Award Fuel Surcharges Masquerading As 'Taxes'.....Time For An 'Inside Flyer' Expose
May 8, 2008, 5:59 pm
#76
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See more comprehensive list below...
Last edited by ctownflyer; May 18, 2008 at 9:08 am
May 8, 2008, 7:53 pm
#77
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May 8, 2008, 8:31 pm
#78
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May 11, 2008, 1:11 pm
#79
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Nobody knows about any other airlines charging/not charging a fuel surcharge on award tickets?
May 11, 2008, 2:26 pm
#80
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May 12, 2008, 10:52 am
#81
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May 12, 2008, 2:36 pm
#82
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Since I don't know the details for every FFP I can't say all non-US FFPs charge a fuel surcharge. However, I am familiar with quite a lot of FFPs and can't think of a non-US FFP that doesn't have fuel surcharges on flight awards.
May 12, 2008, 9:49 pm
#83
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For the record AZ, LA and SK are 3 non-US airlines that don't have fuel surcharges.
Airlines charging a fuel surcharge for award redemptions when flying on their own metal:
AC
AF
BA
BD
CX
DL (currently only ex-EU)
EL
JL
KL
LH
LX
LY
MH
NH
NZ
OS
QF
OZ
SQ
TG
VS
Airlines not charging a fuel surcharge for award redemptions when flying on their own metal:
AA
AS
AZ
CO
LA
NW
SK
UA
US
Last edited by ctownflyer; May 18, 2008 at 9:07 am Reason: added more airlines to list
May 13, 2008, 9:02 am
#84
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Start an FT 'QUIK-POLL'
Maybe to help give this issue some broader exposure and traction, maybe it should be the 'Poll of The Month' on the HomePage.
Sample questions.....other ideas welcome.
Does your airline program currently include a fuel surcharge in the cost of your award tickets?
Would you consider switching airline programs if your program began charging a fuel surcharge for award tickets?
Are you aware that for international award tickets, that fuel surcharges can be as much as $400 (if not more at this point?) per ticket?
Sample questions.....other ideas welcome.
Does your airline program currently include a fuel surcharge in the cost of your award tickets?
Would you consider switching airline programs if your program began charging a fuel surcharge for award tickets?
Are you aware that for international award tickets, that fuel surcharges can be as much as $400 (if not more at this point?) per ticket?
Last edited by beaubo; May 13, 2008 at 3:01 pm
May 13, 2008, 2:00 pm
#85
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Maybe to help give this issue some broader exposure and traction, maybe it should be the 'Poll of The Month' on the HomePage.
Sample questions.....other ideas welcome.
Does your airline program currently include a fuel surcharge in the cost of your award tickets?
Would you consider switching airline programs if your program began charging a fuel surcharge for award tickets?
Are you aware that for international award tickets, that fuel surcharges can be as much as $400 (if not more at this point?) per ticket?
Sample questions.....other ideas welcome.
Does your airline program currently include a fuel surcharge in the cost of your award tickets?
Would you consider switching airline programs if your program began charging a fuel surcharge for award tickets?
Are you aware that for international award tickets, that fuel surcharges can be as much as $400 (if not more at this point?) per ticket?
May 13, 2008, 2:33 pm
#86
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May 13, 2008, 3:11 pm
#87
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Maybe to help give this issue some broader exposure and traction, maybe it should be the 'Poll of The Month' on the HomePage.
Sample questions.....other ideas welcome.
Does your airline program currently include a fuel surcharge in the cost of your award tickets?
Would you consider switching airline programs if your program began charging a fuel surcharge for award tickets?
Are you aware that for international award tickets, that fuel surcharges can be as much as $400 (if not more at this point?) per ticket?
Sample questions.....other ideas welcome.
Does your airline program currently include a fuel surcharge in the cost of your award tickets?
Would you consider switching airline programs if your program began charging a fuel surcharge for award tickets?
Are you aware that for international award tickets, that fuel surcharges can be as much as $400 (if not more at this point?) per ticket?
Seems to be a big gray area...
May 18, 2008, 5:26 am
#88
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May 19, 2008, 8:59 am
#89
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If i could add a point.
Which was the first airline to start introducing fuel surcharge? I'm hard pressed to think that the airlines will do away the surcharge at some time in future and therefore should include them in ticket prices. If the aim is for marketing low published fares, then its an obvious case of deception and possible criminal issues.
Australia already has all domestic airlines introducing all-inclusive fares and the fact that SQ is marketing all inclusive fares certainly indicate there might be awareness of the issue. The solution is all-inclusive fares. simplistic but practical. Alternatively, remove the fee as imho, its part and parcel of an airfare.
Which was the first airline to start introducing fuel surcharge? I'm hard pressed to think that the airlines will do away the surcharge at some time in future and therefore should include them in ticket prices. If the aim is for marketing low published fares, then its an obvious case of deception and possible criminal issues.
Australia already has all domestic airlines introducing all-inclusive fares and the fact that SQ is marketing all inclusive fares certainly indicate there might be awareness of the issue. The solution is all-inclusive fares. simplistic but practical. Alternatively, remove the fee as imho, its part and parcel of an airfare.
May 19, 2008, 9:21 am
#90
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I think Randy should also address the fact that many airlines have been/are being investigated for price fixing when it comes to fuel surcharges with their cargo division. Some have been fined million of dollars. That raises suspicion that they are also price fixing with passenger service, which some are being investigated for.
Also, the fact that the fuel surcharge is separate from the "fare" the compensation vouchers we get for bumped/delayed flights are can not be applied against these charges. Hmmmmmm.
Here is some more info on fuel price fixing:
British Airways and Virgin Atlantic will together pay about $203 million to settle a lawsuit brought by passengers who said the airlines illegally fixed the price of fuel surcharges on long-haul trips.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/16/business/16air.html
The U.S. Department of Justice and Britain's Office of Fair Trade have contacted British Airways, Virgin Atlantic Airways, United Airlines, American Airlines and possibly others in connection with the investigation. Violating price-fixing laws could carry civil and criminal charges.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/06/22/business/ba.php
A senior official of the Competition Commission of India has said that domestic airlines could potentially be hauled up for fixing the fuel surcharge on airline tickets in league with each other.
http://www.domain-b.com/aero/gov_reg..._airlines.html
Air Canada, the country's biggest airline, reported a deeper first-quarter loss on Thursday, partly due to a $125-million charge to cover a cargo price-fixing investigation.
http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2008/0...anadaloss.html
The former highest-ranking Qantas Airways Limited cargo executive employed in the United States has agreed to plead guilty, serve 8 months in jail, and pay a criminal fine for participating in a conspiracy to fix rates for international air cargo shipments, the Department of Justice announced today.
http://media-newswire.com/release_1066314.html
Also, the fact that the fuel surcharge is separate from the "fare" the compensation vouchers we get for bumped/delayed flights are can not be applied against these charges. Hmmmmmm.
Here is some more info on fuel price fixing:
British Airways and Virgin Atlantic will together pay about $203 million to settle a lawsuit brought by passengers who said the airlines illegally fixed the price of fuel surcharges on long-haul trips.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/16/business/16air.html
The U.S. Department of Justice and Britain's Office of Fair Trade have contacted British Airways, Virgin Atlantic Airways, United Airlines, American Airlines and possibly others in connection with the investigation. Violating price-fixing laws could carry civil and criminal charges.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/06/22/business/ba.php
A senior official of the Competition Commission of India has said that domestic airlines could potentially be hauled up for fixing the fuel surcharge on airline tickets in league with each other.
http://www.domain-b.com/aero/gov_reg..._airlines.html
Air Canada, the country's biggest airline, reported a deeper first-quarter loss on Thursday, partly due to a $125-million charge to cover a cargo price-fixing investigation.
http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2008/0...anadaloss.html
The former highest-ranking Qantas Airways Limited cargo executive employed in the United States has agreed to plead guilty, serve 8 months in jail, and pay a criminal fine for participating in a conspiracy to fix rates for international air cargo shipments, the Department of Justice announced today.
http://media-newswire.com/release_1066314.html