I am considering booking the flights below and read some talk about big tax differences on routes that are similar to one another - can someone check if the tax on this looks right and if there is anyway to reduce any of it? thanks

Travellers Fare Taxes (beakdown at bottom of page)
1 Adult(s) x (1,549.00 + 365.60) = 1,914.60 GBP

Monday 19 January 2009
Departure: 20:50 London, United Kingdom - Heathrow
Arrival: 10:25 +1 day(s) Delhi, India - Indira Gandhi International
Airline: British Airways BA257 E

Mumbai (Bombay) to Bangkok
Monday 2 March 2009
Departure: 05:20 Mumbai (Bombay), India - Chhatrapati Shivaji
Arrival: 10:45 Bangkok, Thailand - Suvarnabhumi International
Airline: Cathay Pacific CX750 E

Bangkok to Sydney
Sunday 10 May 2009
Departure: 18:10 Bangkok, Thailand - Suvarnabhumi International
Arrival: 06:05 +1 day(s) Sydney, Australia - Kingsford Smith
Airline: British Airways BA9 E

Sydney to Melbourne
Sunday 21 June 2009
Departure: 12:00 Sydney, Australia - Kingsford Smith
Arrival: 13:30 Melbourne, Australia - Tullamarine
Airline: Qantas Airways QF431 E

Melbourne to Perth
Sunday 5 July 2009
Departure: 10:45 Melbourne, Australia - Tullamarine
Arrival: 12:55 Perth, Australia - Perth
Airline: Qantas Airways QF475 E

Perth to Darwin
Sunday 19 July 2009
Departure: 08:20 Perth, Australia - Perth
Arrival: 13:15 Darwin, Australia - Darwin
Airline: Qantas Airways QF792 E

Darwin to Cairns
Sunday 9 August 2009
Departure: 07:00 Darwin, Australia - Darwin
Arrival: 09:55 Cairns, Australia - Cairns
Airline: Qantas Airways QF1871 E


Sydney to Santiago
Saturday 19 September 2009
Departure: 10:55 Sydney, Australia - Kingsford Smith
Arrival: 13:05 Santiago, Chile - Arturo Merino Benitez
Airline: LAN Airlines LA800 E

Santiago to Easter Island
Sunday 20 September 2009
Departure: 08:10 Santiago, Chile - Arturo Merino Benitez
Arrival: 11:50 Easter Island, Chile - Mataveri International
Airline: LAN Airlines LA841 E

Easter Island to Santiago
Thursday 24 September 2009
Departure: 10:45 Easter Island, Chile - Mataveri International
Arrival: 17:25 Santiago, Chile - Arturo Merino Benitez
Airline: LAN Airlines LA834 E

Santiago to Quito
Friday 25 September 2009
Departure: 15:05 Santiago, Chile - Arturo Merino Benitez
Arrival: 20:55 Quito, Ecuador - Mariscal Sucr
Airline: LAN Airlines LA1446 E

Quito to Lima
Friday 9 October 2009
Departure: 09:10 Quito, Ecuador - Mariscal Sucr
Arrival: 11:25 Lima, Peru - J Chavez International
Airline: LAN Airlines LA2589 E

Buenos Aires to London
Tuesday 22 December 2009
Departure: 14:15 Buenos Aires, Argentina - Pistarini
Arrival: 07:15 +1 day(s) London, United Kingdom - Heathrow
Airline: British Airways BA246 E

Travellers Fare Taxes
1 Adult(s) x (1,549.00 + 365.60) = 1,914.60 GBP

Adult traveller(s)
Airline Fuel Surcharge 137.00 GBP
Tax description unavailable (YRVB) 0.80 GBP
Tax description unavailable (QODP) 6.90 GBP
Tax description unavailable (CLLO) 12.60 GBP
Tax description unavailable (ZQAD) 20.70 GBP
Tax description unavailable (WTSE) 2.10 GBP
Airline Insurance Surcharge 7.50 GBP
Thailand Passenger Service Charge 13.90 GBP
Tax description unavailable (WOMU) 4.00 GBP
Tax description unavailable (DYAE) 10.30 GBP
Multiple Surcharges 9.50 GBP
Australian Passenger Service Charge 23.60 GBP
Tax description unavailable (TQSE) 1.70 GBP
Tax description unavailable (QREB) 14.00 GBP
UK Air Passenger Duty 40.00 GBP
Tax description unavailable (WGSE) 6.00 GBP
UK Passenger Service Charge 19.70 GBP
Tax description unavailable (QRCO) 12.40 GBP
Australia Passenger Movement Charge 22.90 GBP
365.60 GBP
x 1 Adult(s) = 365.60 GBP

total taxes/surcharges = 365.60 GBP

To reduce the taxes, fly your first flight on AA. Unfortunately they don't fly London-India, so you would have to change your itinerary. It could save you the 137 GBP fuel surcharge part of the taxes. Also you can try different airlines. They might be a bit better than BA.

Or you can split LHR-DEL into two segments
LHR-AMM and AMM-DEL
or
LHR-HEL and HEL-DEL
the first segment of both of these can be done on american airlines codeshare.

There really isn't that much you can do about it. As mentioned, the big piece is the fuel surcharge line, with second place going to UK- and Australia government fees which you can't avoid unless you start somewhere besides the UK and/or skip Australia. By starting in the UK on an LONEx you're already getting a price which is considerably cheaper than anywhere else in Europe, so reducing the UK taxes by starting someplace else would have a negative outcome.

I doubt AA would be interested in issuing the ticket as you have no AA segments planned. I also don't believe you could book LHR-AMM using the AA code unless the segment was married to an AA metal one.

If you want to "decode" those items listed as "tax description unavailable" you can start the (laborious) task here.

1st issue - true. AA will probably not ticket this. However the online ticketing engine will.

2nd issue - this codeshare allows for non-married segments. I checked AA timetable

AA makes money off issueing RWT tickets and the AA RTW desk will be happy to do it, although don;t be surprised if they try and convince you to fly AA.

I am pretty sure the issuing carrier does get SOMETHING (other than the actual flight revenue) for issuing the tix. Otherwise I don't think AA's RTW will survive from our abuse (oh I mean usage!) However I must say I never got pressured to book AA flights (codeshare or operated). I always limit my AA segments to a minimum (to domestic US flights only).

For the tax it seems a bit high as I paid less tax on my DONE4 and I have max out the LHR stopovers (ie. 2 LHR stopovers 3 departures).

If I only discover the AA RTW earlier!

Thanks for all your replies....

On the oneworld planner when I search for flights LHR-DEL it does not give me the option of an indirect via AMM only via HEL (and that seems to be on Finnish Air - no AA mentioned)

Also if I split this flight I will use up an extra sector so will need to lose one later in my itinery which will mean I would need to pay for flight in Australia (rpbably Darwin to Brisbane) that I am getting included in my present schedule - so overall I won't save much and have the hassle of a longer journey to DEL...I am I understanding this correctly?

The ticket can be purchased directly from AA whether there are AA sectors in it or not

Dave

som does this mean I have to call the AA RTW desk directly to book this route - is there a desk in the UK or do I have to call the States (and where would I find the number?) cheers

Use Skype to call US toll free number. With good internet connection, it's as clear as your landline phone.

I purchased DONE4 ex) ICN through AA (booked via AA ATW desk) where I have not a single AA segment (as I am not traveling to N.America). AA agents were happy to do it for me.

As a result, I saved about 880,000 KRW as opposed to booking it via travel agent in Korea - who would be trying to issue the ticket with JL or CX + service charge. Thanks AA.

The easiest way is to call the ATW desk on +1 800 247 3247

Dave

I believe your itinerary has less than 15 segments, so is there a problem adding extra one?

Also, try adding LHR-AMM-DEL as two segments. Only the first segment has AA codeshare, the second does not.

Itinery is already 16

LHR-DEL: 1st of 1
2: DEL-BOM: surface
3: BOM-BKK: 1st of 4 (Asia)
4: BKK-SYD: intercontinental
5: SYD-MEL: 1st of 4 (Southwest Pacific)
6: MEL-PER: 2nd of 4 (Southwest Pacific)
7: PER-DRW: 3rd of 4 (Southwest Pacific)
8: DRW-BNE: 4th of 4 (Southwest Pacific)
9: BNE-SYD: surface
10: SYD-SCL: intercontinental
11: SCL-IPC: 1st of 4 (South America)
12: IPC-SCL: 2nd of 4 (South America)
13: SCL-UIO: 3rd of 4 (South America)
14: UIO-LIM: 4th of 4 (South America)
15: LIM-EZE: surface
16: EZE-LHR: intercontinental

Plus when I look on the oneworld site for LHR-AMM flights it wont produce an AA codeshare flight - only a Royal Jordanian codeshare

Think I will just go with what I have!

RJ will also trigger an AA ticket via the booking tool