Feb 22, 2019, 9:45 am
Last edit by: JDiver
Help with British Airways / BA and IB / Iberia Surcharge / YQ (AA award on BA or IB)
Please see here for the current thread.
Intra-European awards using BA have significantly lower carrier imposed charges; some members may find using AA or other partner transatlantic connecting to BA may be acceptable.
NOTE: Paying YQ may trigger a host of other taxes and fees otherwise not charged on awards that do not include carrier imposed surcharges such as YQ. Flights within the Americas are YQ exempt.
As this is still flying on an award, these carrier imposed surcharges do not qualify for EQM or EQD earning.
Be sure to read the oneworld and Other Airline (Partner) Awards info, rules 2014 on thread wiki for information on searching for and finding alternative flights or those not shown on aa.com, which airlines' websites can find those, etc.
Read more about BA Carrier Imposed Surcharges
Fuel Surcharge for AA award redemptions on BA are up - again.
Partner airline awards now bookable on AA.com (AB, AS, AY, BA, HA, HG, QF, RJ, US)
Does AA push most of its European Awards to BA to collect fuel surcharges?
Charts from TravelIsFree for the three alliances and how you will pay (or avoid) YQ: http://travelisfree.com/2014/04/15/m...surcharges-yq/
HELP DESK: MileSAAver / SAAver award questions, assistance
AA oneworld and Other Airline ("All Partner") Award information, rules (2015 on)
Originating a flight in the UK incurs an Air Passenger Duty, reduced for seats with less than 40" seat pitch (except those originating from originating in BFS / Northern Ireland, Scottish Highlands (INV) or Islands, and connections less than 24 hours do not incur UK Air Passenger Duty, though they do incur airport Passenger Service Charges). Separate topic, dealt with:
UK APD / Air Passenger Duty charged for UK departures (Master Thread); defines what the APD is in the wikipost.
Avoiding crazy UK "APD" taxes when transferring through LHR on separate tickets
*Note: BA now calls the YQ a "carrier imposed surcharge" after complaints about the so-called original "fuel surcharge" language. As of October 2017 BA seems to be calling the YQ an "Insurance and Security Surcharge".
ARCHIVE: Avoiding YQ Surcharge: AA award on BA / British (& Iberia - 2012-2016)
Feb 19, 2016, 5:48 am
#631
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 184
What's this $1815.12 fee? taxes?
Someone really should pursue a class action regarding fuel surcharges which do not fall even when the price of fuel plummets
Feb 19, 2016, 6:10 am
#632
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: NYC, SLC, LAX
Programs: AA EXP, UA Plat
Posts: 3,952
They are no longer considered fuel surcharges. That's just how people refer to them colloquially.
The fees are actually Carrier Imposed Charges.
The fees are actually Carrier Imposed Charges.
Feb 19, 2016, 6:29 am
#633
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
"Someone" would lose pretty quickly. BA doesn't call them "fuel surcharges" anymore. They are now "Carrier Imposed Charges." That is neither false nor deceptive and whether you like them or not, they are clearly disclosed.
Feb 19, 2016, 6:37 am
#634
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Signatures
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: London, England
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, National Exec, AA EXP Emeritus
Posts: 9,765
~Moderator
Feb 19, 2016, 6:58 am
#635
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 184
Actually I guess we'll have to wait & see http://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/lawsuit-news/252515-cert-sought-british-airways-fuel-surcharge-class-action-lawsuit/
Feb 19, 2016, 10:00 am
#636
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
Whilst not wishing to defend BA's YQ nonsense, you are familiar with the hedging contracts that airlines enter into, right?
Feb 19, 2016, 10:53 am
#637
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: SFO, SJC
Programs: Restarting life as UA newb; AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 914
So... yes... these were all BA flights.
I'm so bummed out. 140k miles + $1800? A bit hard to swallow.
Are there combinations that would allow me to go to france on AA using miles without having to pay BA?
I'm so bummed out. 140k miles + $1800? A bit hard to swallow.
Are there combinations that would allow me to go to france on AA using miles without having to pay BA?
Feb 19, 2016, 10:58 am
#638
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,682
There are plenty of routes that can reduce BA travel to just a intra-eu segment . If you travel economy within EU , it would be about $30 each way in surcharges rather than the $460 ( or $690 if booked as a round trp )
Feb 19, 2016, 11:38 am
#639
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
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"Combinations" of what? Do you have any points/miles other than BA Avios available to you? There is no way to fly AA across the Atlantic on BA Avios without getting hit with hefty surcharges.
If you fly another BAEC partner like EI, you'll pay minuscule surcharges for the TATL flights (EI flies SFO-DUB), but you'll pay a lot more Avios: BAEC only offers "off-peak" Avios pricing on BA flights.
Originally Posted by dtc
So... yes... these were all BA flights.
I'm so bummed out. 140k miles + $1800? A bit hard to swallow.
Are there combinations that would allow me to go to france on AA using miles without having to pay BA?
I'm so bummed out. 140k miles + $1800? A bit hard to swallow.
Are there combinations that would allow me to go to france on AA using miles without having to pay BA?
If you fly another BAEC partner like EI, you'll pay minuscule surcharges for the TATL flights (EI flies SFO-DUB), but you'll pay a lot more Avios: BAEC only offers "off-peak" Avios pricing on BA flights.
Feb 19, 2016, 11:48 am
#640
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: SFO, SJC
Programs: Restarting life as UA newb; AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 914
All I have are AA miles. And a wife who really hates connections.
This is especially upsetting/shocking since I'm cancelling a trip to Tahiti which I paid for using miles... was also Y+J... and the cash component of that trip was like $100 or something petty.
This is especially upsetting/shocking since I'm cancelling a trip to Tahiti which I paid for using miles... was also Y+J... and the cash component of that trip was like $100 or something petty.
Feb 19, 2016, 11:52 am
#641
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,682
AA and AB both have transatlantic services for which there is no surcharge applicable . IB is another option - it has surcharges but they are quite small
If BA is available and no other route has award availability, then you will then just have to choose between travel or not travel
Feb 19, 2016, 12:02 pm
#642
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The same AA partner that flies to Tahiti (Air Tahiti Nui) also flies LAX-CDG nonstop. Call AA and ask about award availability on that flight. @:-)
Originally Posted by dtc
All I have are AA miles. And a wife who really hates connections.
This is especially upsetting/shocking since I'm cancelling a trip to Tahiti which I paid for using miles... was also Y+J... and the cash component of that trip was like $100 or something petty.
This is especially upsetting/shocking since I'm cancelling a trip to Tahiti which I paid for using miles... was also Y+J... and the cash component of that trip was like $100 or something petty.
Feb 19, 2016, 12:06 pm
#643
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,682
Do be aware that this may require 2 awards for SFO-LAX and LAX-CDG since TN only has a constructed fare from SFO-LAX - but if allowed as a single award would indeed be another surcharge free option
Feb 19, 2016, 12:15 pm
#644
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And if separate awards are required, I would consider just buying a SFO-LAX Coach fare. But be aware that there would be no protection then in the case of IRROPS, since TN is not a oneworld carrier.
Originally Posted by Dave Noble
Do be aware that this may require 2 awards for SFO-LAX and LAX-CDG since TN only has a constructed fare from SFO-LAX - but if allowed as a single award would indeed be another surcharge free option
Feb 19, 2016, 3:41 pm
#645
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: YYC, SFO, OAK
Programs: AS MVP 75K, AA Platinum, IHG Platinum, Club Carlson Gold
Posts: 734
I've booked SFO-LAX-CDG for friends this past Xmas and it priced as 1 award