Taxes & Charges Increase - Points devalue again

[dajop]

Well the value of our points are decreasing yet again, with the recent increase in taxes and charges.

Once upon a time a Mel-Syd return was 20,000 points + $4 noise tax. (well actually it was 17,000 but to keep it consistent with the current program, let's assume 20,000).

Then we had the Ansett levy ($10) + security levy (~$13) making it 20,000 points + $27.

Then we added the "passenger screening charges" (~$6) making it 20,000 points + $33.

Now the latest addition is the "private airports levy" ($12) making it now 20,000 points + $45.

When will it all end? Will they bring out all of the variable costs as taxes and charges, such as "catering levy", "fuel levy", "baggage handling charge"?

 

[shillard]

Well the value of our points are decreasing yet again, with the recent increase in taxes and charges.When will it all end? Will they bring out all of the variable costs as taxes and charges, such as "catering levy", "fuel levy", "baggage handling charge"?

Points value "decreasing"?

What a load of rat's bollocks.

The points are redeemed against the AIRFARE you would normally pay to get from A to B. Taxes & charges are listed separately on your invoice from QF (or anyone else) - they don't count.

Catering and baggage handling are services provided by the airlines at their discretion, not imposed upon them by our Communist Government (like the ridiculous Chansett levy to pay for union bums who fouled their own nest).

Almost all of the "security initiatives" post 9/11 have been a complete waste of time and money, and you will find very few of them implemented at places like David Ben-Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. Your El-Al flight from Tel Aviv to any non-US or UK destination will be equipped with steel knives for all classes, and you can not only bring your nail file on board, but you can buy one airside. You can even get Swiss Army knives airside.


If you've got a beef with the rising costs of air travel in Australia, take it up with your local Federal MP and all of your State/ Territory Senators - they're the incompetent crooks who are responsible.

 

[dajop]

Shillard, you are missing my point. I am not complaining against the rising cost of air travel in Australia, indeed the fares charged by Qantas haven't really risen much lately, but rather that the different charges have been separated out as taxes and other charges. This makes no difference to typical fare paying customers - a $200 web special is still a $200 web special (give or take the seasonal variations), but the taxes and other charges have increased, and the "air fare" component has decreased. This has however led to an increase in the fees paid by frequent flyers (and dare I say it, probably more importantly, those on staff travel!).

Using the Mel-Syd example, if originally your 20,000 points (with no charges) got you a $200 airfare , now (with the extra charges) they effectively get you a $155 airfare, which in my books is a devaluation of my points. This is a frequent flyer website and I think it is worth pointing this out to other frequent flyers. This is pertinent when deciding where to tranfer points from Altitude/Amex type rewards programs - frequent flyers, hotel programs or other "rewards".

Granted though, the latest charge"private airports levy" may be a the Macquarie Airports charge at Sydney, as there is no such levy on Melb-Brisbane. Maybe the moral to the whole story is avoid Sydney whenever possible!

 

[thadocta]

Maybe the moral to the whole story is avoid Sydney whenever possible!

A bit hard when you live there.

Dave

 

[shillard]

Maybe the moral to the whole story is avoid Sydney whenever possible!

A bit hard when you live there.

Dave

Lies, nobody LIVES in Sydney.

 

[thadocta]

A bit hard when you live there.

Dave

Lies, nobody LIVES in Sydney.

True, but I can't see Qantas servicing Katoomba airport any time soon - it is not even capable of a C152 at the moment (rotary wing only, I am afraid).

Dave

 

[shillard]

Business opportunity there - sell your plates, convert your PPL to a rotary rating, and offer a helo transfer service to SYD.

 

[thadocta]

Business opportunity there - sell your plates, convert your PPL to a rotary rating, and offer a helo transfer service to SYD.

The rotary wouldn't be a problem. I think I mentioned it during our booze-up at QCSYD, but I am deaf in my right ear, so a CPL is out of the question - need to be able to listen out on two seperate frequencies. :cry: