I am pricing an AONE3 ex-CAI. I originally booked the fare via AA rtw desk but due to problems I have experienced with them, I have decided to ticket via BA Cairo office. BA Cairo is quoting a fare that is roughly EGP1,000 more than the fare that AA quotes. I would assume that this is due to taxes b/c the base fare is the base fare of EGP25,270. Can anyone explain what might account for the difference in tax on an identical itinerary?

Thanks.

I found the BA CAI taxes higher than I thought they should be. However, after receiving a breakdown of them, I decided they were pretty close to being corect. You can check the taxes yourself by using the data here.

I've no idea why the AA and BA taxes differ as they should be identical for the same itinerary.

You'd think pricing including taxes would be a computer program, but I get the strong feeling that no one has provided the rate desks with such a tool and it's all done by hand. And not every rate desk has the same data tables.

The only way to insure the taxes you are charges are correct is to get a printout of the full fare calc and use the tool for which ExMo provided a link.

Most likely the difference in taxes revolves around whether you are charged the taxes at a connecting airport. With some governments charging just to land, and others charging if you do not depart in 24 hours, while still other are charging if you do not depart on the same calendar day, it is no wonder many mistakes are made.

A reasonable understanding of the taxes charged is required if you intend to get the best deal for your money. And most importantly do not be afraid to challenge the rate desk when you think you found an error.

rich

Call me paranoid, but I think that's too much like hassling the CHP when he walks up to your car to talk about how much too fast you were driving. rtw's in any case are a huge travel bargain, the rate people are probably overworked these days, and given half a reason could find some way to make the numbers come out the same.

In any event, the response would likely be "our numbers are right, what makes you think an old database you found on the Internet (no offense, OP) is more valid than our daily-updated information?"


[This message has been edited by JohnAx (edited Dec 03, 2003).]

On my most recent RTW the AA rate desked charged me london premium class taxes twice when in both cases I was simply making a connection. One of the connection was correctly marked while the other was accidently maked as a stop over.

A simple email to the GSA and the numbers were corrected saving me a nice sum of money. While I agree quibling over a few egyptian pounds here and there would be silly, I do not agree that giving money for a non-owed tax ever makes sense.

rich

Well...the final tax difference between AA and BA was EGP2,000 each. Suffice it to say that is a big savings on 3 tickets...it makes you wonder how there could be such a big difference.

So which price was correct? What in fact were the two numbers?

Airport taxes are becoming very substantial in some cases, but even so the USD$350 difference is a surprising number. I'd expect TOTAL taxes on an rtw to be in that ballpark, depending on how many times you stopped at Heathrow and other such pricey places.

BA was EGP29,091.40 vs AA which was 27,350.34. Both were for an AONE3 ex CAI. It truly makes you wonder. Also the BA CAI office didn't interpret the stopover rules in the same way that AA did. As a result, AA won my business despite the problems with the RTW desk I had.

On a side question since I have the RTW experts reading this message, I am looking at my next RTW trip which will be ex-CAI. I would like to include SEZ in my trip. I would like to confirm that I can only enter Africa from Europe, HKG, or SYD/PER. Can you please confirm that I cannot go from Africa (neither Ghana nor Nigeria) to North American by transiting London, i.e. I cannot go from SEZ, MRU, JNB, CPT to JFK. IF there is a way to work it, please let me know.

Thanks in advance.