Galapagos Fee at Airport with Alaska Partner Award
Jan 19, 2023, 10:40 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2023
Posts: 3
Galapagos Fee at Airport with Alaska Partner Award
Hi,
I'm looking at booking a partner award using Alaska Miles through LATAM for a one way ticket between Baltra (Galapagos) - Guayaquil.
LATAM itself offers four fare classes for this flight on the Ecuadorean version of its website. Three of those four fare classes are reserved for Ecuadorean citizens, only "Plus" is available to non Ecuadoreans. If an invalid fare is chosen by the passenger, then a fee of $150 is liable imposed on the passenger at the airport (it's unclear exactly how consistently this is enforced but its definitely common). This is assessed by the government agency to ensure preferential pricing for citizens.
When booking a partner award with Alaska, however, only one option is shown, for Economy in class T. No one at Alaska or LATAM seems to know for sure whether booking this partner award will lead to a fee being assessed at the airport.
So my question here is whether anyone has any insight into whether a partner award from Alaska is a valid booking that will result in no fees, or whether there is some risk here.
Thanks.
PS: If you Google "cnh tours understanding galpagos fares", you will get helpful context on when this fee is assessed but it does not cover award fares booked through partners.
I'm looking at booking a partner award using Alaska Miles through LATAM for a one way ticket between Baltra (Galapagos) - Guayaquil.
LATAM itself offers four fare classes for this flight on the Ecuadorean version of its website. Three of those four fare classes are reserved for Ecuadorean citizens, only "Plus" is available to non Ecuadoreans. If an invalid fare is chosen by the passenger, then a fee of $150 is liable imposed on the passenger at the airport (it's unclear exactly how consistently this is enforced but its definitely common). This is assessed by the government agency to ensure preferential pricing for citizens.
When booking a partner award with Alaska, however, only one option is shown, for Economy in class T. No one at Alaska or LATAM seems to know for sure whether booking this partner award will lead to a fee being assessed at the airport.
So my question here is whether anyone has any insight into whether a partner award from Alaska is a valid booking that will result in no fees, or whether there is some risk here.
Thanks.
PS: If you Google "cnh tours understanding galpagos fares", you will get helpful context on when this fee is assessed but it does not cover award fares booked through partners.
Jan 20, 2023, 12:07 am
#2
Join Date: Dec 2021
Programs: Alaska Mileage Plan - MVP Gold
Posts: 183
Given that this fare is being offered to a USA-based partner airline, my guess it'd be similar to how LATAM doesn't even let you see the Ecuadorian resident fare on the English language site, and so this would not require the fee.
But that's just a guess. You might be able to get a firmer answer if you book the flight and look at the fare rules, but with LATAM and Avianca you can do everything by the book and whoops they sold you the wrong fare and you get hit with the fee anyway Ż\_(ツ)_/Ż
But that's just a guess. You might be able to get a firmer answer if you book the flight and look at the fare rules, but with LATAM and Avianca you can do everything by the book and whoops they sold you the wrong fare and you get hit with the fee anyway Ż\_(ツ)_/Ż
Jan 20, 2023, 11:18 am
#4
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I'm just happy to hear that there's an award travel possibility to the Galapagos. For years, the only air service there wasn't on an alliance carrier - at least not that I could ever find.
I would think a partner award offered to a network would not require Ecuadorian citizenship....but I'd still have $150 cash on me just in case.
I would think a partner award offered to a network would not require Ecuadorian citizenship....but I'd still have $150 cash on me just in case.
Jan 20, 2023, 11:29 am
#5
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Took a quick look at the fares. Seems to be about $216 for Baltra (Galapagos) - Guayaquil on any date I looked at. How much does AS want for an award? Personally, unless it was 5k miles or so, I would probably just pay cash for the “right” ticket and use my miles for something else.
Welcome to FT!
Welcome to FT!
Jan 20, 2023, 11:32 am
#6
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 561
Welcome to FlyerTalk.
Similar fares exist throughout South America. Enforcement, however, is quite inconsistent, so you'd hear different stories depending on who you ask. For your ticket specifically, I'd go out on a limb and say you won't be charged the $150 penalty, because you booked it via a foreign airline. Such penalties are enforced by the check-in agent, not an automated system, so you'd always have the opportunity to communicate (e.g. show your AS receipt). Personally, I've bought local-only fares before (in Chile) and was not questioned at all. I didn't know anything about these fares back then, and only later realized it was technically illegal to book those as a foreigner. So for people booking cash fares, it could be a gamble, whether to book the safe and expensive foreign fare, or try their luck with the local fare. But back to your case, I wouldn't worry at all.
Similar fares exist throughout South America. Enforcement, however, is quite inconsistent, so you'd hear different stories depending on who you ask. For your ticket specifically, I'd go out on a limb and say you won't be charged the $150 penalty, because you booked it via a foreign airline. Such penalties are enforced by the check-in agent, not an automated system, so you'd always have the opportunity to communicate (e.g. show your AS receipt). Personally, I've bought local-only fares before (in Chile) and was not questioned at all. I didn't know anything about these fares back then, and only later realized it was technically illegal to book those as a foreigner. So for people booking cash fares, it could be a gamble, whether to book the safe and expensive foreign fare, or try their luck with the local fare. But back to your case, I wouldn't worry at all.
Jan 20, 2023, 12:26 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2023
Posts: 3
Took a quick look at the fares. Seems to be about $216 for Baltra (Galapagos) - Guayaquil on any date I looked at. How much does AS want for an award? Personally, unless it was 5k miles or so, I would probably just pay cash for the “right” ticket and use my miles for something else.
Welcome to FT!
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Hardly the best redemption but probably still a decent one as long as there is not a $150 fee tacked on.
Given the risk, it might be best just to book cash.
Jan 20, 2023, 1:06 pm
#8
Join Date: Jan 2012
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Posts: 1,400
Could be wrong, but I thought everyone was assessed a fee upon entering the Galapagos Islands, as it is a national park. A fee is assessed just as any National Park in the United States does. Or is this an additional airport fee that I am not aware of?
Jan 20, 2023, 1:40 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2023
Posts: 3
This is independent of the Park Fee - $100 and Tourist Control Card - $20, which are mandatory.
This is a fee imposed strictly on foreigners who purchase fare classes reserved for Ecuadoreans. Generally, it's easy to identify what those are. But that is not as simple with partner awards.
This is a fee imposed strictly on foreigners who purchase fare classes reserved for Ecuadoreans. Generally, it's easy to identify what those are. But that is not as simple with partner awards.