Fuel surcharge probably to be added on Eurobonus Award tickets soon

[GetAA81Back2ARN]

Our travel agent received information today that starting next week (15JUL?) the fuel surcharge will increase again. Why????

But even worse: fuel surcharges will now be added on award tickets!

I think she get the information from SAS Sales but maybe someone can confirm this?

I certainly hope this is a false rumour.

[Richey66]

confirmed from www.sassalesinfo.com


Amendment of Fuel Surcharge (YQ)
Effective 15JUL09, SK, KF and WF will increase the fuel surcharge.



Valid from this date, EuroBonus award tickets will no longer be excluded from YQ surcharge.

[GetAA81Back2ARN]

Amazing

The price for fuel (regular gas I know) is low at the moment. Oil price have been rather steady for a while. So there is no real reason to increase the surcharge. SAS will probably even decrease the fares to remain on the same (advertised) level as now.

Adding the surcharge to the award inventory is another great way to **** their loyal customers. Especially those who really struggle to get enough points for a bonus trip before the points expire.

This brilliant idea from SAS just raised the "free" ticket price on domestic Swedish flights with SEK198, to Europeean destinations with SEK328 and a flight to Tokoy with SEK2600!!!

And all this before they have even raised the fuel surcharge.

[fcl]

So I guess it was a Pyrrhic victory won in The STOP RUINING Eurobonus thread

I must say it is excellent timing to announce this in the middle of the vacation period when everyone is paying close attention...

I guess now the hope is that the practise of non-cost related permanent fuel surcharges are banned by the authorities.

[Chriscross]

Originally Posted by fcl

So I guess it was a Pyrrhic victory won in The STOP RUINING Eurobonus thread

I guess now the hope is that the practise of non-cost related permanent fuel surcharges are banned by the authorities.

Really hope that they will banne fuel surcharges soon. Has EU looked into this as they did with roaming with mobile phones?

Is there any other FF-programs that don't collect the fuel surcharge now?

[Fredrik74]

Originally Posted by GetAA81Back2ARN

The price for fuel (regular gas I know) is low at the moment.

I'd say it's really high and the oil price too. Remember that last year was a record year so just because it's lower now doesn't mean its low.

To be honest, SAS need the money and almost all other airlines do this so why not them? This was not unexpected.

[WilcoRoger]

With this move in my eyes SAS just gives up probably the ONLY thing it has had over other FFPs.

[view]

For real?! Just when I think SAS are starting to get their act togehter, they go ahead and pull cr*p like this... nice going, too bad I renewed by EBG already

[Helsinki Flyer]

Was to be expected. But still this makes Eurobonus even less attractive than it has been. I know that LH, BMI, AF-KLM, AY and the rest are doing it too, but all of the other programs have something else that make them better programs than EB, expect for maybe Lying Blue. Most other programs offer some sort of elite upgrades, good redemption offers or something. SAS seems to rely heavily on Scandinavians being their very own captive market.

[Helsinki Flyer]

All there´s left worth using the miles are last minute trips intra Scandinavia and hotel redemptions as they canno´t charge for fuel at hotels. How long do you think they´ll have the co-operation with Radisson Blu?

[SK_RSJ]

There is a one thing I particularly don´t like about this one. It is that they are about to change the rules without any communication to members.
If they introduce the YQ charge on awards there is weak incentive to choose SAS for awards. At least I will get to try some other *A carriers in C now...

[naitkris]

The cost of fuel should be part of the ticket price and now adding it to EuroBonus award tickets is the nail in the coffin for SAS & EuroBonus.

If this is definitely happening - once I've used all my points it's bye bye SAS, and once my Gold card expires it's bye bye SK EB and hello LH M&M, BD DC, or TK M&S!!

[henry999]

Originally Posted by naitkris

...once I've used all my points it's bye bye SAS, and once my Gold card expires it's bye bye SK EB and hello LH M&M, BD DC, or TK M&S!!

Mrs999 and I jumped ship about a year and a half ago and in that time have enjoyed some nice advantages in the BD DC. Unfortunately, bmi has now been taken over by LH and it is widely anticipated that the DC will be rolled into M&M within the next year or so.

Originally Posted by SK_RSJ

If they introduce the YQ charge on awards there is weak incentive to choose SAS for awards.

Even with YQ, other plans can be more attractive than EB. I recently had an award flight HEL-CDG, return, on KF. Booking through EB would have cost 30 000 points, while with DC it was only 12 000.

cheers,

Henry

[view]

Just because competitors do it, doesn't mean it's a good idea for SAS to introduce this poor practice, which hopefully is soon outlawed by the EU so that the "surcharge" is included in the ticket price as should be.

The only reason I keep most my earnings to Diamond Club is the (still) great premium redemptions, until it becomes Miles and Less. The very good redemptions still justify DC, despite the fuel surcharges.

[naitkris]

Originally Posted by view

The only reason I keep most my earnings to Diamond Club is the (still) great premium redemptions, until it becomes Miles and Less. The very good redemptions still justify DC, despite the fuel surcharges.

Agreed. I already made Blue Plus status with Diamond Club (3000 miles only needed) which is way below BD*S and yet this lowly status will give me a free snack and drink on every short BD flight that has BOB never got anything like this with SK as a SK*S or SK*G