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)
Jul 8, 2012, 5:31 pm
#121
Join Date: Mar 2006
Programs: American Airlines, starwood
Posts: 206
Update. I finally got a hold of a helpful agent at AA and she checked partner flights to get us from SFO to Paris. The only thing she found was on Air Berlin. We'd get ourselves to LA and 3 flights later we'd be in Paris. I can't cope with that many flights. Yes the fees were much less. Someone will probably complain I'm too picky, but that's too bad. I'm a nervous flier and I don't need that many take offs and landings, so we'll pay the big taxes.
I appreciates everyone's input. And I will also try sk3's advice on searching AA.com.
I appreciates everyone's input. And I will also try sk3's advice on searching AA.com.
Jul 8, 2012, 5:51 pm
#122
Join Date: Dec 2010
Programs: AA
Posts: 62
It su©ks, I completely agree. I've recently reported on the MileSAAver thread about the dearth of J and F seats on AA's LAX-LHR.
But I'm replying to you just to make sure you're aware of AA.com's kinks and that you know how to see the availability (if any!) excluding BA's flights. There's no doubt other ways to do it, but here's what I do:
On the AA.com homepage in the blue box on the left side of the screen, fill in your cities, dates, select "Redeem AAdvantage Miles" and I suggest always beginning a search for just one passenger (if you find availability you can always go back and then search the same date for 2 ppl etc, but this way gives you a sense of what's out there). I also recommend selecting "Dates Flexible", even if yours aren't, because this will pull up the whole month and again, it gives you a sense of what's out there.
[And here's the important part] Then on the bottom left of that blue box click on "More Flight Search Options". Then on the new screen that opens, scroll down to "6. What are Your Carrier Preferences?" and select "AA, American Eagle and AmericanConnection®"
(Without doing this step, the "AA + AAdvantage Participating Airlines" is the default search which incorporates BA).
Then click on the "Go" on the right hand side.
If you already knew this, well, then maybe it will help someone else.
Best of luck to you robin13.
But I'm replying to you just to make sure you're aware of AA.com's kinks and that you know how to see the availability (if any!) excluding BA's flights. There's no doubt other ways to do it, but here's what I do:
On the AA.com homepage in the blue box on the left side of the screen, fill in your cities, dates, select "Redeem AAdvantage Miles" and I suggest always beginning a search for just one passenger (if you find availability you can always go back and then search the same date for 2 ppl etc, but this way gives you a sense of what's out there). I also recommend selecting "Dates Flexible", even if yours aren't, because this will pull up the whole month and again, it gives you a sense of what's out there.
[And here's the important part] Then on the bottom left of that blue box click on "More Flight Search Options". Then on the new screen that opens, scroll down to "6. What are Your Carrier Preferences?" and select "AA, American Eagle and AmericanConnection®"
(Without doing this step, the "AA + AAdvantage Participating Airlines" is the default search which incorporates BA).
Then click on the "Go" on the right hand side.
If you already knew this, well, then maybe it will help someone else.
Best of luck to you robin13.
Jul 8, 2012, 6:44 pm
#123
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Airline nobody. Sad!
Posts: 26,062
Thanks for the tip! I guess what I really am wondering is why there are not many AA metal flights from DFW to LHR. Last year I had no problem booking a first class flight from DFW - LHR with my miles but this year it seems all the flights are using BA metal which has huge taxes to go with it. I know everyone says that the first class experience is so much better with BA but I can't afford the huge taxes. Does anyone know why there are so many flights out of DFW using BA metal instead of AA metal?
Jul 8, 2012, 6:51 pm
#124
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 2,741
Thanks for the tip! I guess what I really am wondering is why there are not many AA metal flights from DFW to LHR. Last year I had no problem booking a first class flight from DFW - LHR with my miles but this year it seems all the flights are using BA metal which has huge taxes to go with it. I know everyone says that the first class experience is so much better with BA but I can't afford the huge taxes. Does anyone know why there are so many flights out of DFW using BA metal instead of AA metal?
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...solidated.html
The consensus definitely is that it's far harder to book award seats on AA metal than in years past, especially in the premium cabins - there are many threads here on the topic with many unhappy FTers.
And on the Traveling Better site see the last few pages of their MileSAAver thread for a more informed discussion with similar conclusions:
post May19 '12 MilesAAver awards missing (important update Aug 9)
Jul 8, 2012, 6:52 pm
#125
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 2,741
Jul 8, 2012, 6:58 pm
#126
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Little dot in Asia
Programs: AA-EP, TK-*G, HL-DM, HY-GLO, MR-LTP
Posts: 25,932
Update. I finally got a hold of a helpful agent at AA and she checked partner flights to get us from SFO to Paris. The only thing she found was on Air Berlin. We'd get ourselves to LA and 3 flights later we'd be in Paris. I can't cope with that many flights. Yes the fees were much less. Someone will probably complain I'm too picky, but that's too bad. I'm a nervous flier and I don't need that many take offs and landings, so we'll pay the big taxes.
I appreciates everyone's input. And I will also try sk3's advice on searching AA.com.
I appreciates everyone's input. And I will also try sk3's advice on searching AA.com.
Just so you know.. even after redeeming your J class business award, you cannot select specific seats unless you pay something like $100 'extra' per seat (I'm not sure if its that or GBP 50 or thereabouts). You may however just wait till 72 hours prior to departure for OLCI.
This is specifically only for BA. Other airlines don't have this fee.
Last edited by Guy Betsy; Jul 8, 2012 at 7:08 pm
Jul 8, 2012, 6:58 pm
#127
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Airline nobody. Sad!
Posts: 26,062
Even assuming, if AA and BA were releasing the same number of seats (no 3-class F on the 763), 3-4x availability on AA, those AA seats will go first for most people. Unless someone really wants the BA experience and is willing to pay for it, they will take AA due to how much less it costs. And it is widely believed that AA is releasing fewer seats overall, adding to that crunch.
Jul 8, 2012, 7:01 pm
#128
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: DFW, DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat, SWA A-list +
Posts: 1,007
I think what people want to asertain is whether AA is releasing the same number of seats per aircraft as BA. Unfortunately, only AA knows.
Jul 8, 2012, 7:11 pm
#129
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Little dot in Asia
Programs: AA-EP, TK-*G, HL-DM, HY-GLO, MR-LTP
Posts: 25,932
Jul 8, 2012, 7:54 pm
#131
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 140
suppose a little high tax
this is why i never seen london or fly threw england threw any of my flights to europe.....stuff like this come from robbers.....thanks for info
Jul 8, 2012, 8:06 pm
#132
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Benicia, California, USA
Programs: AA PLT,AS,UA PP,J6,FB,EY,LH,SQ,HH Dmd,Hyatt Glbl,Marriott Plat,IHG Plat,Accor Gold
Posts: 10,820
It is not only possible, it shall be done. (It requires doing some scutwork looking for similar threads, creating a mod note or header post and doing some mergeology.)
Thanks, all, for your valued input.
JDiver, for the AA moderator team (say "mod squad" and we may have to kill you...)
Thanks, all, for your valued input.
JDiver, for the AA moderator team (say "mod squad" and we may have to kill you...
)
Jul 8, 2012, 8:22 pm
#133
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 2,741
Update. I finally got a hold of a helpful agent at AA and she checked partner flights to get us from SFO to Paris. The only thing she found was on Air Berlin. We'd get ourselves to LA and 3 flights later we'd be in Paris. I can't cope with that many flights. Yes the fees were much less. Someone will probably complain I'm too picky, but that's too bad. I'm a nervous flier and I don't need that many take offs and landings, so we'll pay the big taxes.
I appreciates everyone's input. And I will also try sk3's advice on searching AA.com.
I appreciates everyone's input. And I will also try sk3's advice on searching AA.com.
I understand not wanting a lot of connections and being willing to pay more for that. That's why more than a few people opt to use more miles and book AAnytime awards - and some like you reason that it's worth the financial cost.
Assuming you'll go ahead and book SFO-LHR-CDG all on BA you should know (in case you don't already!) that in the event AA's flights later open up, you can change your tickets and get those fees refunded. In fact, it happened earlier today - seen here.
So if it was me I'd religiously check AA.com for availability on AA's MIA-CDG, DFW-CDG, JFK-CDG, ORD-CDG. That's a lot of flights to Paris. Predicting award availability is impossible, but luck could be on your side. In fact in that same MilesAAver thread it was just reported that CDG seats just appeared briefly.
I just priced what a roundtrip award seat would cost for SFO-xxx-CDG on AA metal - I used AAnytimes - it would be $89.30 per ticket. So if MilesAAvers became available on those AA flights you'd get refunded $2,304.80
Given these circumstances paying for an Expert Flyer subscription that could give you alerts when AA's CDG flights were available seems like a good idea. And also, in your shoes, I'd be calling AA, a lot, to see if TN opened up, or if anything better than what you booked opened up. But of course, with an EF subscription you could be monitoring this yourself and not have to deal with long hold times and less than stellar agents.
But thinking in another direction - since you're ok with spending $2,700 on the BA extortion and you have at least 160,000 miles for those 4 off peak MilesAAvers - what about doing a FT thing like opening up CCs, etc, to get an additional 80,000 miles which would give you enough to book 2 AAnytimes. And then with that ~$2,700 you could PURCHASE 2 seats on the AA flights. This way that money is actually serving a purpose: 2 people will earn a chunk of miles and one or both of you could also take the Challenge to get status out of it. If your tickets are booked in a "Discount Economy Class" this one visit to Paris could get you Platinum status, if you booked in a "Deep Discount Economy Class" then you'd get Gold status. To me this is a far better use of your $2,700. Scr€w BA! And since you can book AAnytimes anytime(!), your timeline would like this: as you accumulate your 80k you also monitor the revenue fares for the AA metal flights to CDG. Then best case scenario you see a good Christmas sale, pay for your 2 seats for AA's one connection flights (nowhere near London!) and then lastly you book your 2 AAnytimes to match your paid tickets. FT is all about finding ways to earn miles - 80k is not an impossible goal and there are alot of people here and in the Milesbuzz forum who'd be willing to help.
Just food for thought.
Last edited by sk3; Jul 8, 2012 at 9:17 pm Reason: clarification
Jul 8, 2012, 11:39 pm
#134
Join Date: Mar 2006
Programs: American Airlines, starwood
Posts: 206
sk3 you have so much info to share! I will have to digest it and keep watching things. Lots of helpful info from everyone.
We do have a total of at least 248,000 miles. I have to check anytime miles. It all makes my head spin, but would love to save on those taxes.
Thanks all!
We do have a total of at least 248,000 miles. I have to check anytime miles. It all makes my head spin, but would love to save on those taxes.
Thanks all!
Jul 9, 2012, 12:18 am
#135
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 2,741
sk3 you have so much info to share! I will have to digest it and keep watching things. Lots of helpful info from everyone.
We do have a total of at least 248,000 miles. I have to check anytime miles. It all makes my head spin, but would love to save on those taxes.
Thanks all!
We do have a total of at least 248,000 miles. I have to check anytime miles. It all makes my head spin, but would love to save on those taxes.
Thanks all!
Are you familiar with the Platinum challenge. If not check out this thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...-platinum.html
I love the idea of you getting Platinum status out of all this.
