Miles & More (Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss, and other partners) - Time for M&M to drop fuel surcharge on short-haul awards

BA has done it. Now AF/KL have done it - time for LH to match. I am tired of having to pay EUR 120,- for a simple short return (one leg out one leg back), just for 'taxes and fees' when the same city pair might be sold for EUR 99,- 'all in' for other dates.

I can hardly think of anyone who wouldn't agree, but knowing LH, the expulsion of fuel surcharge would probably result in a mileage hike.

I am hoping for peer pressure (but see your point). AF/KL and BA have done it without increases and their short-haul awards have become attractive again.

LH can charge of fuel surcharge as long it is a surcharge - meaning the 'surcharge' can be only part of the actual fuel burnt and never be more than the total fuel bill for the flight. Based on that, YQ for intra-German flights should be somewhere around 10 EUR.

I can hardly think of anyone who wouldn't agree, but knowing LH, the expulsion of fuel surcharge would probably result in a mileage hike.

Right now the 15000 miles for the tax & surcharge are worth more than 120€, but in effect AF/KL and BA looked to provide such a facility with their new scheme. I 'buy' my miles at roughly 0.8-1cpm via subscriptions and the like, so if offered intra Europe awards at 40000+ miles I would probably recoil. Its also prevents people to collect miles if the regular awards start at 40-50000 points

here is the breakdown for a MUC-VIE return in the upcoming weeks:

Adults
Fuel and Security Surcharge EUR 86.00
Air Transport Tax EUR 7.50
Passenger Service Charge - Intl EUR 18.76
Airport Security Charge EUR 5.32
Passenger Service Charge (PAX) EUR 17.90
Other tax/charge EUR 8.00
Passenger Security Charge EUR 7.70
Total EUR 151.18

BA just packages the total at some GBP 27-35 (I think). AF simply removes the equivalent of the EUR 86 above, but does not change the rest (miles required and remaining taxes and fees). Both options are infinitely superior to the 15,000 miles IMO.

I recently booked an award ticket for a flight within Spain on Air Berlin.
Big surprise: a total of 7,53 EUR fees per passenger ^

Apparently this is both for paid tickets and award tickets. Fuel surcharge: 0

Fuel and Security Surcharge EUR 86.00


now even cooler, hiding it behind the "security" buzzword, too... :rolleyes:

I hear that starting next year it will cost 18000 miles to cover tax+fees for intra-european awards (now 15000). Can anyone confirm?

Right now the 15000 miles for the tax & surcharge are worth more than 120€, but in effect AF/KL and BA looked to provide such a facility with their new scheme.


BA charges £13.50 in taxes-etc each-way on single sector European "reward saver" tickets - and allows completely free add-ons from provincial UK airports.

For Euro-land residents, the charge is EUR13.50

For Gold Card holders (BA Senators) there are no additional fees for cancelations or changes.

Long-haul is a less generous environment.

BA charges £13.50 in taxes-etc each-way on single sector European "reward saver" tickets - and allows completely free add-ons from provincial UK airports.

For Euro-land residents, the charge is EUR13.50

For Gold Card holders (BA Senators) there are no additional fees for cancelations or changes.


Also the fare bucket for redemption tickets is different for BA gold card holders compared to the lower tier members, there are more seats available. I've had no trouble booking tickets Helsinki-London even a few days before travel and even on friday nights and sunday nights. 27e for a return trip and it's changeable/cancellable for free as well. This explains why I shifted almost all my flights to BA from LH.

It's a totally stupid idea that LH will sell tickets HEL-FRA-BHX for 180e when a redemption ticket will cost 238e in fees and taxes. The "fees and taxes" for a redemption ticket are then obviously not just fees and taxes but a way to get revenue from redemption tickets. Even a six year old could work that out.

It's a totally stupid idea that LH will sell tickets HEL-FRA-BHX for 180e when a redemption ticket will cost 238e in fees and taxes. The "fees and taxes" for a redemption ticket are then obviously not just fees and taxes but a way to get revenue from redemption tickets. Even a six year old could work that out.

... and consumer protection agencies are sleeping, doing nothing about this. Which is surprising since it is "average Joe" who is hit the most. The occasional private traveller will - at best - earn enough points for a European award. Which then turns out to be a scam.

Also the fare bucket for redemption tickets is different for BA gold card holders compared to the lower tier members, there are more seats available. I've had no trouble booking tickets Helsinki-London even a few days before travel and even on friday nights and sunday nights. 27e for a return trip and it's changeable/cancellable for free as well. This explains why I shifted almost all my flights to BA from LH.

It's a totally stupid idea that LH will sell tickets HEL-FRA-BHX for 180e when a redemption ticket will cost 238e in fees and taxes. The "fees and taxes" for a redemption ticket are then obviously not just fees and taxes but a way to get revenue from redemption tickets. Even a six year old could work that out.

Yes, you are sooo right: the nice people in BA open up V (I think) for Gold redemptions in economy.

My LH horror story was a EUR280 charges on a London to Warsaw weekend redemption. OK, it involved a FRA connection, but still ....