monicapileggi

"If you want to be able to redeem flights on Air France, you could consider Northwest Worldperks, Delta Skymiles, or Continental Onepass. If you were reserving the same Air France award flights through any of the above programs, you wouldn't be paying fuel surcharges, only actual taxes."

Patty, I called Delta the other day and I was told I HAD to call Air France in order to purchase my tickets, that I couldn't book via Delta. Maybe I should call them again and get another agent???

Yes, Ira, I do see why it's expensive!

Monica

rkkwan

Monica - You have to call the Flying Blue FF desk. You cannot book NW/CO/DL/AZ using Flying Blue miles anywhere but via Flying Blue. Don't waste time.

monicapileggi

Thanks rkkwan, I did call and you are correct, I do have to go through the FB office.

I faxed a letter to the DC office - hopefully they'll respond tomorrow; otherwise I'll just go ahead and purchase my ticket, which will eat up all my miles I accumulated and will start fresh with a NEW FF program. I've started collecting with Continental.

Monica

Patty

Monica,
What I meant was that hypothetically if you had Delta Skymiles, Continental Onepass miles, or Northwest Worldperks miles, then you could have booked an Air France award through their respective programs without paying a fuel surcharge. But since your miles are with Flying Blue, you can't do that. My point was more or less for future reference in case you switch programs. It doesn't apply to you now. Sorry for not being clear.

monicapileggi

Thanks Patty.

I do plan to switch after this is done. I have started to accumulate ff miles with Continental and will check with others.

I received an email from the DC office: "Dear Mrs PILEGGI,

Thank you for your email and questions sent to Air France Washington City
Ticket Office.

You mentioned that you were advised different tax amounts and that you
claim the Taxes on a reward ticket
to be less expensive if issue by different Air France offices.

We see your reservation with Flying Blue being held until 20 December.
Their price should be the same. All necessary
Airport taxes are collected regardless of the point of purchase.

Please contact Flying Blue for Electronic Ticket Issuance by the deadline
they gave you. We do not have telephone sales
from our office. The Flying Blue telephone number is 1 800 375 8723.

Thank you for choosing Air France and have a safe trip !"

I wrote back and asked why the taxes were approx $300 when on line it's $100 - why do FB members (loyal customers) have to pay 3 times the amount? If I get a response, I'll post here.

Monica

monicapileggi

Email received today:

"Dear Mrs PILEGGI: At this time ALL tickets whether paid tickets =or= tickets printed using Frequent Flyer points, -- are charged a Fuel surcharge Fee of USD55.00 per transatlantic flights (so, $110 for Round Trip).

This charge is there to reduce the financially detrimental market forces to the air carriers when oil is selling at a premium and helps the airline maintain their service without making costly fare increases. Jet Fuel is our 2nd biggest cost and that $110 Fee has to be paid for when fuel is so high. So, you pay taxes plus the $110
fee.
Taxes may also be different according to your Departure / and / Destination
cities.

For example someone who does Washington-Paris-Wasington pays less taxes than someone who does Washington-Paris-Rome-Paris-Washington.
++Every airport/city has separate taxes and fees, so the more
airports/stops/etc. the more taxes.++

I hope this helps to explain more about the taxes. If you subtracted the
Base Price of the Ticket from the Taxes on the web site, then you did not see the USD110 as it is part of the Base
Price rate. On the mileage tickets it is in a separate box."

Monica

rkkwan

Have you checked the tax if you use FB miles on KL, NW, CO or AZ?

Christina

well, I am actually amazed that they are being so responsive to you, and so quickly. So I give them credit for that.

Of course, the response is typical airline nonsense -- the idea that a separate fuel surcharge fee is somehow not raising the fare.

It would be only about $100 total in taxes if you bought it yourself. So, I guess the $100 + $110 fuel surcharge is what you are paying. I just got a quote from AF website for that route in May (peak dates, 5/20 and 5/28) and it gave a complete total of $101 on taxes plus 9/11 fee on a base ticket price of $905. I did get a quote for RT same city (Florence) but that was because their website doesn't really allow multicity very well, although it does in theory. I don't think taxes should be that different between the FLorence and Venice return cities.

Obviously, this is a good price compared to buying a ticket at around $1000 total, but you are basically paying for something as a FF that is included in the base price being quoted on websites when you check fares, that's all. That extra $55 is included in the fare quotes usually, not added on extra as a "tax". It's a way for them to get revenue for FF tickets, and I guess it still a reasonable deal for you.

CRAZY4TRAVEL

I know that some airlines are charging fuel surcharges and lumping them in with the taxes which are already over $100. Air Canada's fuel surcharge on international flights is $240!!

italyss

Last month, I redeemed 50,000 miles on Air France's Flying Blue Award program for one rt ticket from the states to Paris CDG and connecting to Milano MXP for last two weeks of May 2006.
Total cost to me $212.13USD broken down as 110.00 (amount) and 102.13 (taxes). It seems to me that AF is charging a fee in addition to the taxes.

italyss

No where on the print out does it explain that the $110 is for fuel surcharges.

monicapileggi

Well, it's a done deal. I went ahead and got my FB reward ticket (although it's not quite the reward I wanted) and paid approx $300 in taxes. It is a much better deal than the $850 if I purchase directly on line.

I have started to earn miles on Continental; in fact, I returned from a 12-night stay at a "member" hotel and hope to get those points added to Continental. As it's very early in the earning stages, I'll do some research and see which USA based company is the best to earn mileage.

Thanks,

Monica

PS: Yes, it was their typical airline nonsense.

PPS: No, I did't check with Air France to book tickets on a partner airline. At least I did get the flight, date, times I wanted.

Gavin

Crazy4travel: on what route is Air Canada charging $240 for fuel surcharge? It is $84 round trip for my trip to Brazil. I checked a few other destinations and found the following: $122 yyz-syd, $130 (yyz-lhr or yyz-del), $149 yvr-lhr. All figures Canadian.

I actually do not object to paying a fuel surcharge on FF tickets if it means that the programs remain viable and I can get a seat. It would be nice if the charges were clearly spelled out at an early stage of the booking process. At the end of the day when I can make a 10.5 hour non-stop flight in first class for C$159.12 I am a happy customer. If it was $84 less it would make little difference to me.

jenster

I use Continental's One Pass program all the time and have been very pleased with their program. HOWEVER, a first class ticket paid for with miles is considerably more with Continental than with Delta. But I fly so much for work that I'm willing to spend the miles for great service.

They have booked me on AF and KLM connections within Europe. The only problem I had was with AF boarding passes not available when I checked in on the original leg with Continental. Never had that problem with KLM.

SB_Travlr

I was just pricing out a last-minute quick trip to London on BA (flying out of JFK). Ticket cost (cheapest economy) was $303, and taxes, fees and surcharges totalled $217!!! Kinda takes my breath away. I used to reckon to pay just under $100 over the ticket price.

By the way, for the same dates flying out of Boston, the ticket price was $919(!) plus same amount ($218) in taxes etc. As you go through the online booking, a message states that taxes will add approx $108 to the cost -- I guess they "forgot" to mention the fuel surcharges.

We decided to stay home instead, at least for now...

Breadman

When they calulate taxes on a ticket acquired with FF miles, don't they do that based on a full fare ticket sometimes?

JB

monicapileggi

Breadman,

Yes, I'm sure they calculate taxes based on the full fare. The full fare, when I checked their web site, was $740. Taxes were $100.47. Therefore, I should have been charged only the $100.47 but they then added fuel charges and who knows what else.

Monica

MareW

I had two award ticket from Boston to Germany booked on Northwest for this May, but had to cancel after they changed the time. The tax on the two tickets combined was $178. I tried to book the same trip tonight on British Airways. I was shocked to find out the tax and fees for the two tickets would come to well over $500!