Lllahim

Can someone explain to me why AC and LH charge YQ on reward seats and UA and the majority of *A do not? There is an abundance of AC "priority reward J seats" on TATL routes but there are few takers. Why does AC not get the message?

Stranger

Alas, answer is simple.

Because they don't need to. They don't have seats to give away anymore, which UA still does. As to "priority rewards," that's just like selling these seats. Whether through Aeroplan or directly, they probably don't care too much. It's not like they need to sell them through Aeroplan.

kwflyer

And that's the problem: two separate companies (that really should be one) with neither one wanting to take responsibility.

rankourabu

Well actually, the majority of Star Alliance do. The only ones that dont are UA and LifeMiles. Everyone else charges YQ.

I hope you realize that Air Canada surcharges on award tickets on LH metal have nothing to do with Lufthansa asking for the money.

Stranger

AC/LH run their transatlantic business jointly, as a pool. Again, can you seriously expect them to sell Aeroplan a J round trip ticket to Europe for less than $700?

Lllahim

There is a Wiki listing *A with and without YQ. Too lazy to find the cross reference. When I looked to sponsor relatives from UK, I found quite a few *A without YQ. LX and TK for example. The agent who helped me with the booking said LH charges YQ.

rankourabu

TK for example, charges YQ on their awards using their miles. As does LX.

Air Canada charging the schamcharge, has nothing to do with the operating carrier, and/or how they charge/not charge scamcharges in their own programs.



ok so let me get this straight.
They are happy to do that for UA MP and LifeMiles?
Or are you saying those two programs are subsidizing our points redemptions on every ticket to the tune of $700?

rehoult

First, most of their miles aren't sold at $0.008, that is in fact a very, very small amount of the miles they sell. Most vendors are in the 1-2 cent range. Next, they have a ~15% breakage allowance, so for 15% of the miles they sell they just get the income with no expense. Lastly, they don't earn money on every redemption, nor do they plan to. OTOH, 90%+ of their redemption are for NA or overseas Y, which are always profitable.

I've had this conversation with an AP VP. They lose money on certain redemptions, always have, always will, always want to. F to Asia, they still lose money. J to Europe, maybe breakeven. They don't raise those prices to be profitable because it would make them beyond reach for 'dreamers'. People see it take 90K to go to Europe in business, think "I can do that", and stay loyal to AP to earn miles for it. But overwhelmingly, before that happens they have another need. Grandma is sick, friend is getting married, big family vacation, etc... and they instead use the miles for a NA Y trip and AP banks their earnings. Then the person goes back to focusing on Europe again and the cycle repeats.

AP has put more thought into their strategy than you would think. Having said that, they're going to have to focus on making happy customers soon or they risk losing AC in 2020.

Lllahim

You obviously know quite a bit about YQs across airlines. However, when I did my reward shopping, AE/AC was unaffordable and downright annoying. Check the following Chart:

http://www.extrapackofpeanuts.com/fuel-surcharge-list/

KenHamer

Oh parnel, parnel, parnel....

It's me. I told you, and everyone else, that I no longer fly at all.

But I no longer day dream about CP either. I day dream about Amtrak.

As for your comments, I'm pretty sure that anyone with basic literacy skills can understand the points I was making.


And for anyone that want's to check JetBlue Mint prices, just click here: https://book.jetblue.com/B6/webqtrip.html

KenHamer

Do discount codes apply to YQ?

CloudsBelow

Is it a scam or a deception?

Are you the type of guy who continually complains about something rather than moving on? Do you have adaptation issues?

No scam and deception with Westjet FFP.

No scamcharges w/ Delta - in fact I just booked CAN>USA with my Delta miles. All taxes and fees amounted to $63CAD. Oh, but wait, it also cost me 52,500 miles for YYZ-PHX roundtrip in Y. In Y. Is that a scam? Or, is it just part of the overall, industry-wide devaluation of FF miles.
Relax. Get over it. Adapt. Move on.

rankourabu

Of course it does, right, its a component of the total fare, not a tax


For once, we fully agree. This whole site has existed for 15+ years based on adapting to the ever-shifting goal posts of the ffp world.

To be blindly loyal, and not adapt to the changes, is just plain dumb.

FlyerTalker683455

I am sorry, but when AC reps say it's not really a fuel surcharge, and then go on to say it's not even called that anymore, but I am calling them out on it, then IT IS DECEPTION.

Why should I move on? Because if AC repeats a lie often enough, it becomes the truth?

What a load of crap.

rankourabu

It is a scam, it is deception, whatever you wanna call it - only die hard AC loyalists will argue its not.
BUT
You do not have to do business with a company acting this way.
Thats all it is here - business.
That is what everyone means by move on.