UA Fan

The following experiences are making me wonder whether DL is collecting YQ for many partner awards:

In my case it was with SU:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/16586672-post5.html

MU
Post# 83

CZ
Post# 83

KQ
Post# 81

Here it is with MH:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/north...ge-ripoff.html

AeroMexico:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...eromexico.html

VA:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/16605165-post22.html

UX:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/16605664-post27.html

KE:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...al-awards.html

rankourabu

Surely Delta would communicate with the flying public if this was implemented, and would never just sneakily charge YQ and dupe people by lumping it with taxes.

Look how well the Asia point increase was handled

UA Fan

Are these just computer glitches or did DL sneak this in? I once booked a Star award with CO miles and YQ got added in. I disagreed and asked for the rate desk to look into it and the YQ was waived. Should I do the same, or has DL sucumbed like AA?

beofotch

I am the victim of a $434 per J ticket MH YQ for an award booking of LAX - TPE - KUL (one way) and KUL - PVG (one way). In 2009 I did AMS - KUL - AKL (round-trip) on Malaysian with a Delta J award booking and was not charged YQ by Delta or MH

Vuelos

If the operating carrier charges a YQ, DL is obligated, by that carrier, to charge a YQ.

The taxes & fees are clearly broken down on both the confirmation and ticket receipt.

XA 5.00 XY 7.00 YC 5.50 FR 38.20 PF 33.20
KK 11.80 YQ 135.00 AY 2.50

rankourabu

Delta is not obligated to do anything. Its just a revenue stream for DL.
They havent charged it on SU EVER. Its new, and looks like they snuck it in.
NW didnt charge on MH - but MH collected it at checkin - thats not new.

CO/UA/AC dont charge YQs on reward tickets
AA just recently started on BA metal - but they informed the public.

and clearly??? cmon
XA 5.00 XY 7.00 YC 5.50 FR 38.20 PF 33.20
KK 11.80 YQ 135.00 AY 2.50

99.99% of people would assume YQ is a tax imposed by a government - not a revenue surcharge collected by Delta.

Looks like the choice will now be DL for med/high or partners for low+surcharge.

Vuelos

Is the not being obliged one of the IATA resolutions


When an operating carrier charges a YQ, there's no way to override that. Do you want DL to eat that charge for you?

As for CO/UA/AC, when the operating carrier charges a YQ, do they eat it?

rankourabu

Yes. They always have. Or at least tell us when they are about to change like AA did.
and
Yes. All Star airlines (apart from US) have a YQ - this is never collected by UA/CO/AC except ironically AC only charges YQ on their own metal.

Vuelos

My understanding is that the YQ is something that the carriers negotiate with each other.

If Delta didn’t charge it and the operating airline wanted it charged, the alternative would be the NW/MH way of “NW didnt charge on MH - but MH collected it at checkin”.

What's your issue? You aren't forced to shell out cash at checkin like the old NW way which just reeks of extortion.

rankourabu

The issue is not the fact of charging it - a lot of carriers do.

The issue is sneaking it in on partners like KQ/SU - without any announcement whatsoever - an email - a note on the website - NOTHING.
Just lump it with taxes - people wont notice.

Vuelos

What type of disclosure do you want/need and what good would it do?

My understanding is that this is not a new change.

Delta doesn't get this money, the operating carrier does.

Then again, my recent SU award had no YQ... but it was intra-Europe.

HongKonger

What is YQ anyway?

UA Fan

Fuel surcharge.

UA Fan

So is YQ official now, no chance of me disputing it with DL?

pbarnette

I have no idea whether this official, but DL wouldn't be breaking new ground if they did it. All the European carriers charge it, at least on partner flights. I believe that the major (at least in FTers eyes) Asian carriers also charge these fees. Within the US, AA charges them on their partner itineraries. If it isn't policy now, it will be shortly.

I've been predicting that this would happen for a couple of years, and suspect that this will become the norm very, very shortly. The US carriers can't continue to allow their FF programs to become a drag on net income, as CO had to admit was the case when they joined *A. The choice will be either restricted availability, including *Net-style blocking and/or general reward restriction, or imposition of increases in redemption levels and/or surcharges.

Feel free to kick and scream, but I have to say that anyone that expected the airlines to continue obviously one-sided (in favor of the consumer) FF programs is more than a bit naive.