undercharged tax and points not taken - reward flight

[N0mad]

Hi,

have a strange one, purchased a 1 way economy award (2 Adults + 2 Child) to Tokyo and JAL for Sept online. Paid taxes by payID and points taken.

Subsequently called up, when return flights were available to be added to the ticket. Gave my credit card to be debited for ~$340. Looking back i can't see the debit on my card. To complicate things i also split the booking so i could try and upgrade to premium seats when they were released which i failed due to booking not being ticketed and by the time i called up the seats were gone.

after a little followup, a QANTAS phone rep called me back and advised she needed my credit card details again to get the booking ticketed. Gave her my details and was debited ~$85 which would have been tax on 1 booking. Tickets were then ticketed and i received new itinerary with 081 ticket numbers. Points are still not taken since flights ticketed last friday 20/10.

Not sure on my best course of action, i've noticed revenue business tickets in D class costing $6k for a family of 4 which i am thinking of buying.

Is it best to say nothing and cancel the return leg or call up and fix prior to cancellation? Note i haven't been charged points for flight or change fees so currently am out $85 for the return leg.

If i decide to keep reward ticket i'll call anyway as i don't want problems when i go to fly.

 

[Mwenenzi]

What was the reason for not booking *separate* award flights back to AU?
IMHO

• trying to add to an existing award and
• splitting the PNR

is asking for trouble. Some to many QF phones are poor at the best of times, unless you get an AU based agent.
Do you have e-tcickets for all flights/all people? Without e-tickets you have nothing.
Good luck. Suspect you will need it

Unsure if you can "upgrade" an award. Or effectively cancel and book an award in the higher cabin.

 

[N0mad]

ok, all passengers have been ticketed with ticket numbers starting with 081. Tickets were issued after all the changes were made, so nothing outstanding from a ticket perspective other than what i noted with Taxes not all debited or points.

reason for adding the rewards to exiting tickets was to save significantly on taxes, as separate bookings taxes were over $400 from memory and as part of a return journey dropped to $85, times this by 4 for my family and was reasonable savings.

I would not be looking to upgrade the return journey from Tokyo i would be looking to cancel (1 leg only) and pay for a revenue fair separately on a different airline.

 

[equus]

i've noticed revenue business tickets in D class costing $6k for a family of 4 which i am thinking of buying.

That seems a strange number. $6K for one way from Tokyo to Australia is not particularly cheap in business, but I doubt that could possibly be the total for 4pax, unless the 2 children are lap infants without seats.

 

[Mwenenzi]

Are you confusing "taxes" with airline carrier award surcharge (=100% profit).
Real taxes are the same for all flights on the same route/class of travel

 

[N0mad]

Are you confusing "taxes" with airline carrier award surcharge (=100% profit).
Real taxes are the same for all flights on the same route/class of travel

hahaha yes most likely, for some reason the additional charges are insane on the return leg if it's standalone vs if it was attached to an outward ticket.

 

[equus]

That is a known feature of JAL fuel surcharges. See this post

 

[N0mad]

That is a known feature of JAL fuel surcharges. See this post

yes was well aware which is why i attached it to the outgoing booking, my questions though are,

Is it best to say nothing and cancel the return leg or call up and fix prior to cancellation? Note i haven't been charged points for flight or change fees so currently am out $85 for the return leg.

If i decide to keep reward ticket i'll call anyway as i don't want problems when i go to fly.

 

[N0mad]

I should also ask for confirmation I can cancel the return leg of the reward before i purchase the revenue fare.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

That seems a strange number. $6K for one way from Tokyo to Australia is not particularly cheap in business, but I doubt that could possibly be the total for 4pax, unless the 2 children are lap infants without seats.

Yeah, cathay has a special ex Japan ATM for less than $3k return, business class.

 

[N0mad]

can anyone confirm it's possible to cancel 1 leg of a return reward flight assume it would cost either 6k or 5k cancellation/change fee or would they be required to cancel the entire reward?

 

[stopthecap]

can anyone confirm it's possible to cancel 1 leg of a return reward flight assume it would cost either 6k or 5k cancellation/change fee or would they be required to cancel the entire reward?

You can ask agent to split the booking then cancel online pretty sure

 

[docjames]

Real taxes are the same for all flights on the same route/class of travel

May be the case for Japan but just to note this does not always apply:

UK charges more for J travel:

Rates for Air Passenger Duty

Check which rates of Air Passenger Duty you need to pay if you’re a plane operator, and how to fill in your return to HMRC.

www.gov.uk

I believe EU also charge based on class of travel.

 

[N0mad]

just to circle back on this, i can cancel 1 leg of the booking but must be done over the phone. Confirmed with QANTAS call centre.

That seems a strange number. $6K for one way from Tokyo to Australia is not particularly cheap in business, but I doubt that could possibly be the total for 4pax, unless the 2 children are lap infants without seats.

I did pull the trigger, total for 2 adults and 2 children (not infants) on business lite fare was $6,050 after conversion fee and includes a few days stopover in Singapore. very happy with the price, note children fares were reasonably cheaper than the adult fares (~$400). Note this is on Singapore not QANTAS.