pareto

Forgive me if this has already been covered I'm not as frequent a visitor as I used to be.

For at least few years now, YQ from the US has been more expensive than the same route departing from the UK. My most recent memory was the YQ for a return flight being roughly $800. F was also charged the same YQ as J.

Just looking at changing a redemption and noticed the YQ for F is now $753 for a one-way for all of the routes I checked from US to the UK. Round trips in F attract $1500 in YQ. J flights are now $550/$1100. The same routes ex-LHR are £144/£289 (£20/£40 more to the west coast) for both F and J.

Just a reminder to those booking from the US that ~$550 in savings is available by booking F awards as two one ways instead of a return trip.

Airprox

Very interesting indeed, I've never seen a route that has different YQ for J and F, hope this is not the new norm for all routes.

MTJ Bound

pareto

Just had a look at YVR and it seems like this is happening ex-CA as well, the increase is just not as extreme. YQ for YVR-LHR return in J is CA$904; F YQ is CA$1240.

pareto

I wonder if the high YQ is driven more by award bookings or due to YQ not being subject to corporate discounts

NWIFlyer

It’s quite common, from Europe as well. I only noticed because when I claimed downgrade reimbursement on a ex-DUB itinerary I needed to show that YQ was a variable charge in J and F and therefore I could include it in my calculation of the amount I’d paid. I can’t remember the exact difference, but it was something of the order the OP mentions in percentage terms.

Prospero

What's also interesting is the YQ charges seem to have equalised - previously west coast commanded a higher charge than the east coast.

I also see that AF, BA, AA, LH, and UA all levy the same YQ on ex US F fares

KARFA

is it? i haven't noticed J and F carrier surcharge varying between J and F before on exEU itineraries. It would become very apparent if UuA'ing or GUF'ing from J to F. Like Aiprox I am surprised to see J and F carrier surcharge being different from exUS bookings, I only found this out recently and I can't remember ever seeing that before.

I just tried DUB-LHR-JFK return all on BA and J and F carrier surcharge are both £185.

NWIFlyer

This was for flights in July 2017, booked in June, to SFO. Unfortunately I don’t have the exact details any more and I doubt I could re-create them quickly, but Prospero’s research showing equalisation between East and West coast amounts might be linked with a change since then.

Pocalypse

I booked a reward flight in august for SAN-LHR return first class in november using a Joker (and 2-4-1). I'm now looking to change that to a DFW-LHR return in first. DFW and SAN are in the same zone so this is possible. However, I'm being quoted an increase of $500 in taxes per person by the call center. Any idea why?

Checking a dummy booking online, the taxes are now showing as $1,833 for both SAN-LHR and DFW-LHR return, whereas I paid $1,330 in August. I don't believe this could be due to currency fluctuations or fuel costs, which is all the call center can tell me.

Has there been some massive taxes/YQ increase or policy change?

My original e-ticket email did not include a taxes breakdown and I have yet to complete this change, so don't have any of those details.

Apologies if there's a thread discussing this, I couldn't find it.

The _Banking_Scot

Hi Pocalypse,

There is a similar thread here for ex US YQ amounts ;

Ex-US Fuel Surcharges for F up 50%

Regards

TBS

36902BRF

You are right both J and F are showing higher fees now for me out of IAD. I am see the $1833 from IAD now in F and my recollection was it was closer to $12xx round trip previously. Looks like J has increased about $300 round trip since my parents booked a couple of months ago. Pretty crazy increase. I guess that is why they have had all the bonus on transfers into BA Avios from Amex and hotels over the last six months.

Pocalypse

Thanks TBS and mods for pointing me to the right thread.

Do you know the reason for this YQ increase, or is it just a cash grab by BA and other airlines? $1,800 for a redemption is ridiculous. I can't do two one ways as I'm using a joker and 2-4-1.

GUWonder

pomkiwi