security surcharge on reward tickets
 

Okay, I just checked availability NW for an award ticket. The good news is that NW has seats.

The bad news is that we all now have to pay $10 for a ticket that used to cost only miles.

Do non-revs also get this surcharge?

It seems to me that if it's applicable to award tickets, everyone that is going into an airport (who isn't working) should have to pay the same for the under skilled, over zealous, poorly paid, improperly trained Argenbright fellas to feel us up and take away our tweezers and corkscrews.

It's a good question. Seems fair that all should pay. Personally, I think they should have kept free tickets free and if necessary marginally upped the security charges on the rest.

You're right, non-revs should have to pay.

As for keeping free tickets free - since the security fee is directed by the government, I think you'd have a hard time telling pax that they have to pay $10.05 - the extra 5 cents being to cover the security charges of people flying on free tickets. Despite the small surcharge, I could see there being a lot of resistance from informed frequent flyers.

The thing I'm most upset about is that I hear some airlines are charging $10 regardless of the number of segments in the trip. A round-trip JFK-LAX nonstop only incurs a security fee of $2.50 each way. That's $5 and I think it's unfair for the airlines to scam people out of an extra $5.00 that's not mandated by the government.

d

Doppy,

Which airlines are charging that $10 flat fee? Everything I have seen from each airline (stateside at least) indicates that it is $2.50 per segment with a max of $5.00 each way.

William

This is another example of bad policy. If they had only raised the federal tax to 8% from 7.5% there would be more than enough extra income to pay for the "new and improved" security. Instead, we have another add on fee that lets the airlines to continue with quoting fares below what the true cost is.

Non revenue passengers do not have to pay this fee becuase that is what the airlines wanted.

Non revenue travel has nothing to do with reward travel. Whether the airline chooses to charge their employees this fee, or not, should be of no concern to any of you. I don't question your benefits at work - why would you question mine? If my company wants to pay that security fee then more power to them. Many airline employees are already working for substandard wages - the possibility of free air travel is the only thing that makes it worthwhile to many people. Have you seen that many airlines starting wage for their Customer Service Agents is between 8.00 and 9.00 per hour? As long as you are concerning yourself with their benefits then please concern yourself with their inadequate wages as well.

This is not a surcharge for using non-revenue tickets or miles or free tickets, etc. The fee is for security at airport I believe was active starting February 1st.

I used miles for 2 rt tickets and got it on January 31st, called back and change the date, they told me I have to pay security tax/fee of $10 for both tickets at DFW.

Also, it depends on the airport and the charge can be from $2.50 to $10.00 each.

Mabey I fail to see the big picture. I just booked 4 FC tickets to HNL, and I did not mind paying the $40.00 for what would have been $6,000. I guess it is all relative.

It's just an aesthetic thing. The perceived value of something totally free is non-linearly higher than something that has nickels and dimes attached to it.

There may be a brighter side to this charge. Since you cannot get an award ticket without paying this extra charge, and if you charge it to a credit card, wouldn't it be the same as if you were buying a ticket with the credit card and therefore are covered by the accidental death insurance?

Thank you, ChaseTheMiles for bringing up the accidental death insurance benefit, which may or may not cover death from acts of war or terrorism.

Only thing is I don't wanna die to get the full benefit of my frequent-flyer program.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsdown.gif Fly HP to see the snakes http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsup.gif

This is just another cost shift onto the consumer. The airlines will save big time by no longer having to pay for security. Do not count on having this cost savings passed down to you in lower ticket prices.

This security fee is the opening of the door for even higher fee's down the road. The number of different taxes is starting to boggle my mind. The tax that I most object to are the Customs and INS fee's. Should that not come out of the Federal Budget in the first place?

A simplified tax fee would go a long ways in bringing out truth in airfare advertising---but then who ever said the airlines play fair.

Continental non-revs do not pay the fee, although non-employee non-revs do.

I was quoted $10 for an award although I'm not sure if that's a flat fee -- this was for four segments.

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daniel baker -- [email protected]
Reliable, fast, and unmoderated forums at ITYT.

Absolutely not. The full fare of the ticket needs to be charged to the card.



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daniel baker -- [email protected]
Reliable, fast, and unmoderated forums at ITYT.

This depends on the card. My casual reading of the American Express policy seems to agree with what you wrote.

However, here's a quote from the Diners Club Travel Accident Insurance Program Terms and Conditions:

So, for Diners Club cardmembers, coverage is provided for frequent flyer tickets, even prior to 2/1/02 when no amount whatever was charged to the credit card. This apparently is true even if all revenue tickets are charged to another credit card (of course, those tickets would only be covered by that card's travel insurance, if any).

I just booked an free award ticket on United today.

4 segments x $2.50 for the maximum of $10 is being charged to me.

Thanks, Steve M. I'll remember to charge the award-ticket fee/tax to Diner's from now on. Although I got the Diner's card for the bonus points offer, I have been very impressed with its benefits.

US employees do not pay the fee, but are paying the charge for passes on other airlines. Also the fee is not charged for RTFC's ( bump tickets). Also if you are making a change to your flight and have connection , try to change to another time or date but same city connection, this is a revalidation of an ETKT only when either no fee or just a change fee. You may see a lot of airline agents strongly hinting on same city connections http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

AS Flyer,

I just needed to say that you are obnoxious and have a real attitude! Are you sure that you don't really work for Northwest?

I agree with you Leiterk..... what is worse is the fact that he is talking about the "customer service agents".... Hmmmm makes me wonder what kind of service the customer gets from this person... perhaps the $8-9 is even too much....

I only wish that somehow they could assess a higher tax on those of us that can fly, and give the money to those that can't. Flying, afterall, should be a right, something we're all entitled to. Why should I get to go on vacation or send my employees on a business trip if others can't...oh, the guilt. Now, if only I could think of some group of people that would champion such a concept. I'd like to help make life fair for all.

Think what you wish Leiterk and Nobody (by the way your name most likely says it all) - I just don't see where anyone gets off questioning the benefits that an employee gets. If the airline wants to charge us they will, it's none of your business or anyone elses here. To say that they should is wrong - How would you like it if I said your company shouldn't provide you with health insurance, or vacation time - it's not my business to say so, just as it isn't YOUR business to question my benefits.

I provide excellent customer service - many people can attest to that. If you ever notice that you are getting poor customer service please take a look at your attitude before assuming it's only the other person.

AS FLYER: The real question is if the airlines will be paying the security fee for you or if they will be exempt from having to pay it.

The airline industry has been trying to get out of the security business for years and now they are getting their wish. As long as the airlines pay this fee for you then I have no problem--I would consider it a perk of the job. If the airlines do not have to pay the fee then there is a problem. Security will be provided by the Federal Government and if you use their services it has to be paid for. When you fly on international trips does your airline pay for the INS/Custom fee/tax? or is that considered another perk?

$9.00 substandard? I smell union! While it is not what I'd strive to earn, I would not classify it as substandard. I hope you get the security fee paid, and I hope you get free travel and I hope that you can't be terminated for poor service without a trememdous amount of union grievance paperwork...perhaps that is part of what leads to substandard wages.

I COMPLETELY agree with you, and if my airline is not paying the fee, as I suspect they are, then I would be happy to pay it myself. I agree that the airlines have finally managed to find a way out of the costs of security for the most part - for them ask taxpayers to foot the bill for my travel would not be fair. It does pose an interesting question, one that I will ask. I'll let you know what they have to say. I know that the airlines pay the PFC charge for each passenger on the plane that is occupying a passenger seat - they choose not to pass that on to the employees. I would have assumed the security surcharges would be the same.

As for International taxes - airline employees are responsible to pay those.

I admit that unions are responsible for driving the wages up unreasonably for some positions. It would be a better system if there were more equality in terms of wages. That's a perfect world though, and we don't live in a perfect world. For now we have to deal with Captains making $200-$300 per hour, while the ramp people make $8.00 per hour. There jobs are different, so it's not a fair comparison perhaps, but they are both integral parts of the operation. I think that $9.00 per hour, in 2002, is sub standard for what they ask of their Customer Service Agents. I'm not a CSA myself. I see the job that these people do and, while I know there are some bad apples in the bunch, most deserve far more than they are being paid. It's a hard job, most do it with incredible grace, managing to hold their tongues under incredibly trying circumstances. The airlines don't give these guys/gals much to work with these days.

I believe unions are a double edged sword. They provide protections to some undeserving of them. I prefer a system where people are rewarded based on merit. I see, though, that big companies, like AA or UA or even AS, would walk all over the employees if there were nothing to protect them. Unions help to keep the companies in check. On the other side of that I also think that unions try to control the company. It seems like certain employee groups run the airlines. I suppose if the CSA's had a stronger union they might make a more equitable wage. It is what it is though, our thoughts don't matter a whole lot to those that count.

Many people here complain about the poor Customer Service they get. I've experienced it myself. I can only think of the old saying, you get what you pay for. In this case, the airlines are hiring people to start at next to minumum wage and they sometimes have to accept what they can get. That being said, I have seen some incredible people on the front lines. I wonder, sometimes, what some of these people are doing working for $8 or $9 per hour.

Sorry to stray from the topic - My original point was, if indeed the airlines are paying the security fee for the employees than I think that's great. I agree that if the employees are being subsidized by the tax payers then that is not fair.

[This message has been edited by AS Flyer (edited 02-10-2002).]

Talking with a friend at UA, he said they used to make non-revs pay the extra fees, but they were spending more money (administratively) collecting all the fees that it would have cost just to pay them... so apparently, non-revs at UA don't pay anymore, AFAIK.

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