I'm convinced that most SA country's taxes are double collected when travelling on a OWE ticket. If the taxes are not broken down on the ticket coupon, you pay again, regardless of what other documentation you have. LA in Chile is the shining example of this. Only once did I manage to get the agent to accept the tax breakdown typed on the back of the last page of the ticket package -- and that was in IPC after a lot of "talking" in Spanglish!

You can't get through immigration without a sticker. You can't get the sticker without paying for it. I think that if tax was included on the ticket that it's a different tax or a mistake. None of my tickets have a Peruvian tax liability that I can see.

Santiago is a funny one, though. Absolutely make sure that the tax is there. They *will* check it, and it's more expensive to pay at the airport. I love Chile and I love the Chileans, but they are some of the most anal retentive people about certain things. I have had to pay twice for Chile at one point when the tax line was too long for the ticket and they omitted the Chilean tax from it.

Also, I think a lot of S/A countries have several different types of taxes, from my understanding. Some are charged against the ticket, some are charged at the airport. Not double charging, but rather collecting in two different places, I guess. Venezuela is another one that is funny about that.

BA in CAI is telling me that they cannot accept credit card payment over the phone for a ticket pickup later. Is this your experience as well? Seeing how volatile the currency is, I would like to get the ticket issued and the price finalized before I actually haul my butt there.

I just got dinged by AA in EZE for taxes that I'm sure were collected when the ticket was issued but which were not itemized on the ticket coupon nor in the PNR. So my little jaunt to South America cost me an extra US$40 ($27 in SCL and $13 in EZE).

As for other airport taxes not included as part of the ticket, UIO is US$25 and EZE is US$18. Turns out South America is an expensive place to travel. BTW, if you are planning to visit Chile for the first time (or have thrown away that little receipt attached to the last page of your passport when you last visited) the entry tariff for U.S. passport holders is now US$100.

Apparently it's a reciprocal entrance tax, and the amount is equivalent to what chileans pay for visas? for USA/Canada/Aust. Last year Australians had to pay US$30.

[This message has been edited by Dani (edited 04-24-2003).]

As far as picking up the ticket in Cairo is concerned, unless there has been a policy change this was OK for me 10 days ago.

Did you speak to the BA City Ticket office or their reservations numbers in Cairo?

The travelshop in the city. I was told that they couldn't take credit card details over the phone to issue the ticket. Instead, they told me I should get over there to pay.

I have no problem with picking up the tickets at their shop, I just want the tickets issued and the price finalized before I pack my bags.

Egypt is a huge market for credit card fraud. Possibly, like Singapore, it's a law that they can't accept unless in person, or possibly it's just their way of mitigating the risk of loss. My guess is that it's the latter. Especially because tickets are perishable goods.

That delightful reciprocity tax is a once off. If Chile Immigration spot a Chile stamp in your passport, you are exempt from the tax for the life of the passport.

We were not charged the reciprocity tax to enter IPC from PPT (not sure if this was a mistake). When we arrived in SCL from IPC, we saw the signs showing the amounts (cash only) but were waved through. That saved real money!

Can anyone recommend a reliable TA in Cairo for RTW ticketing?

Feel free to email me if easier.

Many thanks

You could try www.eptours.com. I got the adress from another flyertalker, but he said that they didn't know all the rules for a RTW (at least with StarAlliance). Best, take a look at the following topic: flyertalk

So far, I've always got a quick and informative answer.

I hope this helps! If you have questions, just contact me!


[This message has been edited by Frequent_Flyer1 (edited 05-02-2003).]

Thanks!

Sorry to re-visit this burgeoning thread but I'm banging my head against a brick wall trying to find a TA in CAI to take over my BA reservation. EP Tours were initially good but have since failed to respond to emails, the concierge at the CAI hotel I'm going to stay in has referred me to his brother's best mate, BA won't play ball unless I'm there to pay for the tickets on CC in situ. Anyone else have some more positive advice to offer?

Well what I did (at the suggestion of the estimable Mrs Sobhi) was fax her a copy of both sides of my credit card and she was then happy to issue the ticket for me in advance, confirming the price and ticket number back to me by fax.

I was then able to pick it up this morning at the BA Cairo airport office since I was just doing a same plane turnround at the airport.

I guess you could argue there is a slight risk associated with this, but since in HK (and the UK) at least the credit card company can only hold you liable for a very small amount (is it US$100?) for fraudulent use, and none at all once you have notified them that to stop the card, then this is a risk I am happy to take for the sake of a much easier life. One of the advantages of dealing directly with BA is, I feel, that I can place a reasonable degree of trust in them, which would not necessarily be the case with a TA of whom I had no first hand knowledge.

[This message has been edited by christep (edited 06-29-2003).]

People have to realise that travel agencies elsewhere in the world do not operate the same as they do in the USA. eg take cc details over the phone and issue your ticket.

You'd have to abide by their rules as you're issuing it in their country. Doesn't matter if you've 'done in before in the USA'. You're not in the USA!