Emirates hikes up carrier charges on reward seats

[SOPOOR]

I've commented about this before. But in getting a bit desperate

Does anyone have any further suggestions on getting a decent value on my points.

I'm happy to start the flight in a foreign country.
I've looked at using miles at Dubai duty free and the rate Was horrible

I've had a look at several options quickly.
Au to lhr was 400 000 pts + $3600 in J ( couldn't find F)
Hkg to lhr was 200k pts +$2500 in J (couldn't find F)

 

[levelnine]

Does anyone have any further suggestions on getting a decent value on my points.

Your post is too vague to offer any assistance.

1. Are these EK or QF miles?
2. What do you mean by decent value? A classic reward?
3. Do you have any restrictions on when/where you want to go? Or are you happy for us to find you a great deal from Timbuktu to Bogota in 2035?

 

[SOPOOR]

Your post is too vague to offer any assistance.

1. Are these EK or QF miles?
2. What do you mean by decent value? A classic reward?
3. Do you have any restrictions on when/where you want to go? Or are you happy for us to find you a great deal from Timbuktu to Bogota in 2035?

Apologies
425,000 Emirates miles, expiring in the new few weeks
I was originally booked in 2020 for HKG-DUBAI-CDG in F, and canclled due to coivd
I booked HKG because back then the taxes were very low ($300ish), today its about $2500,
if I did AUS to CDG today, it would be $3,600 in taxes which is 2x-3x a economy cash ticket

so trying to be very flexible, any time frame, I was thinking, AUS to EU, AUS to USA, AUS to south America, or even if I have to Book a LCC from AUS to asia, and then fly from ASIA to EU/USA/SA just to avoid paying the full $3600 in taxes

Hope this clears it up

 

[levelnine]

425,000 Emirates miles, expiring in the new few weeks

You're not going to be able to escape the increase in taxes on Emirates rewards. They are now sky high regardless of your route. However, have a look at departures to Europe/USA from the Phillipines (CRK, CEB, MNL). Plenty of availability usually, taxes are on the lower end of the scale and easy to get to/from Australia.

 

[sudoer]

Are you wedded to flying EK or would you consider flying a partner? Can book JL using EK miles for very low taxes?

 

[SOPOOR]

You're not going to be able to escape the increase in taxes on Emirates rewards. They are now sky high regardless of your route. However, have a look at departures to Europe/USA from the Phillipines (CRK, CEB, MNL). Plenty of availability usually, taxes are on the lower end of the scale and easy to get to/from Australia.

i did hear that philipines was cheaper so i did have a quick look but didnt seem that much different, but i will look again

Are you wedded to flying EK or would you consider flying a partner? Can book JL using EK miles for very low taxes?

not at all, happy to fly other airlines, im assuming J or F, and if its low taxes, it would really sort my dilemma out

 

[sudoer]

not at all, happy to fly other airlines, im assuming J or F, and if its low taxes, it would really sort my dilemma out

Pretty readily available JL J awards, for example below random dates for next summer. Ignore the final leg in PE, there were J options on other days, I just could be bothered battling with the QF engine.



Qantas quoting AUD $620 return for taxes - not sure if Skywards would charge more, less, or the same. Carrier charges minimal. There was even F space on quite a few LHR-HND days, but I don't know if you can book JAL F using Skywards as there's no published burn chart for F.

 

[sudoer]

EK engine seems incapable of showing JL awards at the moment - constantly get this error:



I'm not familiar with EK quirks but would recommend using QFF multi-city to find the availability and then trying EK phone reservations?

 

[SOPOOR]

Pretty readily available JL J awards, for example below random dates for next summer. Ignore the final leg in PE, there were J options on other days, I just could be bothered battling with the QF engine.

View attachment 287673

Qantas quoting AUD $620 return for taxes - not sure if Skywards would charge more, less, or the same. Carrier charges minimal. There was even F space on quite a few LHR-HND days, but I don't know if you can book JAL F using Skywards as there's no published burn chart for F.

that is awesoem thanks for that, I just had a tinker i think i used my phone and hence I couldnt see other carriers,
i just tried with desktop and I can at least see it






but now the system isnt liking me either

but thanks youve given me some hope and reduced my stress levels

 

[SOPOOR]

EK engine seems incapable of showing JL awards at the moment - constantly get this error:

View attachment 287677

I'm not familiar with EK quirks but would recommend using QFF multi-city to find the availability and then trying EK phone reservations?

Sorry, but am i doing it wrong?
I can't seem to get the above msg anymore and I get routed back to generic emirates site.

I've tried qff site and for melb to lhr for example, it's coming up with 1.2m qff points.
Do I find a flight and then call emirates to try and book it?

 

[Mattg]

Can I just say that Emirates really needs to be called out for saying this in the FAQs on its website:




Yes, airport taxes are not taken by the airline - but the vast majority of extra charges on Emirates award bookings these days are carrier charges that go directly to the airline!

 

[SOPOOR]

Can I just say that Emirates really needs to be called out for saying this in the FAQs on its website:

View attachment 288937


Yes, airport taxes are not taken by the airline - but the vast majority of extra charges on Emirates award bookings these days are carrier charges that go directly to the airline!

I don't know the legalities of hiking up charges to unreasonable levels.
$3600 in taxes to UK when an economy flight is $1800 is ludicrous, I know there is not a travel ombudsman but is there a way I can make a complaint/create a fuss/make me heard?

 

[jase05]

I don't know the legalities of hiking up charges to unreasonable levels.
$3600 in taxes to UK when an economy flight is $1800 is ludicrous, I know there is not a travel ombudsman but is there a way I can make a complaint/create a fuss/make me heard?

To who?
Emirates doesn’t answer to anyone and there is nothing stopping them charging whatever they want.

 

[SOPOOR]

To who?
Emirates doesn’t answer to anyone and there is nothing stopping them charging whatever they want.

I have no idea my friend, that's why I'm asking.
I guess the only thing I can think of is send a sooky msg to head office

 

[SOPOOR]

that is awesoem thanks for that, I just had a tinker i think i used my phone and hence I couldnt see other carriers,
i just tried with desktop and I can at least see it



View attachment 287679


but now the system isnt liking me either

but thanks youve given me some hope and reduced my stress levels

I must admit I tried a few times today......

I was looking at JAL melb to LHR
1st rep said no flights avail this year
2nd rep said JAL program rules state that I have to travel domestic once I get to Japan so it's not possible to do a Mel to lhr direct flight and hence I was getting the above error msg but I can do 2x bookings of Mel to Japan, Japan to lhr
3rd rep said bkk airways may fly but he can't tell if this not avail or sold out, and I have to call each time to check


What a headache
Will be the last time I use emirates program

Edit: I thought taxes/fuel surchagres was distance airport dependant.... I got a quote from Mel to lhr using emirates miles and it was 55k× $442 for Y and 110k+$1770

 

[Mzungu]

i just checked my flight from jun 2020 which was cancelled due to covid, I took advantage of teh fact that if you book from HKG, the taxes were low

my booking was HKG to dubai to Athens in F, 131,250 miles +$192 tax

today I tried seeing what the equivalent is it says First class not avaible, well obviously to redemptions

not sure why its showing me FIRST but quoting me J
so 111,250 miles +$5000 HKD = $854 AUD one way, so a return flight is going to cost me $1700 (assuming taxes in F are the same

ouchy..... not sure if my dream F in EK A380 is going to happen now

absolutely horrible

These days, and for the foreseeable future, EK F isn't available for reward bookings because there are people queueing up to BUY an F seat. So why would EK forego the revenue for those who don't want to pay? If you pay for it, I'm sure your dream seat will be available.

Personally, I'm pleased that it's much much harder to obtain EK F rewards. It makes it easier for me to select my preferred seat and date of travel.

I suspect it will be maybe 2 years before EK F reward seats are available again at pre-COVID levels, and I'm going to enjoy the reduced competition from rewards seekers. Long may it continue.

 

[SOPOOR]

These days, and for the foreseeable future, EK F isn't available for reward bookings because there are people queueing up to BUY an F seat. So why would EK forego the revenue for those who don't want to pay? If you pay for it, I'm sure your dream seat will be available.

Personally, I'm pleased that it's much much harder to obtain EK F rewards. It makes it easier for me to select my preferred seat and date of travel.

I suspect it will be maybe 2 years before EK F reward seats are available again at pre-COVID levels, and I'm going to enjoy the reduced competition from rewards seekers. Long may it continue.

Why do you have such animosity towards redemption users? Did one of them kick you out of your booking/seat?

 

[Duffa]

Why do you have such animosity towards redemption users? Did one of them kick you out of your booking/seat?

Yea, Ako I bet you a slab of VB your a••e has never graced a paid F seat.
This forum is called AFF; for people who share stories about flying upfront and not paying revenue. If you can afford $15,000 for a return flight then why are you here?
With the greatest respect.....

 

[jase05]

Yea, Ako I bet you a slab of VB your a••e has never graced a paid F seat.
This forum is called AFF; for people who share stories about flying upfront and not paying revenue. If you can afford $15,000 for a return flight then why are you here?
With the greatest respect.....

I don’t agree with what they posted but everyone is different and there is a good variety of sorts on here. As someone who travels OS as much as our work permits and all in J with the occasional F of which 90% is paid revenue flights I’m not sure what relevance that has to do with posting on here.
Not everyone plays the points game and plenty of people are happy to pay full tote odds to sit at the pointy end

 

[SYD]

Not everyone plays the points game and plenty of people are happy to pay full tote odds to sit at the pointy end

But a lot of paid F will still earn a shedload of pts going begging for what? Toasters? You can’t exactly use them for upgrades.