Kremmen

With the recent annoucement regarding devaluing of points in May, I thought I should start making some bookings to use up points. I had read briefly about the surcharges here, of course, but I booked a United business class reward to the USA recently (MEL-SFO-SEA-SFO-MEL) and that only cost $113 in taxes.

I just booked a Qantas domestic (MEL-DRW-PER-MEL in J) and Qantas hit me for $106.16/ticket in taxes and charges! Of course, the taxes and fees from the airports here are disgusting, but the main problem is the QF fuel and insurance surcharges, totalling $50.73.

I guess the best way to avoid letting QF get its paws on even more money for "free" tickets would be to dump QF points by booking partner awards on partners who don't have the same disgusting fees.

og

I'm similarly in shock. I booked SYD-LDH-BNE-SYD for Mrs og and I for October this year on a FF award. I fell off my seat when the nice QF lady on the phone said "now that'll be $259 in taxes, surcharges and levies (for the 2 tickets), what card number for that.."?

I regained consciousness when I priced the same flight through the booking engine and it was about $1600 all up for the 2 tickets (including the taxes etc).

sxc

If you do this, then you will burn more points as it takes more points when redeeming on partner airlines.

eg a SYD-HKG return on QF is 50,000 points. Same on CX is 60,000 QF points

QF WP

I believe that exactly the point Kremmen was alluding to. Is 10K QFF points worth $50.63 to him..that's his call.

bravoecho

Today I booked two J BNE-LAX in December and the taxes came to $161.90 each, so similar figures to Kremmen's.

Remember the days when you used to go into shock booking intl travel. These days I think it is worse domestically

ozstamps

I am losing the plot on taxes and charges. It is getting insane.

I just got back this week from a simple SYD-AKL-SYD.

Cost in TAXES for that was $A138 PLUS the extortion of $NZ25 cash to get out of that fleabitten sh!thole mis-named AKL "It'l" airport. Total say $A160 for a short 3 hour flight with no stops anywhere.

I just booked and paid yesterday a Sydney-LAX-Washington-Puerto Rico ticket on UA, and taxes for that entire 22,000 miles round trip is $A83.10 - HALF an AKL return.

I am about to book a SYD-KUL-AMS-MAD-AMS-ATL-CLT-ATL-AMS-KUL-SYD for March, and have no doubt taxes will be north of $400 a person seeing much of it is KLM who charge double most other airlines.

Stryker

My advice would be to avoid AKL (and NZ in general) if at all possible in the future. I was contemplating flying SYD-AKL-SYD last month as I needed about 500 miles on a *A carrier to make 125,000 BIS miles in MP last year. When I checked the cheapest fares available on this route that would allow mileage credit, it came to over $600 with taxes, etc.

So I checked around and got a SYD-YVR-SYD ticket on AC for $1075 including all taxes, charges, etc, and had a very nice trip and earned over 15,000 miles as well.

I think there could be a message in this story.

Kiwi Flyer

AKL isnt the culprit for the high taxes here.

Australia international has very high taxes, especially SYD. But, also much of the "tax" is the airline surcharges. Hopefully with NZ and Oz $ strong and fuel prices dropping we will see a reduction in surcharge, but I think I am being too optimistic.

serfty

Very true; In fact if you wish to book SYD-AKL-SYD now, these taxers/surcharges/levies will set you back over AU$148.

To leave Australia the departure tax (AKA "Passenger Movement Charge", code AU) costs AU$38.

To arrive at SYD costs another AU$3.40 in Noise Levy Tax (code QK). Also, to enter or exit Australia thru SYD there is AU$18.71 each way in the "Passenger Services Charge International" (Code WY) ". In BNE, this is AU$9.25 and MEL AU$10.43.

For SYD-AUK-SYD, you are paying over AU$78 in the above alone. There is another $70 in surcharges & levies. (For MEL-AKL-MEL total tax/fees/etc are currently about AU$134).

For a list of some of these taxes and surcharges, see pages 3-7 of this TAXES/LEVIES/CHARGES Document. N.B. This document is 1.6M and may take a few minites to load.

og

I'd love to go to Alaska at the monent - might see some impressive northern lights.
AUK (62°40'48"N 164°39'36"W): Alakanuk, Alaska, United States
-sorry to be such a pedant!

serfty

Brendan

My theory is that airlines are happy when airports reduce/replace landing fees with passenger taxes. Each airport needs money to operate. When it comes from a per-passenger tax/fee, it can be charged on 'free' tickets + airlines can advertise lower revenue 'base fares'.

ghostboy

Just checked availability for flights in Dec this year back to BNE and we're gonna have to cough up A$452 for taxes (2 pax) - incredible!! Oh well, it will be our last award flight on QF given majority of earning potential (company travel) is now with Star Alliance (UA is 1st choice carrier to the US - ouch!!). That said, did get an op-up from NRT-SIN on Dec 22nd!

Cheers, gb.