badgersfly

Thanks for the help, I think I'm going to take the risk and hope that something opens. All total I need a QF seat in business to open and two flights to open on AA. Not bad, I think.

2millionquest

In between now and next October, if you have some time, you might want to read through old threads both here and in the MR forums, not to mention the stickies. There's a lot of good advice and anecdotal information to be gleaned from just browsing through threads while watching the Sunday game or frittering away an afternoon where you ought to be cleaning the garage, et cetera.

Good luck! I hope everything works out well for you and that you and your GF have a fabulous trip!

badgersfly

Okay, I am at T minus 7 hours to ticket my 2 explorer awards. Wouldn't you know it, I've run into tax issues. The AA agent quoted me a total of $1262 per ticket in taxes/fees. However, when I run it through ITA, I get a different total. Here is my routing in business class:
STL-LAX AA
LAX-HKG CX
HKG-JNB CX
JNB-SYD QF
SYD-AKL QF
AKL-HKG CX
HKG-CDG CX
BOD-MAD IB
MAD-EZE IB
EZE-DFW AA
DFW-STL AA

Here is what ITA shows for that routing:
CX YQ surcharge (YQ) $1.10
US September 11th Security Fee (AY) $5.00
US Passenger Facility Charge (XF) $9.00
AA YR surcharge (YR) $140.10
US International Departure Tax (US) $16.70
CX YR surcharge (YR) $280.20
South Africa Passenger Service Charge (ZA) $36.50
South Africa Air Passenger Tax (WC) $21.70
South Africa Passenger Safety Charge (EV) $1.80
South Africa Passenger Services and Security Charge (UM) $2.30
Australian Int'l Passenger Service Charge (WY) $27.00
QF YQ surcharge (YQ) $320.00
Australian Passenger Movement Charge (AU) $57.40
Australian Int'l Passenger Service Charge (WY) $27.00
New Zealand Passenger Service Charge (KK) $14.50
New Zealand Passenger Security Charge (IA) $7.40
New Zealand Passenger Service Charge (KK) $14.50
Hong Kong Departure Tax (HK) $15.50
CX YR surcharge (YR) $140.10
IB YQ surcharge (YQ) $216.10
French Aviation Civile Tax (FR) $5.40
French International Passenger Service Charge (QX) $6.90
French Airport Tax (FR) $10.70
French Air Passenger Solidarity Tax (IZ) $50.80
Spanish Airport Services Charge (JD) $26.70
Spanish Security Tax (QV) $4.90
USDA APHIS Fee (XA) $5.00
US Immigration Fee (XY) $7.00
US Customs Fee (YC) $5.50
Argentina Airport Tax (XR) $33.15
Argentina Immigration Tax (QO) $10.00
Argentina Security Tax (TQ) $10.00
US International Arrival Tax (US) $16.70
US September 11th Security Fee (AY) $2.50
US Passenger Facility Charge (XF) $4.50
$1,553.65

Now that total is $1553, but when I take out the YR and YQ charges (which if I have read this thread correctly, do not apply) I get something closer to $673, and that is before I take out the IB YQ charge (which I believe I read somewhere tops out at 30 euro).

Am I missing something or is AA quoting me the wrong taxes/fees? Just to make sure I heard the agent correctly, I asked if the taxes/fees were for each ticket, and she said yes. Maybe she was just confused and that was actually the combined total?

Thanks!

guv1976

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

badgersfly, call back, and if you get the same high quote per ticket, remind the agent that AA award tickets are exempt from YQ/YR surcharges on AA, CX, and QF flights, and are subject to much smaller surcharges than cash tickets are for IB flights. Insist that the agent mention this to the tariff desk, and request that the award be re-fared. Escalate to a supervisor, if necessary.

(This is not the first time that AA has quoted incorrect fees on international award tickets.)

Good luck!

badgersfly

Thanks for the quick reply and I will do that right away!

badgersfly

Guv, I owe you a beer! Just over an hour on the phone!

Talked to the initial agent who called the rate desk twice after I specifically told her that YQ/YR doesn't apply, and when I asked her what my options were said, "Your option is to not fly if you don't like the fees."

Well, I hate asking for supervisors but I politely asked if there might be a supervisor that could help. The supervisor initially had the same song and dance that the fees are accurate. I again pointed out that they didn't apply and she went back again to the rate desk. After being on hold for a while she came back to say that the rate desk put her on hold and had to call their help desk! Finally she came back and said, "You know what, you're right". Amazingly taxes/fees went from $1262 per ticket down to $518 per ticket!! Which, ironically enough, comes in very close to what ITA was showing without YR/YQ.

If it wasn't for your help Guv, and everyone that has contributed to this thread, I would have been shelling out some serious cash! Instead, I am booked, and feel blessed to be able to fly around the world for just under $1100 with my wife to be!

guv1976

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

Congrats! Glad that it worked out for you.

Another poster reported a similar problem on this forum a while back, and had to speak to four different agents before finding one who understood exactly what the problem was! It's truly a shame that AA can't get its act together in this area, but at least there's FlyerTalk.

rrgg

After reading some recent complaints about awards it's pretty encouraging you were able to ticket that award.. Congratulations.

beofotch

I just successfully ticketed in business class yesterday 2x:

CLT-MIA-LIM-CUZ AA/LA
CUZ-LIM LA
LIM - SCL LA (I wanted LIM - IPC / IPC - SCL but LIM-IPC is unbookable right now due to Sabre glitch)
SCL-MDZ LA
MDZ-AEP LA
AEP - IGR - LA
OPEN JAW
NOU - SYD - MEL QF
MEL - CNS QF
CNS - SYD QF
SYD - DFW - CLT QF

Taxes and fees were $361.79 per ticket.

I had them put in the reservation notes that LIM - IPC existed but was unbookable due to LAN reservation system issues - so if it comes back to life they can potentially reticket without fees.

beofotch

I paid $150 each to reticket since the LIM - IPC / IPC - SCL became available. The supervisor would not waive the reticket fee:

CLT-MIA-LIM-CUZ AA/LA
CUZ-LIM LA
LIM - IPC LA
IPC - SCL LA
SCL-MDZ LA
MDZ-AEP LA
AEP - IGR - LA
OPEN JAW
NOU - SYD - MEL QF
MEL - CNS QF
CNS - SYD QF
SYD - DFW - CLT QF
150k points in Business Class Each

2millionquest

This is one of the few times I would suggest calling CS and asking that the fee be refunded. It's not your fault there is a computer-systems-won't-talk-to-each-other problem that makes it difficult to ticket LAN segments. It's a known issue.

Although the rule is that once a OW trip is ticketed there are change fees if you make changes, your case is different. You even had them notate it in your record.

Make the call; I would.

aversion

Hi all,
I've been trawling through this thread to try and get as much information as possible to book my own business class explorer award, but I still need some clarification on a few things.
The routing I'm looking to do is:

MEL CNS - QF late Sept 2013
CNS POM - QF (econ)
POM CNS - QF (econ)
CNS BNE - QF
BNE HKG - CX
HKG KTM - CX/KA early/mid Oct
KTM HKG - CX/KA mid Nov
HKG NRT - CX/JL
NRT HEL - JL/AY late Nov
HEL AMS - AY
AMS BCN - IB
BCN BOG - IB early Dec
Open Jaw
MEX DFW - AA March/April 2014
DFW SYD - QF
SYD MEL - QF

According to gcmap, the total mileage comes to 34973 miles.

My first concern is about the DFW-SYD leg...As QF 8 on this route goes via BNE, is the mileage calculated - as far as an award booking is concerned - as DFW-SYD direct or as DFW-BNE-SYD as the flight is routed? The second method will tip me over the 35000 mile mark.

Secondly, how likely will I be able to find business class availability on this routing around the times listed?

Also, as this trip is likely to last between 5 and 8 months, how do I go about booking this ie. when should I start booking flights and how do I work around the 'valid one year from issuance rule'?
Cheers!

guv1976

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

Mileage on all direct flights (including those with intermediate stops) will be calculated as if nonstop.

IB does not fly AMS-BCN on its own metal. Codeshares operated by Vueling cannot be obtained with AA miles.

My guess is that the DFW-SYD flight might be the toughest to obtain in Business. (AA only makes award flights available to AAdvantage members 331 days in advance of departure. But QF FFP members can book QF award flights 355 days out, as can members of some other oneworld FFP's.)

For absolute safety, you would have to wait until five days before your last segment became bookable, and then put all the other segments on a five-day hold. Then, call back on the day the hold expires, and add the last segment, if it's available.

You could try to book the award earlier, using dummy dates for the later segments, and then trying to change those dates after ticketing, when your "real" dates become bookable. But this is a very risky strategy, as award availability might never open up on one of the later flights, and you might find yourself stranded in Europe, or South or North America, with no way to get home.

JohnAx

Travelers with 3 or more segments within South America (and arriving on a OW airline) should look into OneWorld Visit-South-America Airpass. I've hooted about them in the LAN forum and won't repeat myself, but note that the really-really cheap fares I quoted have increased some 30%. Generally books into B (so not biz for those who need that perk), great availability, almost as flexible as Y - $50 or so for any change, including rerouting at will)

Book these through AA RTW desk. LAN has a similar but different offering booked through their site for those who prefer that. No personal experience.

beofotch

I called and they looked into it and said the tickets were re-instated but they don't see anywhere that the $150 is charged - so it appears like they didn't charge it even though they said they would. Oddly enough going LIM-IPC-SCL instead of LIM - SCL brought the taxes/fees down by a few dollars. The ticket has been reissue and our cards charged today. So it looks like it worked out!^^