YQ waiver is going to be fun...
Mar 1, 2015, 12:57 pm
#91
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So for the transport tax we have heard these two excuses:
1. Its not a $0 ticket (well, now it is - and they collect it on UA metal - with zero YQ anway)
2. AE is a seperate entity - bullocks - so is Avios.
So its like the mob - but we always collected protection money - so it must be ok
Mar 1, 2015, 12:58 pm
#92
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Here is the full section:
The bolded part is important. It says "zero fare", not "zero cost". I would argue that YQ is not part of the fare, right? Either way, I didn't pay any YQ on my bookings.
And even a month ago I booked two people on a roundtrip domestic UA, and was charged a $9 XF (the code for Passenger Facility Charge). There was no YQ on that booking.
The main statement on the phone was "we've always collected this".
6-15. FREQUENT FLYER AWARDS. Section 204 of the Federal Aviation
Administration Authorization Act of 1994, Public Law No. 103-305, enacted on
August 23, 1994, [codified at 49 U.S.C. 40117(e)(2)(C)], precludes collection of a PFC
from a passenger enplaning at an airport if the passenger did not pay for the air
transportation which resulted in such enplanement, including any case in which the
passenger obtained the ticket for the air transportation with a frequent flyer award
coupon without monetary payment.
The FAA interprets this provision to prohibit the collection of PFC's from passengers
considered to be nonrevenue passengers under existing DOT Regulations and from
passengers who obtained their ticket with an award coupon issued under a frequent
flyer or similar bonus award program ("frequent flyer award coupon"). For purposes of
this provision, the FAA considers a "frequent flyer award coupon" to be a zero-fare
award of air transportation that an air carrier or foreign air carrier provides to a
passenger in exchange for accumulated travel mileage or trip credits in a customer
loyalty program. The definition of "frequent flyer award" does not extend to redemption
of accumulated credits for awards of additional or upgraded service on trips for which
the passenger has paid a published fare. The FAA does not construe §204 as applying
to "two-for-the-price-of-one" and similar marketing programs, or to air transportation
purchased for a passenger by other parties.
Administration Authorization Act of 1994, Public Law No. 103-305, enacted on
August 23, 1994, [codified at 49 U.S.C. 40117(e)(2)(C)], precludes collection of a PFC
from a passenger enplaning at an airport if the passenger did not pay for the air
transportation which resulted in such enplanement, including any case in which the
passenger obtained the ticket for the air transportation with a frequent flyer award
coupon without monetary payment.
The FAA interprets this provision to prohibit the collection of PFC's from passengers
considered to be nonrevenue passengers under existing DOT Regulations and from
passengers who obtained their ticket with an award coupon issued under a frequent
flyer or similar bonus award program ("frequent flyer award coupon"). For purposes of
this provision, the FAA considers a "frequent flyer award coupon" to be a zero-fare
award of air transportation that an air carrier or foreign air carrier provides to a
passenger in exchange for accumulated travel mileage or trip credits in a customer
loyalty program. The definition of "frequent flyer award" does not extend to redemption
of accumulated credits for awards of additional or upgraded service on trips for which
the passenger has paid a published fare. The FAA does not construe §204 as applying
to "two-for-the-price-of-one" and similar marketing programs, or to air transportation
purchased for a passenger by other parties.
And even a month ago I booked two people on a roundtrip domestic UA, and was charged a $9 XF (the code for Passenger Facility Charge). There was no YQ on that booking.
The main statement on the phone was "we've always collected this".
Mar 1, 2015, 1:00 pm
#93
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I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt on this, but I will definitely post back when I get a return call.
Also, I have a very strong suspicion that all that money has been going to the FAA. I don't think they're just pocketing it. Not sure that makes a difference, but it might make recovery more challenging.
Mar 1, 2015, 1:02 pm
#94
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Just like you have a strong suspicion, I also have a very strong suspicion that the FAA has not been seeing a penny of these "taxes", and that AC is pocketing it.
Mar 1, 2015, 1:03 pm
#95
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I was comparing the north america flight that I booked this morning where the only different now between Market Fare and classic flight is the NAV CAN charge. This is where Market Fare do not charge NAV CAN & YQ for N.A. flights while ClassicFlight only waived the YQ as discuss on this thread.
So, in related to the NAV CAN charge discussion above, not sure why AP charge it on one and not on the other.
So, in related to the NAV CAN charge discussion above, not sure why AP charge it on one and not on the other.
Mar 1, 2015, 1:09 pm
#96
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Since this is the big one, let's try to figure out what the heck this is.
Mar 1, 2015, 1:14 pm
#97
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Mar 1, 2015, 1:16 pm
#98
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I agree that something smells, and I'm more than happy to be the guy who goes through Aeroplan for this, with reasonable documentation.
Mar 1, 2015, 1:31 pm
#99
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Mar 1, 2015, 2:20 pm
#100
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I'm FAR more interested in why a previous poster said a Market Fare wasn't charging the Nav Canada fee.
When I get home I'm going to look up the US Transportation Tax to see when it's supposed to be charged though.
Mar 1, 2015, 2:23 pm
#101
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I agree that something strange is happening, but having looked up the Nav Canada fee, there is no reason I could find to not charge it on all tickets. Airlines pay a fixed cost per flight to Nav Canada, not per revenue passenger. UA doesn't have to charge the 9/11 fee, right? They just have to pay it to the FAA or TSA or whomever, for every passenger, regardless of whether they collected it. The Nav Canada fee is like that. UA is paying, per flight, regardless of who's on it or what fare they paid. The fact that it isn't collected doesn't mean it can't or shouldn't be collected.
I'm FAR more interested in why a previous poster said a Market Fare wasn't charging the Nav Canada fee.
When I get home I'm going to look up the US Transportation Tax to see when it's supposed to be charged though.
I'm FAR more interested in why a previous poster said a Market Fare wasn't charging the Nav Canada fee.
When I get home I'm going to look up the US Transportation Tax to see when it's supposed to be charged though.
This is the same ethos as why Air Miles devalued their award chart and upped the point usage to hid the YQ (their biggest complaint surprise surprise).
Last edited by kwflyer; Mar 1, 2015 at 3:17 pm
Mar 1, 2015, 2:25 pm
#102
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I agree that something strange is happening, but having looked up the Nav Canada fee, there is no reason I could find to not charge it on all tickets. Airlines pay a fixed cost per flight to Nav Canada, not per revenue passenger. UA doesn't have to charge the 9/11 fee, right? They just have to pay it to the FAA or TSA or whomever, for every passenger, regardless of whether they collected it. The Nav Canada fee is like that. UA is paying, per flight, regardless of who's on it or what fare they paid. The fact that it isn't collected doesn't mean it can't or shouldn't be collected.
When I get home I'm going to look up the US Transportation Tax to see when it's supposed to be charged though.
When I get home I'm going to look up the US Transportation Tax to see when it's supposed to be charged though.
Mar 1, 2015, 2:41 pm
#103
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So yes, they're all paying the fee.
Mar 1, 2015, 2:57 pm
#105
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I can't really find any documentation on the US International Transportation/Departure/Arrival Tax, other than a chart of current and historical amounts, and a little blurb saying it applies to all departing/arriving passengers.
Certainly nothing like the 200 page PDF on the Passenger Facility Charge.