Aug 28, 2013, 10:24 am
Last edit by: Microwave
American have confirmed that there is no change to the fuel surcharges being levied on awards, as posted by AmericanAirlines in post #157:
Last night, in a routine effort to better align American to industry standards with other global carriers, American began collecting carrier-imposed surcharges on tickets for travel on other carrier’s metal. This change was intended for revenue tickets only, but the surcharge was erroneously added to AAdvantage award redemptions on other airlines as well. Except in the cases of British Airways and Iberia (where American currently collects these surcharges), no carrier-imposed surcharges will be applied when redeeming AAdvantage miles for award travel on other carriers. Any customers who encountered this fee in error will be fully refunded.
AA adds fuel surcharges on some international awards? [NO]
Aug 28, 2013, 8:16 am
#76
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: US CP, DL GM, AA Plat
Posts: 729
This pretty much means a devaluation for UA is coming.
Aug 28, 2013, 8:16 am
#77
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: SDQ/MIA
Programs: AA PLT, B6 Mosaic, Marriott Platinum, FPC/Accor Platinum, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 1,062
Why is everyone having kittens about this?
AA says they'll charge YQ on those airlines that charge it. They weren't before, and I'm sure each individual airline was pissed about that. I highly doubt it is correct that AA will charge them on AA tickets, or AB or whatever else...AS, HA, etc., if they are not part of that airline's policies. As with BA they're now collecting something they should have been in the first place, consider ourselves lucky we got away with it for so long.
Now, if this includes a NEW policy of YQ on AA, have puppies; kittens are too small.
Frankly IMHO they should outlaw it period. A 'carrier imposed surcharge' is called a fare. Include it in the price. (And similarly, a 'free' ticket really should be free of all fares and fees that go directly to the airline itself.)
AA says they'll charge YQ on those airlines that charge it. They weren't before, and I'm sure each individual airline was pissed about that. I highly doubt it is correct that AA will charge them on AA tickets, or AB or whatever else...AS, HA, etc., if they are not part of that airline's policies. As with BA they're now collecting something they should have been in the first place, consider ourselves lucky we got away with it for so long.
Now, if this includes a NEW policy of YQ on AA, have puppies; kittens are too small.
Frankly IMHO they should outlaw it period. A 'carrier imposed surcharge' is called a fare. Include it in the price. (And similarly, a 'free' ticket really should be free of all fares and fees that go directly to the airline itself.)
Aug 28, 2013, 8:18 am
#78
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: CLE
Programs: UA GS+LT UC, AA EXP+LT PLT, Fairmont LT PLT, Marriott PLT, Hilton DIA, Hyatt Glob, Avis CHM
Posts: 4,673
Aug 28, 2013, 8:21 am
#79
Join Date: Dec 2007
Programs: Aeroplan, BMI, Hyatt, SPG, PC
Posts: 606
So ALL of them decided to impose surcharges on the same day without notice? Laughable. Make no mistake that AA benefits from this.
Aug 28, 2013, 8:25 am
#80
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: AA 1.5 MM Exec Plat, WN A-List, DL Silver, UA nonrev
Posts: 2,593
AA has been confirming this change via Twitter, however the specific details are still fuzzy.
As more details become available, a Wikipost might be added with important, relevant information.
/Moderator
As more details become available, a Wikipost might be added with important, relevant information.
/Moderator
Last edited by miamigrad; Aug 28, 2013 at 9:03 am
Aug 28, 2013, 8:29 am
#81
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Chicagoland, IL, USA
Programs: WN CP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,193
It appears to me that AA is trying in all possible ways to piss off its current elite members: First offering a "targeted" fast-track-to-elite offer to all non-elite members, excluding its current elites. Then introducing this ridiculous BA/QF like fuel surcharge to dilute the value of AAdvantage miles.
All this makes me regret going for EXP last year.
Aug 28, 2013, 8:32 am
#82
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Finally back in Boston after escaping from New York
Posts: 13,644
Aug 28, 2013, 8:33 am
#83
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: BOS
Posts: 588
This is obviously terrible news... but right now it looks like there are no extra charges on AA metal (yet) and at least one carrier that doesn't charge YQ doesn't have increased fees on awards (EY). Since I am most interested in EY, looks like I'm safe for now (until EY decides to start charging YQ).
Aug 28, 2013, 8:33 am
#84
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: SDQ/MIA
Programs: AA PLT, B6 Mosaic, Marriott Platinum, FPC/Accor Platinum, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 1,062
Aug 28, 2013, 8:34 am
#85
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: BOS
Programs: Recovering AA flyer, LT PLT 2.6 MM
Posts: 1,543
As a BOS flyer, I'm already at a good will deficit. It seems like AA has stopped simply not caring about my business and is now starting to actively reject it.
Aug 28, 2013, 8:35 am
#86
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: ROC/NYC/MSP/LAX/HKG/SIN
Posts: 3,215
Just ticketed KUL-HKG-JFK all in J five minutes ago. If I put REP in with MH metal before the CX legs, $145USD YQ for one-way. No YR for CX yet.
In the present, I don't think there will be more award availability for anybody. It's going to be the same, as we have to burn the miles in some fashion. This is going to be a huge game changer for me who has to pick the flights if some charge and some don't. MH is definitely going to charge it.
UA is the last one. I sense something bad is going to happen for them as well.
In the present, I don't think there will be more award availability for anybody. It's going to be the same, as we have to burn the miles in some fashion. This is going to be a huge game changer for me who has to pick the flights if some charge and some don't. MH is definitely going to charge it.
UA is the last one. I sense something bad is going to happen for them as well.
Aug 28, 2013, 8:48 am
#87
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: AA LT G (1MM);DL G, UA GM
Posts: 2,028
Aug 28, 2013, 8:49 am
#88
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: AA GLD, Marriott PLT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,900
ughh...
I always had this feeling that sitting on a pile of miles was somewhat foolish. This confirms it.
I always had this feeling that sitting on a pile of miles was somewhat foolish. This confirms it.
Aug 28, 2013, 8:52 am
#89
Suspended
Join Date: May 2009
Location: DFW
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum, Hilton HHonors Gold
Posts: 2,863
Just ticketed KUL-HKG-JFK all in J five minutes ago. If I put REP in with MH metal before the CX legs, $145USD YQ for one-way. No YR for CX yet.
In the present, I don't think there will be more award availability for anybody. It's going to be the same, as we have to burn the miles in some fashion. This is going to be a huge game changer for me who has to pick the flights if some charge and some don't. MH is definitely going to charge it.
UA is the last one. I sense something bad is going to happen for them as well.
In the present, I don't think there will be more award availability for anybody. It's going to be the same, as we have to burn the miles in some fashion. This is going to be a huge game changer for me who has to pick the flights if some charge and some don't. MH is definitely going to charge it.
UA is the last one. I sense something bad is going to happen for them as well.
Aug 28, 2013, 8:54 am
#90
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 33,539
We burn them for hotel stays, and these have no added fees, unless the hotel has things like "resort fees" and these are passed along. These stays are a great use of miles.
We rarely redeem award flights as out flights are paid for status. As a result, this won't impact us much, if at all. Negative-direction changes are never a good thing. But, if a chance like this prevents others (well, I can hope
), then I'm going to be OK with it.
Cheers.
We rarely redeem award flights as out flights are paid for status. As a result, this won't impact us much, if at all. Negative-direction changes are never a good thing. But, if a chance like this prevents others (well, I can hope
), then I'm going to be OK with it.Cheers.