Hefty fuel tax on award ticket
Aug 9, 2007, 2:06 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: DL 1MM Diamond, UA Silver, AA Gold, Marriott Titanium, IHG Spire, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 594
Hefty fuel tax on award ticket
A friend just used 120,000 SQ miles to book two roundtrips in coach from the USA to Asia. The YQ tax (fuel tax) on each ticket was SGD 215!
None of the booked flights were on SQ -- there were three segments on UA and two on NH. I booked an identical award reservation using my UA miles, and there was no YQ tax at all. When we called SQ to find out what this was all about, they insisted that either UA or NH imposes these fees and they have nothing to do with it, but I know this can't be true as I didn't have to pay the fuel tax on my identical itinerary.
Any thoughts on this? Does anyone have experience here? Thanks in advance.
None of the booked flights were on SQ -- there were three segments on UA and two on NH. I booked an identical award reservation using my UA miles, and there was no YQ tax at all. When we called SQ to find out what this was all about, they insisted that either UA or NH imposes these fees and they have nothing to do with it, but I know this can't be true as I didn't have to pay the fuel tax on my identical itinerary.
Any thoughts on this? Does anyone have experience here? Thanks in advance.
Aug 9, 2007, 3:41 pm
#5
Join Date: May 2005
Location: various cities in the USofA: NYC, BWI, IAH, ORD, CVG, NYC
Programs: Former UA 1K, National Exec. Elite
Posts: 5,485
Exactly. Why do people fall for this? It's a great scam on the airlines' (yes, that apostrophe is in the right place) part. YQ on a frequent flier ticket is no more legit than charging a "flight expense surcharge" (equal to the cost of a ticket) to cover the cost pilots, aircraft, flight attendants, etc.
Aug 9, 2007, 5:05 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: DL 1MM Diamond, UA Silver, AA Gold, Marriott Titanium, IHG Spire, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 594
So was I lied to when the SQ agent told us that NH and/or UA (the airlines comprising my friend's itinerary) were the ones levying this fee?
Seems pretty dirty to me.
Seems pretty dirty to me.
Aug 9, 2007, 6:17 pm
#8
Moderator, Hilton Honors
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: on a short leash
Programs: some
Posts: 71,422
Not necessarily. For all we know UA as operating airline IS charging SQ for fuel costs. The fact UA Mileage Plus chooses not to charge on its awards is a separate matter.
Aug 9, 2007, 9:00 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: New York, NY, USA
Posts: 12,482
You need to pay fuel surcharge if redeeming SQ miles, even if flying UA or NH. You don't need to pay fuel surcharge if redeeming UA miles, even if flying SQ. I believe it is a US DOT regulation which prevents UA from collecting YQ. BTW, SGD215 is only about USD140. It is not unusual to pay upward of USD300 for taxes and fees now.
Last edited by TerryK; Aug 9, 2007 at 9:12 pm
Aug 9, 2007, 9:29 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2004
Programs: Nah.
Posts: 13,967
Sure. But it is odd that MP doesn't charge YQ for awards on other airlines... Do you think MP is absorbing the YQ cost when issuing award tickets on SQ?
Aug 9, 2007, 9:47 pm
#11
Join Date: May 2001
Location: BKK/YVR/EWR
Programs: SQ TPP, LH Senator, TG Gold, AA Platinum
Posts: 454
I recently redeemed a First Class (LX and TG) award ticket JFK/ZRH/BKK/CEI via Air Canada Aeroplan. The total taxes were CAD 56.84. I am assuming there was no fuel surcharge...or I was just very lucky.
Aug 10, 2007, 7:14 am
#12
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: JFK
Programs: UA Gold (Million Miler), FI Gold, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 1,075
Aug 11, 2007, 10:52 pm
#14
Ambassador: Air New Zealand
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Wellington NZ
Programs: NZ Elite, EK Gold, Qatar Gold, Amex Plat, Accor Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 1,426
My last reward flight in April AKL/SIN/BKK/SIN/AKL had taxes of IA 16.00, SG 21.00 and XT 281.00 totalling SGD318.00.
BKK departure tax of THB700 will be in there somewhere.
BKK departure tax of THB700 will be in there somewhere.