Insidious growth of surcharges for *A RTW
Nov 12, 2006, 8:04 pm
#1
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Insidious growth of surcharges for *A RTW
No, I am not referring to fuel surcharges (although they are also insidious). I am referring to the increasing number of flights/services that are no longer included in the base fare of *A RTWs 
(refer SK version of the rules).
SU Surcharges
(refer SK version of the rules).SU Surcharges
- AC
- Business sleeper surcharge:
AC business sleeper seat is available for passengers paying business class RTW fares at a surcharge of USD250/CAD300 on A345 YYZ/HKG vv. nonstop service.
The surcharge must be reflected as a Q-surcharge after the applicable sector.
No surcharge applies for passengers paying first class RTW fares.
AC business class RTW passengers will travel in economy class without surcharge. No refund will apply.
Children pay the full business sleeper surcharge.
- Business sleeper surcharge:
- SK
- Business sleeper surcharge:
SK business sleeper is available for passengers paying business class RTW fares at a surcharge of USD600/CAD850.
Exception:
The surcharge is JPY70 000 when sold in Japan.
The surcharge must be reflected as a Q-surcharge after the applicable sector.
No surcharge applies for passengers paying first class RTW fares.
Children pay the full business sleeper surcharge.
SK business sleeper is booked in A-class. - Economy extra surcharge:
SK economy extra is available for passengers paying economy class RTW fares at a surcharge of USD300/CAD360.
The surcharge must be reflected as a Q-surcharge after the applicable sector.
No surcharge applies for passengers paying first/business class RTW fares. Children pay the full economy extra surcharge.
SK economy extra is booked in Y-class.
- Business sleeper surcharge:
- NZ
- Pacific Premium Economy class surcharge on
AKL-LON/LAX/SFO vv.
AKL - SIN v.v
AKL/CHC - NRT v.v
HKG - LON v.v. (WEF 28OCT06)
NZ Pacific premium economy is available for passengers paying economy class RTW fares at a surcharge of USD300/CAD360
The surcharge must be reflected as a Q-surcharge after the applicable sector.
No surcharge applies for passengers paying first/business class RTW fares
NZ Pacific premium economy is booked in E-class.
For the purpose of the rule AKL - LHR is considered two sectors ie AKL - LAX/LAX - LHR and LHR - AKL is considered two sectors ie LHR - LAX/LAX - AKL. - When booking business class, if D not available or not offered on NZ operated service use C for a USD350.00 sector Q surcharge. For the purpose of this rule AKL-LHR VV flights to be considered as 2 sectors. (Note this is not in the surcharge section of the rules but rather the booking classes).
- Pacific Premium Economy class surcharge on
- TG
- Royal Silk/Premium economy surcharge(s) on nonstop BKK-NYC vv. and BKK - LAX vv transpacific services TG790/791 and TG794/795 operated by A345.
The surcharges will be added to business and economy class RTW passengers travelling on A345 nonstop services as follows:
Adult/child/infant
Business class USD/CAD 500/675, 375/494, 50/66
Premium economy class USD/CAD 300/360, 225/270, 30/36
The surcharge must be reflected as a Q-surcharge after the applicable sector.
No surcharge applies for passengers paying first class RTW fares.
TG Royal silk class is booked in - C-class - and premium economy class is booked in U-class.
- Royal Silk/Premium economy surcharge(s) on nonstop BKK-NYC vv. and BKK - LAX vv transpacific services TG790/791 and TG794/795 operated by A345.
- SQ
- 77W
SIN-HKG v.v. SQ862 / SQ861 USD300 (from 06DEC06)
SIN - PAR v.v. SQ334 / SQ333 USD500 (from 05DEC06)
SIN - MXP v.v. SQ378 / SQ377 USD500 (from 11DEC06)
SIN - BCN v.v.SQ378 / SQ377 USD500 (from 11DEC06) - Please note SQ A345 flights SIN - LAX/EWR will no longer be allowed on the RTW with effect from sale on/after 01DEC06
- 77W
Last edited by Kiwi Flyer; Nov 15, 2006 at 5:21 pm
Nov 12, 2006, 9:03 pm
#2
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Tucson - Seattle
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I am very concerned that this has started. Is there a pattern here? Is there a reason that some flights/routes have the LARGE surcharges?
Some of those fees would add a pretty good chunk to a CRTW.
Some of those fees would add a pretty good chunk to a CRTW.
Nov 12, 2006, 9:15 pm
#3
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In the case of genuine premium economy it is understandable to have a surcharge as an option to get into a higher cabin.
However this is not the case for the current SQ executive economy (non-stops LAX-SIN vv and EWR-SIN vv) where there is only one economy class of travel for the flight. Note this surcharge is not included in the opening post since it appears these flights are no longer allowed on the RTW at all!
Where the cabin just has high demand (eg SQ's 77W or AC's sleeper), it doesn't seem right to me to add a surcharge.
However this is not the case for the current SQ executive economy (non-stops LAX-SIN vv and EWR-SIN vv) where there is only one economy class of travel for the flight. Note this surcharge is not included in the opening post since it appears these flights are no longer allowed on the RTW at all!
Where the cabin just has high demand (eg SQ's 77W or AC's sleeper), it doesn't seem right to me to add a surcharge.
Nov 12, 2006, 10:30 pm
#4
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Tampere
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Posts: 3,237
Originally Posted by Kiwi Flyer
[*]Please note SQ A345 flights SIN - LAX/EWR will no longer be allowed on the RTW with effect from sale on/after 01DEC06
cheers,
Henry
Nov 13, 2006, 6:21 am
#5
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: From and of Boston.
Posts: 4,973
Agree with you, Kiwi Flyer, and thanks for bringing this to the fore. If the trend continues, RTW seats will be available only on the least desirable flights, unless you want to pay a hefty surcharge. All of the surcharges seem unfair; the US$300 for the short HKG-SIN flight seems absolutely insane.
Nov 13, 2006, 8:48 am
#6
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Washington DC; UA Premier Exec, Starwood Gold, Hilton Silver
Posts: 399
I agree. It is one thing for there to be a surcharge for premium economy or for the sleeper seats on SK where there is normally a surcharge for a regular ticket.
SQ seems to be the worst offender in this area. As a previous poster mentioned, SIN-HKG is hardly a "special" flight worthy of a large surcharge.
SQ seems to be the worst offender in this area. As a previous poster mentioned, SIN-HKG is hardly a "special" flight worthy of a large surcharge.
Nov 13, 2006, 1:03 pm
#7
Join Date: Sep 2005
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Originally Posted by IAD777
I agree. It is one thing for there to be a surcharge for premium economy or for the sleeper seats on SK where there is normally a surcharge for a regular ticket.
SQ seems to be the worst offender in this area. As a previous poster mentioned, SIN-HKG is hardly a "special" flight worthy of a large surcharge.
SQ seems to be the worst offender in this area. As a previous poster mentioned, SIN-HKG is hardly a "special" flight worthy of a large surcharge.
It is UA Metal, IIRC, and would count toward CR1-E500 mileage.
It is only a 3-1/2 hour flight.
Nov 13, 2006, 1:10 pm
#8
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Originally Posted by grayland
Actually, the only thing that sets SG862 apart from the others is the departure time of around 11:30 am. UA 896 leaves earlier at about 7 am.
It is UA Metal, IIRC, and would count toward CR1-E500 mileage.
It is only a 3-1/2 hour flight.
It is UA Metal, IIRC, and would count toward CR1-E500 mileage.
It is only a 3-1/2 hour flight.
Nov 13, 2006, 2:56 pm
#10
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It seems SQ believes so. I think it is ridiculous. There will always be some routes/airlines/aircraft in higher demand than others. To single some out with an extra charge isn't on.
Nov 15, 2006, 5:11 pm
#11
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SIN - MEL v.v. SQ378 / SQ377 USD500 (from 11DEC06)
SIN - BCN v.v.SQ378 / SQ377 USD500 (from 11DEC06)
SIN - BCN v.v.SQ378 / SQ377 USD500 (from 11DEC06)
I assume you meant MXP and not Melbourne.
I have seen the rumours here that MEL is due for one of the planes at some stage, but assumed it will be half way through 2007.
Is it likely that the surchargees will be dropped when the new SQ Seats become more widely available?
Thanks,
Nov 18, 2006, 1:42 am
#13
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It is a disappointing trend. And a blow to all the clever FT planning which lets us travel the world for fractions of a dollar per mile. 
But think of the alternative: if some flights are so popular that the airlines can sell all the seats at premium prices, they could just set the availablitility for RTW booking class buckets to zero (until a few days before the flight, if it isn't sold out). The one upside to the surcharge route is that the flights are likely to have availability for RTW itineraries. Not what FTers want to hear! But commercial logic from an airline perspective.
But think of the alternative: if some flights are so popular that the airlines can sell all the seats at premium prices, they could just set the availablitility for RTW booking class buckets to zero (until a few days before the flight, if it isn't sold out). The one upside to the surcharge route is that the flights are likely to have availability for RTW itineraries. Not what FTers want to hear! But commercial logic from an airline perspective.
Nov 18, 2006, 11:43 am
#14
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,777
Originally Posted by IAD777
I agree. It is one thing for there to be a surcharge for premium economy or for the sleeper seats on SK where there is normally a surcharge for a regular ticket.