BA to increase fuel surcharge, AA Awards impacted?
Feb 4, 2011, 8:07 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 246
BA to increase fuel surcharge, AA Awards impacted?
British Airways will increase its fuel surcharge on longhaul services from Tuesday, February 8.
There will be no fuel surcharge increase to any British Airways’ shorthaul services.
World Traveller and World Traveller Plus tickets will increase by £12 per sector (£24 return).
First and Club World tickets will increase by £17 per sector (£34 return)
The move reflects the continuing substantial increase in the price of oil and a 14 per cent rise in the spot price of jet fuel since our last fuel surcharge increase in December 2010.
The change will mean:
* For World Traveller flights over nine hours an increase from £76 a sector to £88. On flights of less than nine hours an increase from £63 a sector to £75.
* For World Traveller Plus flights over nine hours an increase from £94.50 a sector to £106.50. On flights of less than nine hours an increase from £73 per sector to £85.
* For First and Club World flights over nine hours an increase from £108 per sector to £125. On flights of less than nine hours an increase from £88 per sector to £105.
There will be no fuel surcharge increase to any British Airways’ shorthaul services.
World Traveller and World Traveller Plus tickets will increase by £12 per sector (£24 return).
First and Club World tickets will increase by £17 per sector (£34 return)
The move reflects the continuing substantial increase in the price of oil and a 14 per cent rise in the spot price of jet fuel since our last fuel surcharge increase in December 2010.
The change will mean:
* For World Traveller flights over nine hours an increase from £76 a sector to £88. On flights of less than nine hours an increase from £63 a sector to £75.
* For World Traveller Plus flights over nine hours an increase from £94.50 a sector to £106.50. On flights of less than nine hours an increase from £73 per sector to £85.
* For First and Club World flights over nine hours an increase from £108 per sector to £125. On flights of less than nine hours an increase from £88 per sector to £105.
Feb 4, 2011, 8:19 am
#2
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: AA 1.5 MM Exec Plat, WN A-List, DL Silver, UA nonrev
Posts: 2,593
Likely. Time will tell.
Feb 4, 2011, 9:05 am
#3
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: ORY/PCT
Programs: AA 1MM, AF Plat, VS Gold, Hyatt Glob, Sixt Diamond, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 1,150
Guess I'll be avoiding BA on my upcoming trip to India...sadly I can't avoid BA on all award itineraries.
Feb 4, 2011, 9:29 am
#4
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: 06830
Programs: AA EXP 2MM HHonors Diamond
Posts: 399
Further reason to avoid BA . . .
Feb 4, 2011, 9:44 am
#5
In Memoriam
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Always on vacation
Programs: aa exp - spg gold - Hyatt Diamond - HH Gold
Posts: 6,007
In addition it has been reported that previously exempt US taxes are now being charged for award tickets.
AA rate desk insists on charging award tix wrong (BA YQ surcharge leads to US taxes)
UPDATE: After some prodding I was able to speak directly with the AA rate desk. Turns out they had it right.
What they told me was that because I had a British Air segment from BRU-LHR they hit me with 35.50 fuel surcharge. But because of that the US gov't no longer considers this a free ticket. Therefore the gov't now insists that AA pay PFC, segment fees, hawaii tax and international arrival tax. So because the ticket is no longer free in the eyes of the US gov't, they are wanting an additional $40.90 from me.
Although I have noticed that BA website is still not charging any of these US taxes.
What they told me was that because I had a British Air segment from BRU-LHR they hit me with 35.50 fuel surcharge. But because of that the US gov't no longer considers this a free ticket. Therefore the gov't now insists that AA pay PFC, segment fees, hawaii tax and international arrival tax. So because the ticket is no longer free in the eyes of the US gov't, they are wanting an additional $40.90 from me.
Although I have noticed that BA website is still not charging any of these US taxes.
Feb 4, 2011, 9:47 am
#6
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador, AA EXP
Posts: 2,704
I just think the concept of fuel surcharges is just stupid, especially on paid travel. Fuel prices are another cost to an airline business, in addition to paying for staff, landing rights and airplanes. What's next? Charge a flight attendant surcharge?
Business expenses should be included in the ticket, they should not be a separate charge for it to create the illusion of a lower base fare.
Business expenses should be included in the ticket, they should not be a separate charge for it to create the illusion of a lower base fare.
Feb 4, 2011, 10:17 am
#7
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Programs: AA Plat
Posts: 757
I wish they'd revert to the way things were a year ago, when you couldn't redeem miles BA transatlantic from the US, but BA redemptions weren't YQ'ed up the butt.
Feb 4, 2011, 10:52 am
#8
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: USA, Europe
Programs: AAdvantage, Flying Blue, Mileage Plus
Posts: 839
Feb 4, 2011, 2:49 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,097
Increased co-pay fees for BA tickets using AAdvantage miles as of 08FEB11
Here we go again. In a press relase to boot: http://www.iagshares.com/phoenix.zht...cle&ID=1524818
Of course, thanks to AA you now have to pay AA these "fuel" surcharges when claiming your miles for a flight on BA. I'm losing track, but a roundtrip flight from the west coast to continental europe in J-cabin on BA (the only AAdvantage overnight departures from anywhere west of ORD/DFW, with the exception of LAX) will now have a co-pay of $550. Yes, fivehundredandfifty US dollars, plus the usual 100,000 AAdvantage miles. 
It's about time that they outlawed these "fuel" surcharges.
For World Traveller [Y-cabin] flights over nine hours an increase from £76 a sector to £88. On flights of less than nine hours an increase from £63 a sector to £75.
· For World Traveller Plus [W-cabin] flights over nine hours an increase from £94.50 a sector to £106.50. On flights of less than nine hours an increase from £73 per sector to £85.
· For First [F-cabin] and Club World [J-cabin] flights over nine hours an increase from £108 per sector to £125. On flights of less than nine hours an increase from £88 per sector to £105.
· For World Traveller Plus [W-cabin] flights over nine hours an increase from £94.50 a sector to £106.50. On flights of less than nine hours an increase from £73 per sector to £85.
· For First [F-cabin] and Club World [J-cabin] flights over nine hours an increase from £108 per sector to £125. On flights of less than nine hours an increase from £88 per sector to £105.
It's about time that they outlawed these "fuel" surcharges.
Feb 4, 2011, 2:51 pm
#10
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Las Vegas
Programs: DL Platinum, AA Lifetime Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Radisson Premium
Posts: 6,638
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.654 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/104)
Yea. As far as I'm concerned, BA is not an option for me if I redeemed or fly over the pond. I consider this a weak partnership considering how much they devalue our miles and upgradability when it comes to losing one AA metal frequency to LHR via JFK.
Yea. As far as I'm concerned, BA is not an option for me if I redeemed or fly over the pond. I consider this a weak partnership considering how much they devalue our miles and upgradability when it comes to losing one AA metal frequency to LHR via JFK.
Feb 4, 2011, 6:40 pm
#11
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: LHR
Programs: AA PLT
Posts: 328
I have a hold on an award seat in BA from LHR-JNB r/t. I called to confirm it this evening, and AA quoted total taxes/charges of $1,053!! That gave me pause for thought.
So I called my girlfriend, who's doing the exact same trip on her miles, to say maybe we should consider Iberia in J, and she said she'd "only" paid $693. For the exact same trip!!
I called AA back and they checked it, and came up with total taxes of...$693. Nearly $400 less than I'd been originally quoted. I asked if the error would have been noticed when I paid for the ticket, and the EXP lady said likely not. So, as I can't be the only one, there must be a number of errors in calculating the taxes/fuel surcharge, on BA, ex LHR, in a premium cabin.
Please ask for these charges to be double-checked, if you're using BA on an award.
So I called my girlfriend, who's doing the exact same trip on her miles, to say maybe we should consider Iberia in J, and she said she'd "only" paid $693. For the exact same trip!!
I called AA back and they checked it, and came up with total taxes of...$693. Nearly $400 less than I'd been originally quoted. I asked if the error would have been noticed when I paid for the ticket, and the EXP lady said likely not. So, as I can't be the only one, there must be a number of errors in calculating the taxes/fuel surcharge, on BA, ex LHR, in a premium cabin.
Please ask for these charges to be double-checked, if you're using BA on an award.
Feb 4, 2011, 6:48 pm
#12
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: msp
Programs: AA PLT 3MM, DL PM 2MM
Posts: 1,142
I have a hold on an award seat in BA from LHR-JNB r/t. I called to confirm it this evening, and AA quoted total taxes/charges of $1,053!! That gave me pause for thought.
So I called my girlfriend, who's doing the exact same trip on her miles, to say maybe we should consider Iberia in J, and she said she'd "only" paid $693. For the exact same trip!!
I called AA back and they checked it, and came up with total taxes of...$693. Nearly $400 less than I'd been originally quoted. I asked if the error would have been noticed when I paid for the ticket, and the EXP lady said likely not. So, as I can't be the only one, there must be a number of errors in calculating the taxes/fuel surcharge, on BA, ex LHR, in a premium cabin.
Please ask for these charges to be double-checked, if you're using BA on an award.
So I called my girlfriend, who's doing the exact same trip on her miles, to say maybe we should consider Iberia in J, and she said she'd "only" paid $693. For the exact same trip!!
I called AA back and they checked it, and came up with total taxes of...$693. Nearly $400 less than I'd been originally quoted. I asked if the error would have been noticed when I paid for the ticket, and the EXP lady said likely not. So, as I can't be the only one, there must be a number of errors in calculating the taxes/fuel surcharge, on BA, ex LHR, in a premium cabin.
Please ask for these charges to be double-checked, if you're using BA on an award.
Agree that at the end of the day the partnership is broken for those of us wanting to use miles. It's miles and fees with BA. Is AA desperate? And when I look at using IB from ORD it's flying "south" and then flying "north" back into Europe.
Feb 4, 2011, 7:22 pm
#13
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: LAX
Posts: 380
This whole fuel surcharge thing is causing people to avoid US-LHR route like a plague, and maybe causing people to gobble up other European routes.
I'm not seeing any J milesaaver seat from DFW to FRA, MAD, CDG, and etc over the next 6 months.
But sure enough, plenty are available for DFW-LHR flights.
I'm not seeing any J milesaaver seat from DFW to FRA, MAD, CDG, and etc over the next 6 months.
But sure enough, plenty are available for DFW-LHR flights.
Feb 4, 2011, 8:42 pm
#14
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,590
Redemptions cost more, but paid bookings in economy now earn more points. There are winners as well as losers in all of this; being able to upgrade BA is, for me, a great benefit since B class is not too expensive on the routes I would ever fly on BA
Some of us suggested when there was great excitement over the ATI that the airlines were not doing it for the customers' benefit but for their own benefits
Last edited by Dave Noble; Feb 4, 2011 at 8:58 pm
Feb 5, 2011, 12:04 am
#15
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: PHX/SFO/LAX
Programs: AA-EXP (1.7MM), BA-Slvr, HH-Diamond
Posts: 7,784
Count me as one of those who never wanted ATI. I still can't believe people here think that good things will come from allowing corporations to consort.