New Charge for Velocity Bookings on EY

[roby]

All Reward Seat bookings on Etihad Airways operated flights made from 18 June 2016 will incur an Etihad Airways Reward Seat Carrier Charge.
A charge of US$50 in Economy, US$205 in Business and US$300 in First Class will be applicable per flight sector for both adults and children. A reduced charge of US$5 in Economy, US$20.50 in Business and US$30 in First Class will be applicable per flight sector for infants not occupying a seat.
This charge will be payable when completing your Reward Seat booking.

https://www.velocityfrequentflyer.com/content/ProgramBenefits/LatestNews/ey-seat-carrier-charge/

So this means for a one stop reward seat on EY one way to Europe in Business, you will now pay an extra US$410. This is in addition to EY recently being moved to the higher rates. Incredible!

 

[Mattg]

What on earth? That's terrible.

Does this only apply to Velocity redemptions?

 

[roby]

What on earth? That's terrible.

Does this only apply to Velocity redemptions?

Given it's priced in USD most likely it's introduced by EY.

 

[theblank]

Yikes!
Will Velocity allow us to book a rewards seat to Europe on Singapore airlines in one booking?
I know its a no brainer to book it online as the separate flights. OTOH BNE-SIN-LON would be 37500 + 50000 plus ~150 for a Y seat one way

 

[Mattg]

Given it's priced in USD most likely it's introduced by EY.

Hopefully they won't extend this to AAdvantage bookings, etc.!

 

[Blackswan]

Per sector? Are they for real?!

What a joke.

 

[Mattg]

Per sector? Are they for real?!

What a joke.

Surely they wouldn't charge a US$205 surcharge for a business class seat on the 200 mile hop from Abu Dhabi to Doha (among other routes)?!

 

[Virgin Bart]

Wow!!!!!!!!

 

[MH_fan]

Yikes! Glad I booked my reward tickets on EY already!

 

[Kilo]

Not happy Jan

 

[coles525]

I've just had shivers occuring! On top of points + tax, there is a seat charge of upto US$300?

 

[a330j]

Ouch! Another (de facto) devaluation of VFF points.

 

[junbugging]

Moves like this are why I think it's naive to expect that airlines would even consider scrapping fuel fines etc. without increasing their revenues in some other way.

 

[williamsf1]

I've just had shivers occuring! On top of points + tax, there is a seat charge of upto US$300?

Try USD1200 on F return from AU to Europe or USA

 

[Virgin Bart]

This is incredible!

 

[Danger]

These are some outrageous added costs.

 

[RAM]

This is incredible!

Incredible i not quite the word I would choose.

The lack of advance warning (I mean a REALISTIC advance warning) is a great negative PR coup for EY.

Perhaps they've picked up some of Q's 'Enhancement team'?

It makes a planned EY 2 x 1st Eur rtn look much less attractive than had been the case. Might have to start thinking of bringing it forward to early May 17 from July/August/Sept.

Sure makes it hard to keep singing their praises if they're going to slug us like that!

 

[RAM]

Given it's priced in USD most likely it's introduced by EY.

and to make it worse EY use "their own" USD/AUD exchange rate which can make even travelex look like good value in comparison. A few years back I opted to pay for upgrades at SYD to J for SYD/AUH for the family. Obviously was sleep deprived...

The AUD mid-rate was 1.0745 that day. The EY rate was 0.99. I 'discussed' the rate with them pointing out that the nearby travelex was offering 1.02 and their response is that's not our rate.

So I asked to pay in USD cash. No it must be by CC.

So if similar absolute spread today then J rtn Eur could cost over $1,450 AUD.

 

[williamsf1]

Perhaps they've picked up some of Q's 'Enhancement team'?

ha ha ha.... you have hit the nail on the head

 

[hossein_au]

This is what I wrote in the original thread:

VA moved EY to the table with other carriers that impose fuel fines (e.g. SQ), with the idea being one 'pays' extra points for these carriers because VA absorbs the extra fees. Now, we pay more points AND pay the fuel fine??