Qatar Devaluation: Increase in Carrier Fees [Reversed, sort of]

[levelnine]

Overnight Qatar effected a fairly significant devaluation of its program, doubling the taxes/fees on award bookings on many (perhaps all) routes.

They've also removed the ability to preview the taxes/fees unless you have enough points to book in your account.

I haven't checked myself, but I have heard that Velocity has increased its taxes/fees on Qatar redemptions to match.

Edit: Qatar has decreased the amount of the increase: Qatar Airways reverses the bulk of its Avios fee increase

 

[levelnine]

Further information. It is the imposition of a new, non-refundable 'booking fee' that varies by route:

 

[SYD]

Overnight Qatar effected a fairly significant devaluation of its program, doubling the taxes/fees on award bookings on many (perhaps all) routes.

They've also removed the ability to preview the taxes/fees unless you have enough points to book in your account.

I haven't checked myself, but I have heard that Velocity has increased its taxes/fees on Qatar redemptions to match.

Presumably it’s that carrier fee that’s changed? “Taxes” are taxes set by wherever…not the airline.

But EY and then EK set the benchmark for fee gouging some time ago. Is QR just following suit - despite fuel costs going down…

It’s certainly easier for airlines to jack up fees rather than “devalue” redemption tables…

 

[levelnine]

Presumably it’s that carrier fee that’s changed? “Taxes” are taxes set by wherever…not the airline.

But EY and then EK set the benchmark for fee gouging some time ago. Is QR just following suit - despite fuel costs going down…

It’s certainly easier for airlines to jack up fees rather than “devalue” redemption tables…

Yep, a new booking fee. I've attached a screenshot in my second post. It being non-refundable makes it even worse.

 

[goldenhorn]

That sucks, although we've had it pretty good with award bookings for a long time being able to book and cancel up to 24 hours before with most airlines and only lose a small amount of points.

I noticed with a Velocity international award booking BNE-LHR I made last week that there was a $60 cancellation fee. I hadn't seen that before.

 

[Human]

That sucks, although we've had it pretty good with award bookings for a long time being able to book and cancel up to 24 hours before with most airlines and only lose a small amount of points.

I noticed with a Velocity international award booking BNE-LHR I made last week that there was a $60 cancellation fee. I hadn't seen that before.

The $60 Velocity cancellation fee for international flights has been there for as long as I can remember.

 

[SYD]

Yep, a new booking fee. I've attached a screenshot in my second post. It being non-refundable makes it even worse.

I’ve not been tracking QR seats via QF recently - for obvious reasons but they appear to imposing $525 on J rewards and $315 on whY (plus taxes). I don’t know if that’s changed or been like that for a while?

Same fee ex PER and SYD (in whY). I can see the J fee ex PER (and guessing it’s the same from elsewhere)?

 

[Mwenenzi]

Presumably it’s that carrier fee that’s changed? “Taxes” are taxes set by wherever…not the airline.

But EY and then EK set the benchmark for fee gouging some time ago. Is QR just following suit - despite fuel costs going down…

It’s certainly easier for airlines to jack up fees rather than “devalue” redemption tables…

Real taxes are set & collected by government & regulatory bodies. Not airlines. Are the same for every airline on the same route/class of travel.
Have requested the incorrect thread title be corrected.

 

[levelnine]

Just checked an Australian ticket. Over $900 in charges on a one-way Australia to Europe ticket in J now.

 

[Human]

Just checked an Australian ticket. Over $900 in charges on a one-way Australia to Europe ticket in J now.

Wow. That's using Velocity points?

That presumably means that for flights back to Australia from some of the higher-charging airports/countries (eg. UK, CDG) the charges would now be $1000 or more?

 

[levelnine]

Wow. That's using Velocity points?

That presumably means that for flights back to Australia from some of the higher-charging airports/countries (eg. UK, CDG) the charges would now be $1000 or more?

That's on Qatar using Avios.

It's actually less to book on Velocity at the moment, but I'm guessing that won't last long. Velocity don't absorb any other charges from partners — I can't see why they'd absorb this one

 

[goldenhorn]

Wow. So glad I booked my QR J tix CDG-BNE last week for 08-25. Used my last Avios and Paid about $500 per pax in fees on Qatar site. Good timing by luck.

 

[Tiki]

Tax Taxes/Levies/Surcharges on J to IST or ESB in J is now $855! Just last week I was looking for the same and the tax was $375 in J. This basically takes me out of the game for J class awards. Even Y is now 42.5k + $511!

Taxes Taxes/Levies/Surcharges are the same on BA and QR.

 

[Mwenenzi]

Tax on J to IST or ESB in J is now $855! Just last week I was looking for the same and the tax was $375 in J. This basically takes me out of the game for J class awards. Even % is now 42.5k + $511!

Taxes are the same on BA and QR.

Real taxes are set & collected by government & regulatory bodies. Not airlines. Are the same for every airline on the same route/class of travel.
Was there any carrier cash surcharge?

 

[DAC1]

I booked MEL-ATH for 2 yesterday in J for next year with Avios through QR. The taxes and surcharges were $370 per passenger which included a $210 non-refundable redemption fee per passenger. Today, while I cannot see the breakdown of the fees, the fees and surcharges are $848 per passenger so nearly a $480 increase.

So I’m not convinced it’s an entirely new fee given a booking I made yesterday already had a non-refundable redemption fee, although it seems like there has been a significant increase in those ‘non-refundable’ fees.

 

[clifford]

Makes buying a cash fare out of Asia look even more attractive.

 

[flyguy77]

Makes buying a cash fare out of Asia look even more attractive.

Agreed. Why pay $2000 plus AND 360k Amex Points when you can just book a $3000 return fare from Asia.

So many devaluations and fee increases post-covid makes me feel the end game for 'points-hacking' is getting closer and closer due to the popularity and people wising up as to how to use points.

The outsized value just isn't there anymore considering all the limitations on being able to book reward seats.

Sadly when everyone knows how to do it - no one can do it.

 

[doctorstrangelove]

My emotions: disappointed but also unperturbed.

Disappointed. My issue is not so much with the rise itself, but with the sneaky way it was conducted with no announcement or no warning. It is, to be frank, unprofessional to alter the price of a service and not communicate it to the customer directly.

Unperturbed. I'm an Avios subscriber who pays 0.0175AUD/Avios, usually booking my rewards ticket from Perth to any airport in the British Isles (to give myself a little flexibility when trying to redeem). I've had a look at the surcharges for PER - DUB in J just now and, factoring in the cost to me of the 90,000 Avios required too, I will now be be forking out $2100 for this flight. For my (already booked) upcoming PER - EDI flight in January 2025 I've paid the equivalent of $1940. This is less than a 10% increase in cost to me. Considering the price of my favourite takeaway has soared by 40% in 3 years this is small print inflation. For a non-status individual like myself QR is still by a considerable distance the easiest way and best value to be able to book a direct rewards flight from Australia to Europe with one stopover.

TL; DR. Avios redemptions on QR are still great value on one route at least.

 

[Tiki]

Qatar Airways reverses the bulk of its Avios fee increase

Qatar Airways has rolled back the huge rise in Avios taxes and charges from Saturday night, although fees are still higher than they were.

www.headforpoints.com

The tax/cash component for BNE-DOH-IST is "down" to $511. Not great but better than the $855 I saw yesterday. There were only 3 J seats I could find for the BNE-DOH segment in Jan/Feb so I bit the bullet and grabbed one. I won't be the only one worried there may be more devaluations in the future. At least I will get to try a Q Suite for once in my life.

 

[p--and--t]

https://loyaltylobby.com/2024/09/15/qatar-airways-award-fee-policy-switches-from-segment-to-distance-based/