gothepats

I booked a ticket using United miles yesterday. The routing was
PEK-SIN on CA
SIN-SYD on SQ
MEL-BKK on TG
BKK-NRT on TG
NRT-PEK on NH

When I get the receipt for the ticket, the taxes and fees were broken down as below:

Fare Breakdown
Airfare: 0.00 CNY
Equivalent Airfare: 0.00 USD
China Airport Fee: 14.30
Singapore Passenger Security Service Charge: 2.20
International Surcharge (YR): 71.70
Singapore Passenger Service Charge: 6.60
Australia Passenger Movement Charge: 42.70
Australia Safety and Security Charge: 3.10
Australia Passenger Service Charge: 36.00
Japan Passenger Security Service Charge: 4.30
Japan Passenger Service Facilities Charge: 17.40
Per Person Total: 198.30
USD

I was charged a $71.70 YR international surcharge which was really confusing. One agent said SQ collects it and the other one said CA collects the surcharge. I have never heard of United collecting YR for other airlines but agents kept telling me the charge was legit.

Anyone has similar experience? Thanks!

rankourabu

Problem probably is that United is used to not collecting YQ - and when its coded YR - the system got confused.

btw, its not the operating carrier that "collects" the surcharge - its always the ticketing carrier. This was confirmed by Aeroplan.

787fan

definitely challenge it. UA's policy is not collecting any of these YQ or YR, regardless of how it's coded or called.

waxearwings

This lumping of YR into taxes and fees has also happened with PQDs on partners that use YR. Very annoying.

MatthewLAX

I've had the same problem with SQ before...it is not CA.

TennisNoob

Its for sure not CA, I've never had issues with CA bookings via UA.

Never flew SQ so I would assume it's SQ

LIH Prem

and ... ?

Were you able to get a refund or have it removed?

-David

MatthewLAX

No, same response from UA.

Rates has no idea what YR is (other than a "tax") and is of no help--you cannot even speak to them. Res agents are clueless. It was $54 from ICN-SIN and I just left it.

docbert

SQ normally charge YQ, not YR.

I have an award booking on SQ in a few days on a similar route to the OP (SIN-BNE) and I definitely wasn't charged YR (or YQ)

gothepats

After failing to get anything from regular desk agents and twitter csr, I got a 1k member to help me yesterday. The 1k desk agent sent the ticket to rate desk and came back saying the YR is mistakenly charged. They manually calculated the tax and fees and refunded the $71.7 charge.

I think the catch here is to get the right agents to help, and there seems to be very few of them...
That's why this case is so weird. CA does charge YR from PEK-SIN but the amount doesn't match, while SQ doesn't charge YR for revenue tickets.

Somehow I think it still should be SQ because UA has to communicate directly with SQ when booking award tickets on SQ, and probably SQ agents messed up with the tax and fees. But I don't have a conclusive answer.

LIH Prem

nicely done.

-David

mgcsinc

This misbehavior merits a DOT complaint. Please help others in the future out by complaining.

UnitedFFinAsia

When Gas prices spiked in 2008 I had TG collect a fuel surcharge on a United Mileage Ticket at check in. $150HKD to Bangkok. Needless to say put it on my Amex Platinum and fought the charge. I have had to call UA to adjust fuel surcharges before on award tix with CA.

sftong

Hello Helpers, I booked a ticket using MileagePlus, departing Chicago ORD to Paris CDG. Stay there for a few nights, then go to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. On way back, to Beijing , then back into USA.

Of all the charges, this one stands out -- "International Surcharge (YR): $67.5" per person.

What is that? Is that disputable? I booked almost the exact route in Sept 2015 , but it was through London LHR instead of Paris CDG. I checked my receipt at that time, there was no "International Surcharge (YR)".

So this charge is new. Other charges and fees are recognizable, as listed below. Over the phone, the UA agent "somehow" blame it on Paris, and Singapore Airline.

Thanks!!

September 11th Security Fee: 11.20
International Surcharge (YR): 67.50
U.S. Customs User Fee: 5.50
U.S. Immigration User Fee: 7.00
U.S. APHIS User Fee: 3.96
France Airport Tax: 23.30
France Air Passenger Solidarity Tax: 5.10
France Passenger Service Charge: 31.30
Singapore Passenger Security Service Charge: 2.20
Singapore Passenger Service Charge: 2.20
Malaysia Goods and Services Tax: 0.90
Malaysia Passenger Service Charge: 15.80
China Airport Fee: 13.50

DrewBach

I believe that is a fuel surcharge or some other fee that goes to the airline, so not a tax.