Broader fuel surcharges coming to Aeroplan
Nov 9, 2011, 8:20 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 379
Broader fuel surcharges coming to Aeroplan
Following on the heels of this summer’s award chart adjustments that saw many awards increase in cost it appears that Aeroplan, the loyalty program associated with Air Canada, is also adjusting the surcharges they levy on certain award redemptions. Specifically, it appears that the YQ fuel surcharge, to date only levied against redemptions on Air Canada flights, is now applying to flights operated by Lufthansa and Austrian.With Aeroplan as one of the last great redemption options for the American Express Membership Rewards program this move also devalues those points a bit. Not great news at any level.
Nov 9, 2011, 8:22 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM SK EBG LATAM BL
Posts: 23,308
Nov 9, 2011, 8:22 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,784
Just read Lucky's blog post too, WOW, AE is really going down
It's a good thing I used up my 100K by July 15, but wow...
Aeroplan begins imposing fuel surcharges without advance notice on Star Alliance awards!
http://boardingarea.com/blogs/onemil...liance-awards/
It's a good thing I used up my 100K by July 15, but wow...
Aeroplan begins imposing fuel surcharges without advance notice on Star Alliance awards!
http://boardingarea.com/blogs/onemil...liance-awards/
Well, with absolutely no advance notice, they’ve started imposing fuel surcharges for partner redemptions, including on ANA, Asiana, Lufthansa, and Thai. So far they’re not charging them on Singapore, Swiss, and United, though that may very well change too.
Last edited by jerryhung; Nov 9, 2011 at 8:37 pm
Nov 9, 2011, 8:43 pm
#5
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Calgary
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 771
And its the sneaky, under-hand, surreptitious, quiet and conniving way that this is implemented that makes it all the worse. No announcement, no warning.
Thats it folks! Take it or leave it!
If its true, (and its certainly getting momentum now), its no surprise to me.
Eventually these "loyalty" programmes are going to be so devalued, they will be become not worth the bother at all.
Thats it folks! Take it or leave it!
If its true, (and its certainly getting momentum now), its no surprise to me.
Eventually these "loyalty" programmes are going to be so devalued, they will be become not worth the bother at all.
Nov 9, 2011, 8:44 pm
#6
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: CHI
Programs: UA 1K, MR Titanium, IHG Gold, National Exec
Posts: 3,841
Nov 9, 2011, 8:55 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 379
drum roll... really BAD 2012 choices for the AP loyalty program.
NEGATIVE is an understatement. Glad we have flyertalk.com to see what AP and AC does NOT offer anymore. Bring on the competition!
Nov 9, 2011, 9:21 pm
#8
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,849
I had been saving up for a RTW in F with my wife, but the prior "enhancement" put a stop to that. Not a big deal I thought, we'll deal with J or Y (we're used to it). Now with fuel surcharges on *A partners, it's just not worth it. Aeroplan is bordering on what the kids might call "craptacular".
Just yesterday I did a dummy booking for YYZ-PRG-SIN-YYZ in May. Total was $300 or so for Y. Today it's $729 (including a $529.60 fuel surcharge). The same combination of flights can be had on Travelocity for $2304. That gives my Aeroplan miles a value of just over 2%. Total rubbish!
Just yesterday I did a dummy booking for YYZ-PRG-SIN-YYZ in May. Total was $300 or so for Y. Today it's $729 (including a $529.60 fuel surcharge). The same combination of flights can be had on Travelocity for $2304. That gives my Aeroplan miles a value of just over 2%. Total rubbish!
Last edited by yyzvoyageur; Nov 9, 2011 at 9:28 pm
Nov 9, 2011, 9:32 pm
#9
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,147
I'd like to know what a mini-RTW costs in fuel surcharges now. I've been saving up for half a year to take a mini-RTW in F for 175K two years from now. I can't see what AE will price the surcharges at since online of course it says "not enough miles to book." Will this still be affordable with the new YQ? If it's like 1 or 2K that's doable, but if it's like a $600 surcharge per segment, 5 long-hauls or so will be $3000, so that'd be really out of my (student) budget...
Could anyone try a dummy booking if they have (near) 175K miles?
Could anyone try a dummy booking if they have (near) 175K miles?
Nov 9, 2011, 9:33 pm
#10
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: YYZ/DLC
Programs: AP, HHonours Diamond
Posts: 3,722
Nov 9, 2011, 9:35 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM SK EBG LATAM BL
Posts: 23,308
If one is savvy enough - you can still probably avoid YQ.
99.999% of people will get robbed though.
Usually YQs are in the range of $200-$400 per longhaul segment - so yes, it will add up.
Nov 9, 2011, 9:46 pm
#12
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: Aeroplan *E, Marriott Elite Silver
Posts: 146
Nooooooooooooooo
I spent so much time saving for a trip to Japan. Then the tsunami happened and the nuclear stuff, and I postponed booking the trip. I was going to book it in December when I found out about my 2012 work travel schedule. This totally blows. I swear, if it's true then I am cancelling my aeroplan Amex (1.5% cashback card I had was better) and am going back to flying the cheapest airline I can find (often out of Buffalo). Sucks
I spent so much time saving for a trip to Japan. Then the tsunami happened and the nuclear stuff, and I postponed booking the trip. I was going to book it in December when I found out about my 2012 work travel schedule. This totally blows. I swear, if it's true then I am cancelling my aeroplan Amex (1.5% cashback card I had was better) and am going back to flying the cheapest airline I can find (often out of Buffalo). Sucks
Nov 9, 2011, 10:32 pm
#14
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC 75k, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 1,154
And its the sneaky, under-hand, surreptitious, quiet and conniving way that this is implemented that makes it all the worse. No announcement, no warning.
Thats it folks! Take it or leave it!
If its true, (and its certainly getting momentum now), its no surprise to me.
Eventually these "loyalty" programmes are going to be so devalued, they will be become not worth the bother at all.
Thats it folks! Take it or leave it!
If its true, (and its certainly getting momentum now), its no surprise to me.
Eventually these "loyalty" programmes are going to be so devalued, they will be become not worth the bother at all.
