGE USED IN FARE CALCULATION --------------
1.0000000000 USD-ROE EFF 20SEP01*INDEF
-BSR USED IN TAX CALCULATION ----------------------------------
1ZAR:10.328300000000USD
-PRICING UNIT TRIP TYPE ---------------------------------------
PU 01 - SPECIAL ROUND TRIP
.
Note the $386 "YR" fuel surcharge. Also note that SA is the "validating carrier"--which means that the ticket would be issued on SA's ticket stock.
Pricing the itinerary on AA's ticket stock (some unhelpful lines removed):
Code:
WPAAA«
20FEB DEPARTURE DATE-----LAST DAY TO PURCHASE 02SEP/2359
BASE FARE TAXES TOTAL
1- USD825.00 512.50XT USD1337.50ADT
XT 386.00YR 34.40US 5.50YC 7.00XY
5.00XA 7.50AY 31.80ZA 18.40WC
1.50EV 1.90UM 13.50XF
825.00 512.50 1337.50TTL
ADT-01 WLRT2US
BOS AA X/NYC SA JNB M412.50SA X/NYC AA BOS M412.50NUC825.00
END ROE1.00 XFBOS4.5JFK4.5JFK4.5
NON REF/SPEX
VALIDATING CARRIER SPECIFIED - AA
WPDF«
WPDF
PSGR TYPE ADT
FARE USD 825.00
TAX USD 512.50XT
TOTAL USD 1337.50
BOS AA X/NYC SA JNB M412.50SA X/NYC AA BOS M412.50NUC825.00END R
OE1.00 XFBOS4.5JFK4.5JFK4.5
XT 386.00YR 34.40US 5.50YC 7.00XY 5.00XA
XT 7.50AY 31.80ZA 18.40WC 1.50EV 1.90UM
XT 13.50XFBOS4.5JFK4.5JFK4.5
/////////////// TRAFFIC DOCUMENT ISSUED IN PHX ///////////////
PU -FARE BASIS-CUR NUC AMT ELEMENT DESCRIPTION ----------- GI
01 WLRT2US USD 412.50 BOS-JNB SA /HR 0M AT
01 WLRT2US USD 412.50 BOS-JNB SA /HR 0M AT
825.00 - TOTAL NUC
-TAX AMT/USD/-- CUR CODES DESCRIPTION------------------------
386.00 /YRF SERVICE FEE - FUEL
193.00:USD 193.00 *JFK* *SA*
193.00:USD 193.00 *JNB* *SA*
34.40 US/US2 US INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORTATION TAX ‡
Note that the fuel surcharge is still there--same price when ticketed on AA.
Now, let's price on AA stock, but with a hypothetical issue date of August 27 (before AA's policy change):
Code:
WPAAA‡B27AUG13«
20FEB DEPARTURE DATE-----LAST DAY TO PURCHASE 01SEP/2359
BASE FARE TAXES TOTAL
1- USD825.00 127.20XT USD952.20ADT
XT 34.40US 5.50YC 7.00XY 5.00XA
7.50AY 32.10ZA 18.60WC 1.60EV
2.00UM 13.50XF
825.00 127.20 952.20TTL
ADT-01 WLRT2US
BOS AA X/NYC SA JNB M412.50SA X/NYC AA BOS M412.50NUC825.00
END ROE1.00 XFBOS4.5JFK4.5JFK4.5
NON REF/SPEX
VALIDATING CARRIER SPECIFIED - AA
WPDF«
WPDF
PSGR TYPE ADT
FARE USD 825.00
TAX USD 127.20XT
TOTAL USD 952.20
BOS AA X/NYC SA JNB M412.50SA X/NYC AA BOS M412.50NUC825.00END R
OE1.00 XFBOS4.5JFK4.5JFK4.5
XT 34.40US 5.50YC 7.00XY 5.00XA 7.50AY
XT 32.10ZA 18.60WC 1.60EV 2.00UM 13.50XFBOS4.5JFK4.5JFK4.5
/////////////// TRAFFIC DOCUMENT ISSUED IN PHX ///////////////
PU -FARE BASIS-CUR NUC AMT ELEMENT DESCRIPTION ----------- GI
01 WLRT2US USD 412.50 BOS-JNB SA /HR 0M AT
01 WLRT2US USD 412.50 BOS-JNB SA /HR 0M AT
825.00 - TOTAL NUC
-TAX AMT/USD/-- CUR CODES DESCRIPTION------------------------
34.40 US/US2 US INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORTATION TAX
17.20:USD 17.20 *JFK* *SA*
17.20:USD 17.20 *JNB* *SA*
5.50 US/YC US CUSTOMS USER FEE
5.50:USD 5.50 *JNB* *SA* ‡
Note the same base fare of $825, but no fuel surcharge. Ticket comes out to be $386 cheaper, and with a simple parameter added to the ticketing command you can actually ticket on AA stock, at this price. (Sabre's autopricing guarantee doesn't cover changing the validating carrier to avoid fuel surcharges, so you may get hit with a debit memo for the amount, but in my (not very experienced) opinion that wouldn't be likely to happen. )
And for the sake of completeness, pricing on the default SA stock, on August 27:
Code:
WPB27AUG13«
20FEB DEPARTURE DATE-----LAST DAY TO PURCHASE 01SEP/2359
BASE FARE TAXES TOTAL
1- USD825.00 513.20XT USD1338.20ADT
XT 386.00YR 34.40US 5.50YC 7.00XY
5.00XA 7.50AY 32.10ZA 18.60WC
1.60EV 2.00UM 13.50XF
825.00 513.20 1338.20TTL
ADT-01 WLRT2US
BOS AA X/NYC SA JNB M412.50SA X/NYC AA BOS M412.50NUC825.00
END ROE1.00 XFBOS4.5JFK4.5JFK4.5
NON REF/SPEX
VALIDATING CARRIER - SA
WPDF«
WPDF
PSGR TYPE ADT
FARE USD 825.00
TAX USD 513.20XT
TOTAL USD 1338.20
BOS AA X/NYC SA JNB M412.50SA X/NYC AA BOS M412.50NUC825.00END R
OE1.00 XFBOS4.5JFK4.5JFK4.5
XT 386.00YR 34.40US 5.50YC 7.00XY 5.00XA
XT 7.50AY 32.10ZA 18.60WC 1.60EV 2.00UM
XT 13.50XFBOS4.5JFK4.5JFK4.5
/////////////// TRAFFIC DOCUMENT ISSUED IN PHX ///////////////
PU -FARE BASIS-CUR NUC AMT ELEMENT DESCRIPTION ----------- GI
01 WLRT2US USD 412.50 BOS-JNB SA /HR 0M AT
01 WLRT2US USD 412.50 BOS-JNB SA /HR 0M AT
825.00 - TOTAL NUC
-TAX AMT/USD/-- CUR CODES DESCRIPTION------------------------
386.00 /YRF SERVICE FEE - FUEL
193.00:USD 193.00 *JFK* *SA*
193.00:USD 193.00 *JNB* *SA*
34.40 US/US2 US INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORTATION TAX ‡
This shows that SA has been collecting its fuel surcharge all along.
As some people have mentioned, this phenomenon is why around-the-world tickets are generally cheaper if purchased through AA. But apprently not any longer...