Overcharged for EY award booking on AA
Mar 28, 2014, 10:46 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2012
Programs: Delta Gold, Alaska Gold 75K, LATAM Black
Posts: 3,393
Overcharged for EY award booking on AA
So I booked 5 award flights with Etihad Airways miles for flights on AA MIA - LIM. If I make a mock booking for the same flight on AA.com, the taxes and fees per person is $24.50, but I was charged $44.50 per person booking with Etihad- which is $100 too much. Below is exactly what was paid
Fare: USD 5.00
Taxes/Fees/Carrier-Imposed Charges:
USD 17.5 US2 (US INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORTATION TAX)
USD 2.50 AY (US SECURITY FEE)
USD 15.00 DY (INTERNATIONAL TURISM ARRIVAL TAX)
USD 4.5 XF (US PASSENGER FACILITY CHARGE)
TOTAL 44.5 ( per person !)
---questionable charges, per person--
Fare: USD 5.00
Tax: USD 15.00 DY (INTERNATIONAL TURISM ARRIVAL TAX)
Should I be paying a Fare per person on an award ticket? I know I need to address this with etihad, but what do I ask to be removed? If somebody could help break this down for me it would be much appreciated. Thank you.
Fare: USD 5.00
Taxes/Fees/Carrier-Imposed Charges:
USD 17.5 US2 (US INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORTATION TAX)
USD 2.50 AY (US SECURITY FEE)
USD 15.00 DY (INTERNATIONAL TURISM ARRIVAL TAX)
USD 4.5 XF (US PASSENGER FACILITY CHARGE)
TOTAL 44.5 ( per person !)
---questionable charges, per person--
Fare: USD 5.00
Tax: USD 15.00 DY (INTERNATIONAL TURISM ARRIVAL TAX)
Should I be paying a Fare per person on an award ticket? I know I need to address this with etihad, but what do I ask to be removed? If somebody could help break this down for me it would be much appreciated. Thank you.
Mar 28, 2014, 11:01 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,588
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.601 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
"Free" award tickets (of the type that AA offers on this route), are not subject to the U.S. International Departure/Arrival tax. Once there is any "fare" component on an award ticket, the award is no longer considered "free," and the U.S. International tax kicks in.
You need to find out why EY is charging a $5 "fare" on one of their award tickets.
"Free" award tickets (of the type that AA offers on this route), are not subject to the U.S. International Departure/Arrival tax. Once there is any "fare" component on an award ticket, the award is no longer considered "free," and the U.S. International tax kicks in.
You need to find out why EY is charging a $5 "fare" on one of their award tickets.
Mar 28, 2014, 11:15 am
#3
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Signatures
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: London, England
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, National Exec, AA EXP Emeritus
Posts: 9,765
As this booking was made using Etihad miles, I'm moving over to the Etihad Guest forum for further discussion by the experts there.
~Microwave
AAdvantage Forum Co-moderator
~Microwave
AAdvantage Forum Co-moderator
Mar 28, 2014, 11:23 am
#4
Join Date: Apr 2010
Programs: AA Platinum, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 731
This is a known issue on EY. I reported this before: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20883186-post5.html. Etihad consistently adds some revenue component and insists that this is necessary to charge in order to price an award booking. Arguing with EY is pointless since they refuse to fix this issue. I would suggest you do a few things:
1. Take screenshots from the operating carrier's site showing the correct award taxes
2. Dispute the charge with your credit card company and show them the correct taxes - these are US government taxes that EY is illegally charging
3. File a DOT complaint ASAP
EY is ripping people off by doing this and refuses to fix the issue.
Edit: Also to add, the Manchester call center is generally much worse than the Mumbai call center so if you get the Manchester one, I would suggest HUCA.
1. Take screenshots from the operating carrier's site showing the correct award taxes
2. Dispute the charge with your credit card company and show them the correct taxes - these are US government taxes that EY is illegally charging
3. File a DOT complaint ASAP
EY is ripping people off by doing this and refuses to fix the issue.
Edit: Also to add, the Manchester call center is generally much worse than the Mumbai call center so if you get the Manchester one, I would suggest HUCA.
Mar 28, 2014, 11:33 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2012
Programs: Delta Gold, Alaska Gold 75K, LATAM Black
Posts: 3,393
Overcharged for EY award booking on AA
Wow.
I even asked when I was booking and the agent says "sorry I cannot tell you what fees you are being charged"-
The credit card I used is Peruvian based so complaining to my bank will be fruitless. I am going to call etihad argue about this though- it is BS!
Will look into filing a dot complaint
I even asked when I was booking and the agent says "sorry I cannot tell you what fees you are being charged"-
The credit card I used is Peruvian based so complaining to my bank will be fruitless. I am going to call etihad argue about this though- it is BS!
Will look into filing a dot complaint
Apr 2, 2014, 11:16 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: DFW
Programs: AA 1M
Posts: 31,475
Apr 19, 2014, 11:35 am
#8
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 23
This has happened to me before. They insisted they cannot have a $0 fare, since it doesn't work on AA bookings with Etihad Guest miles. For me, they put a $1 fare, but then taxes, etc become much higher.
I gave in, since I had already spent several phone calls with them to get the reward booking done and was glad I was at least able to use the miles before expiring.
Of course, it is not correct what they are doing.
I gave in, since I had already spent several phone calls with them to get the reward booking done and was glad I was at least able to use the miles before expiring.
Of course, it is not correct what they are doing.
Apr 22, 2014, 4:40 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2012
Programs: Delta Gold, Alaska Gold 75K, LATAM Black
Posts: 3,393
This has happened to me before. They insisted they cannot have a $0 fare, since it doesn't work on AA bookings with Etihad Guest miles. For me, they put a $1 fare, but then taxes, etc become much higher.
I gave in, since I had already spent several phone calls with them to get the reward booking done and was glad I was at least able to use the miles before expiring.
Of course, it is not correct what they are doing.
I gave in, since I had already spent several phone calls with them to get the reward booking done and was glad I was at least able to use the miles before expiring.
Of course, it is not correct what they are doing.
Nov 2, 2014, 4:00 am
#10
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: New York City
Posts: 3,506
Hello all
Apologies for bringing up this old thread. Has anyone had any recent experience with using EY miles for AA flights? Are they still charging high fees as previously discussed? I also notice that the link to the AA award table is now not working on the EY website.
Apologies for bringing up this old thread. Has anyone had any recent experience with using EY miles for AA flights? Are they still charging high fees as previously discussed? I also notice that the link to the AA award table is now not working on the EY website.
Nov 11, 2014, 4:17 am
#11
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: New York City
Posts: 3,506
Hello all
Sorry to push this thread up again. Just wondering if anyone has had any recent experience with using EY miles for AA flights? Are they still charging high fees as previously discussed?
Sorry to push this thread up again. Just wondering if anyone has had any recent experience with using EY miles for AA flights? Are they still charging high fees as previously discussed?