Jul 1, 2018, 11:36 am
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Chirac Tax - wikipedia
previous thread
UA Paid CDG (Chirac) Tax When Upgrading in the past & new follow-up reported 01 June
UN chief hails new French air tax 2006
The "Solidarity Tax on airplane tickets" (Taxe de solidarit sur les billets d'avion, also known as Chirac Tax) is a surcharge on the civil aviation tax which is destined to finance Unitaid..
Code:
.................Economy Class .. Business or First Class Destination within EEA 1.13 .... 11.27 Destination outside EEA 4.51 ... 45.07
UA Paid CDG (Chirac) Tax When Upgrading in the past & new follow-up reported 01 June
UN chief hails new French air tax 2006
Chirac Tax ex CDG now collected at the time of upgrade request vs at check-in
Jul 19, 2013 | 10:04 pm
#16
Join Date: Jan 2009
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Just re: terminology, this is the "Chirac tax" sometimes called a "solidarity tax".
The phrase "APD" refers to a specific United Kingdom "Air Passenger Duty".
The phrase "APD" refers to a specific United Kingdom "Air Passenger Duty".
Jul 20, 2013 | 7:17 am
#17
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: San Francisco
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And no the flight did not go through the UK, it was non-stop from SFO to CDG. I'm still vaguely thinking of complaining to my credit card company, as I don't see how I authorized this charge. (Had I known, I would have used a different credit card that reimburses these small fees.)
Jul 20, 2013 | 7:26 am
#18
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It's not a UA fee, it's a tax. Taxes are due on awards and will be collected.
Award tickets, awards and certificates may be subject to applicable departure taxes, federal inspection fees, passenger facility charges and other fees, charges or taxes, and the person utilizing the award is responsible for the payment of any such items that may apply.
http://www.united.com/web/en-US/cont...s/default.aspx
Award tickets, awards and certificates may be subject to applicable departure taxes, federal inspection fees, passenger facility charges and other fees, charges or taxes, and the person utilizing the award is responsible for the payment of any such items that may apply.
http://www.united.com/web/en-US/cont...s/default.aspx
Jul 20, 2013 | 8:04 am
#19
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So to be clear, the term "APD tax difference" is the exact text United put on my receipt, when I went to look up my flight receipt after seeing the charge. (At first I thought it was an erroneous charge and was going to complain to my credit card company.)
And no the flight did not go through the UK, it was non-stop from SFO to CDG. I'm still vaguely thinking of complaining to my credit card company, as I don't see how I authorized this charge. (Had I known, I would have used a different credit card that reimburses these small fees.)
And no the flight did not go through the UK, it was non-stop from SFO to CDG. I'm still vaguely thinking of complaining to my credit card company, as I don't see how I authorized this charge. (Had I known, I would have used a different credit card that reimburses these small fees.)
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...-vs-check.html
Jul 20, 2013 | 10:09 am
#20
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Rio de Janeiro
Programs: AA / AV
Posts: 647
I recently had a miles+copay upgrade into CDG airport clear, and found a $48 charge from United on my credit card for an airport passenger duty tax. I'd heard they were doing this to LHR, but didn't know it also applied to CDG. Of course I'm annoyed at this, given that I already paid a hefty copay, but my question isn't about United's decision to impose the fee, but rather its disclosure or lack thereof.
I'm generally pretty good about reading what I'm clicking through, and I don't remember ever seeing any kind of disclosure about this $48. It annoys me even more when people charge stuff to my credit card without first telling me the amount or letting me chose the credit card. Can someone who is familiar with the online upgrade process recently tell me where this amount is disclosed, and how to know whether and how much I will be charged in addition to the stated amount in the future?
Thanks.
I'm generally pretty good about reading what I'm clicking through, and I don't remember ever seeing any kind of disclosure about this $48. It annoys me even more when people charge stuff to my credit card without first telling me the amount or letting me chose the credit card. Can someone who is familiar with the online upgrade process recently tell me where this amount is disclosed, and how to know whether and how much I will be charged in addition to the stated amount in the future?
Thanks.
Jan 14, 2014 | 10:26 am
#24
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Minneapolis, MN (MSP)
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Bingo! France, the UK, and perhaps other countries charge an excise like departure tax on premium class departures. United collects this tax when a GPU is applied to a reservation (regardless of the passenger's status). The tax is refunded if the upgrade does not clear and only applies for departures from the tax jurisdiction (not arrivals to).
Jan 14, 2014 | 10:40 am
#25
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OP - What did your friend say UA told him that the $48 was for. Here, all you can get is speculation because we don't know your route or fare basis. So, it's:
1. A mistake;
2. A fee/tax such as APD
3. An upfare
4. Some combination
Please let us know what UA says.
1. A mistake;
2. A fee/tax such as APD
3. An upfare
4. Some combination
Please let us know what UA says.
Jan 14, 2014 | 11:04 am
#28
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LHR (sometimes CLE, SFO, BOS, LAX, SEA)
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Voil. You'll hear this called the "Chirac tax" or the "solidarity tax" see a little writeup at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solidar...ickets_(France) .
Safe travels.
Safe travels.
Dec 22, 2015 | 4:23 pm
#29
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Posts: 425
United now charging APD for using GPU on flights departing CDG
This was certainly bizzare. Yesterday I booked an itinerary for travel in Jan 2016 outbound ORD-FRA-AMS, then return CDG-IAD-ORD with only the FRA-AMS segment on Lufthansa, rest UA metal. While applying the 2 GPU's I noticed it waived the upgrade fees as usual, but charged me $48 for Airport Passenger Duty (APD).
My understanding has been that this is only when passengers are flying out of UK (my experience has been LHR only) and does not apply when using other European airports. Even my e-receipt says "An additional 48 USD was charged for SST / EDD 01629227631080 for: APD Tax difference / For UK Use only/"
...the last statement is enlightening as it says for UK use only yet I am not even touching UK. Hence I called United 1k desk. The unhelpful lady went back and forth between me and billing/rate desk who confirmed twice that the APD amount of 48 is correct and does apply when flying out of CDG. She said it started applying since May or June of this year. I googled this and found no reference to APD applying from CDG. Does anyone else have similar data point and can confirm this or the ladies were just lying to me?
Any insights will be much appreciated.
My understanding has been that this is only when passengers are flying out of UK (my experience has been LHR only) and does not apply when using other European airports. Even my e-receipt says "An additional 48 USD was charged for SST / EDD 01629227631080 for: APD Tax difference / For UK Use only/"
...the last statement is enlightening as it says for UK use only yet I am not even touching UK. Hence I called United 1k desk. The unhelpful lady went back and forth between me and billing/rate desk who confirmed twice that the APD amount of 48 is correct and does apply when flying out of CDG. She said it started applying since May or June of this year. I googled this and found no reference to APD applying from CDG. Does anyone else have similar data point and can confirm this or the ladies were just lying to me?
Any insights will be much appreciated.
Dec 22, 2015 | 4:25 pm
#30
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Seattle, WA
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Posts: 9,198
This was certainly bizzare. Yesterday I booked an itinerary for travel in Jan 2016 outbound ORD-FRA-AMS, then return CDG-IAD-ORD with only the FRA-AMS segment on Lufthansa, rest UA metal. While applying the 2 GPU's I noticed it waived the upgrade fees as usual, but charged me $48 for Airport Passenger Duty (APD).
My understanding has been that this is only when passengers are flying out of UK (my experience has been LHR only) and does not apply when using other European airports. Even my e-receipt says "An additional 48 USD was charged for SST / EDD 01629227631080 for: APD Tax difference / For UK Use only/"
...the last statement is enlightening as it says for UK use only yet I am not even touching UK. Hence I called United 1k desk. The unhelpful lady went back and forth between me and billing/rate desk who confirmed twice that the APD amount of 48 is correct and does apply when flying out of CDG. She said it started applying since May or June of this year. I googled this and found no reference to APD applying from CDG. Does anyone else have similar data point and can confirm this or the ladies were just lying to me?
Any insights will be much appreciated.
My understanding has been that this is only when passengers are flying out of UK (my experience has been LHR only) and does not apply when using other European airports. Even my e-receipt says "An additional 48 USD was charged for SST / EDD 01629227631080 for: APD Tax difference / For UK Use only/"
...the last statement is enlightening as it says for UK use only yet I am not even touching UK. Hence I called United 1k desk. The unhelpful lady went back and forth between me and billing/rate desk who confirmed twice that the APD amount of 48 is correct and does apply when flying out of CDG. She said it started applying since May or June of this year. I googled this and found no reference to APD applying from CDG. Does anyone else have similar data point and can confirm this or the ladies were just lying to me?
Any insights will be much appreciated.