canadiancow

I got a call back from Aeroplan about the Passenger Facility Charge, but it was at a really inopportune time so I didn't have the PDF in front of me and couldn't extend the conversation very long.

The person who called me basically said that because I've "paid a published fare" to earn the miles, that it wasn't a free ticket. But my reading of that section makes it pretty clear that an Aeroplan booking certainly qualifies as a "Frequent flyer award certificate".

She confirmed that Aeroplan remits all the PFC fees to the FAA, and suggested that if I have further concerns, that I contact the FAA.

I'd like to call back now that I'm sitting in front of a computer with that clause, but the caller id was 514-395-0300, and she didn't give me a number. Sigh.

jautis

In similar fashion, I had a J-reward booking for two to Africa via GRU made prior to March 1st to secure J-inventory on big flights. When I booked, UA inventory for small connections required to 'get home' from JNB-IAD return segment was not released, so I took a temporary solution requiring a shuttle to DCA. I waited until Mar 1 when both UA inventory was released and new YQ rules were in force, made an itinerary change to return from IAD and paid the 90$ change fee. Agent said her computer told her I would get a large refund from the AC YQ, but it would have to go through re-ticketing for final calculations. Waited to see if refund held. New inventory & re-ticketing issued today. Refund still in-place.

Plan B was to cancel and rebook, IFF I could match the original itinerary in J.

FlyerTalker683455

Well that could have saved the second $30 booking fee. Oh well.

Hellfire

I have a SE friend, anyway for me as a non-SE to take advantage of this? i.e.) If I give them booking authorization on my AP account? Or do they have to book a trip for me using their AP points?

alc

Booking made by the SE's account.

canadiancow

I just changed a flight from:
ARN-CPH (I) SK
CPH-YYZ (X) AC
YYZ-SFO (I) AC

to:
ARN-MUC (I) LH
MUC-FRA (I) LH
FRA-YYZ (I) AC
YYZ-SFO (I) AC

to confirm J now.

There was no YQ, even with the LH segments. Interesting

montezume

Aeroplan doesn't seem to charge YQ when the transatlantic flight is YQ free. That's what I have noticed booking TK flights through AP. So I guess now that you don't have to pay YQ on AC, it translates into getting your intra european flights YQ free.

pokee

I am a bit late to this party! I didn't even hear about the YQ waiver for Elite members until I stumbled upon this post. My hubby has Prestige, so I got all excited until I saw the chart and saw that he would only have YQ waived in Canada and the US. Meh. Won't help us on the big trip we have planned for the family to Europe...

I did play around with the multi-city tool on the Aeroplan website and it's super frustrating that United flights don't even seem to come up on the website anymore - and all connecting flights to/from Europe seem to come through LHR (yay, MORE taxes and fees) - even when flying to/from SK hubs! I had to include IAH as a stopover just to see if I could finally get an overseas SK flight to show up!

When I am ready to book award flights to Europe, I wish I could somehow avoid the 2 hour YQ-free agent phone call, $30x4 fees, (and probably multi-agent fiasco)...I thought this was my golden ticket...

rankourabu

The website is designed to rip people off by prefering AC flights, even if the TATL on AC is in Y and a short segment is in J. Nothing you can do about it, but spend $33.90 on a phone call

canadiancow

Called in this morning to switch SFO-YYZ-CPH-ARN (YYZ-CPH was in PY and it didn't look hopeful for getting bumped up to J) to SFO-LHR-ARN, with SFO-LHR in UA F.

The agent said "Oh you're going to get a huge refund of taxes since you're flying UA now."

He was really surprised, and didn't understand until I mentioned I was Super Elite. Then he had an "aha!" moment.