Qantas Award Charges Outrageous

[michaele]

Similarly doing an F award trip strategically departing from HKG - doing HKG-DXB-MXP//LHR-DXB-BNE in EK F for a grand total sum of about $600 for 2 people.

Leaving from Aus the taxes would have been at least 3x the amount, the agent who processed it for me on the phone couldn't believe how low the amount to be paid at the end of it was. Apparently QF tend to tax the EK flights as much or more than their own.

Did you do them as two seperate bookings or essentially a multi city?

 

[rock86]

Did you do them as two seperate bookings or essentially a multi city?

Yes, do these awards via the multi-city tool and the fee's at the end will be in HKD.

 

[mitti]

Did you do them as two seperate bookings or essentially a multi city?

Yes, do these awards via the multi-city tool and the fee's at the end will be in HKD.

Yep multi-city. Had to do via premium call centre as the website wouldn't allow it. It seems Emirates have hidden rules about which segments can be paired together, and from which cities they can be booked. The first time I called up the person I spoke to kept telling me no availability for certain legs, but tried again later and was successful.

Had to insist that the ticket was issued from HKG office (although this is just a formality, really it is issued in Aus) which the Emirates system didn't want to allow, which meant the rep I spoke to had to try a few tricks to get it through.

 

[travelislife]

This thread pretty much sums up why I jumped ship from Qantas....those pesky surcharges....very close to an actual free trip to Europe and back!

If booked using Qantas points I would have probably been up for $1000+ per person in surcharges. Plus another $1000-$1500 in infant fees.

So this one trip alone I am ahead approx. $3k in cold hard cash.

Experience Booking Europe Trip with Velocity Points

 

[juddles]

Although I detest the high QF co-payments in redeeming flights, I also disagree with those that describe such as "maximising profits". Qf is only just into the "black" recently.....

 

[juddles]

Despite whatever ill feelings are held against payment of upper management, IMHO the over all cost of QF giving staff Australian-level wages is far more significant to the overall costs of the airline. Such waffle as "maximising profits" is ridiculous. They still barely break even....

Jump ship and get cheaper fares / less redemption costs. That is at the expense (morally) because they pay less for their staff, etc.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Despite whatever ill feelings are held against payment of upper management, IMHO the over all cost of QF giving staff Australian-level wages is far more significant to the overall costs of the airline. Such waffle as "maximising profits" is ridiculous. They still barely break even....

Jump ship and get cheaper fares / less redemption costs. That is at the expense (morally) because they pay less for their staff, etc.

The thing is we're paying twice over. We pay the fuel surcharge on the paid fares to accrue points (although the fuel surcharge has now been incorporated into the base fare so it's less transparent), and then we pay it again for a redemption. The cost of earning points has increased, so the 'free' award seat should, in theory, still be free. Except it's not. They slug the fuel surcharge again.

Agree some QF staff will be on higher wages. Those based in AU. But there are also UK based staff (or at least there were for flights to DXB), there are NZ based staff (jetconnect) and for Qantas Group, there are Thai based staff.

 

[nickfromeastryde]

The thing is we're paying twice over. We pay the fuel surcharge on the paid fares to accrue points (although the fuel surcharge has now been incorporated into the base fare so it's less transparent), and then we pay it again for a redemption. The cost of earning points has increased, so the 'free' award seat should, in theory, still be free. Except it's not. They slug the fuel surcharge again.

Agree some QF staff will be on higher wages. Those based in AU. But there are also UK based staff (or at least there were for flights to DXB), there are NZ based staff (jetconnect) and for Qantas Group, there are Thai based staff.

Would dispute that the cost of earning points has increased, credit card churning/points, Epiqure, hotels, hire cars etc and base fares currently cheaper in real terms than ever have been a boost in recent times. Still it does seem incongruous that QF lifted fuel charges as prices went up but never came down as those same prices dramatically fell.

At the end of the day however, the decision to join QFF and redeem points for flights is solely up to each individual. If you don’t like it you are always free to go somewhere else

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Would dispute that the cost of earning points has increased...

The cost of earning points through flying has increased. QFFF as a business has made points easier - through credit cards and other bonuses. But if you fly, simpler and fairer removed the correlation between actual distance and points - and - the fares are more expensive because the fuel surcharge is now in the base fare. And that surcharge hasn't come down as fuel has reduced in price.

So less miles, at higher prices.

 

[JohnK]

So less miles, at higher prices.

After 125 domestic flights I earn 100,000 points and expected to pay the fuel surcharge.

Someone can earn the same points churning credit cards and may possibly pay a once fee of $400 to earn those points.

It's obviously not a frequent flyer program as QFF sees the points as the same but they are not the same.

But yes I do have a choice. I can fly Tiger each week with their lovely schedules and customer service. Oh and their state of the art lounges.

 

[travelislife]

After 125 domestic flights I earn 100,000 points and expected to pay the fuel surcharge.

Someone can earn the same points churning credit cards and may possibly pay a once fee of $400 to earn those points.

It's obviously not a frequent flyer program as QFF sees the points as the same but they are not the same.

But yes I do have a choice. I can fly Tiger each week with their lovely schedules and customer service. Oh and their state of the art lounges.

Or Virgin...and not pay any surcharges at all.

 

[JohnK]

Or Virgin...and not pay any surcharges at all.

Still have surcharges but a little less than Qantas but then earning can also be less if not Platinum.

 

[travelislife]

Still have surcharges but a little less than Qantas but then earning can also be less if not Platinum.

Huh? What surcharges? Unless you want to book Etihad they don't exist!

 

[JohnK]

Huh? What surcharges? Unless you want to book Etihad they don't exist!

Surcharges exist for domestic flights unless you want the very poor points conversion from points + pay to points only.

 

[travelislife]

Surcharges exist for domestic flights unless you want the very poor points conversion from points + pay to points only.

Not as far as I am aware. You only pay government and airport taxes. No surcharge by Virgin. Unless I am missing something?

 

[serfty]

Still have surcharges but a little less than Qantas but then earning can also be less if not Platinum.

What surcharges?

Surcharges exist for domestic flights unless you want the very poor points conversion from points + pay to points only.

Here's the fare calcualtion area for a Velocity award I have coming up MEL-BNE: (No YQ or YR to be seen!)

Fare AUD 0.00
Taxes/Fees/Carrier-Imposed Charges
AUD 2.64 UO2 (Taxes)
AUD 12.50 QRB (Head Tax)
AUD 8.03 QRM (Head Tax)
AUD 5.82 WG1 (Domestic Safety And Security Charge - Departures)
Fare Calculation Line
MEL VA BNE0.00 AUD0.00 END
Endorsement / Restrictions
VLD VA ONLY/REFER ISS OFF/VA VELOCITY
REWARD .......
Form of Payment Velocity Points
Credit Card - American Express :
xx_xx_xx_XX 9999 - AUD 28.99
Total/Transaction Currency AUD 28.99 + Velocity Points

 

[JohnK]

Not as far as I am aware. You only pay government and airport taxes. No surcharge by Virgin. Unless I am missing something?

The ~$29 Virgin charges and ~$39 Qantas charges on domestic flights are genuine taxes?

Note that @serfty has provided above. Qantas charges $10 more.

 

[serfty]

Qantas charges $10 more.

Actually it is $7 ... and that is YQ ...

 

[travelislife]

The ~$29 Virgin charges and ~$39 Qantas charges on domestic flights are genuine taxes?

Note that @serfty has provided above. Qantas charges $10 more.

I.e. the Qantas surcharge at work. The big savings though are on the international legs. Can actually mean economy points bookings are worthwhile.

 

[serfty]

Here is the breakdown of a QFF Reward, same route.

Note that Qantas separate out the GST and perform other things with the figures, but the difference is that $7.

Transportation charges
Other Carrier Charges $14.00
Taxes, fees and charges
Goods and Services Tax (GST) $3.27
Passenger Service Charge - Dom $4.40
Passenger Service Charge - Dom $8.79
Safety and Security Charge $5.53
Total per Passenger $35.99
Number of Passengers 1
Total amount (AUD) $35.99
Grand total amount (AUD) AUD$35.99