QFF - Different prices same flights

[Rosege]

Ive just been looking at booking business HND - ADL.
If I book this return I can book the flights on Business saver fares for around 122,000 yen each way ($1506AUD).
I just had a look at how much the dates would cost if I booked ADL-HND return and the price for the same flight was double ($3057).
Is this the Australia tax and Qantas gouging Australians?
Maybe its common and im just not aware of it?

 

[sudoer]

Maybe its common and im just not aware of it?

It is completely normal for airlines to charge different amounts to get from X->Y->X and Y->X->Y. This happens all over the world, and isn't specific to Qantas or an 'Australia tax.'

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Ive just been looking at booking business HND - ADL.
If I book this return I can book the flights on Business saver fares for around 122,000 yen each way ($1506AUD).
I just had a look at how much the dates would cost if I booked ADL-HND return and the price for the same flight was double ($3057).
Is this the Australia tax and Qantas gouging Australians?
Maybe its common and im just not aware of it?

This is common. You may be seeing POS (Point Of Sale) pricing too whereby QF (and most airlines) discount by region to stimulate sales or are in competition with another carrier operating from that region or airport. Looks like QF has a sale from various ports into Australia as I can see fares for HND-ADL return in J as low as Yen200k in August 2019 as opposed to the regular fare of Yen370k.

Look on the bright side: it's part of 'the game' of which people take advantage to travel much cheaper than initial pricing may indicate

 

[RichardMEL]

This is normal for different points of sale and O&D markets.

In fact it would be most unusual for prices to be exactly the same (or near to, given taes will vary) for flights as pricing is very market, direction and point of sale dependent.

 

[odysseus]

Just to give one example of the reason, if it is school holidays in one origin, and at the same date at the other origin, it is not school holidays, then prices will be different. If they were the same it would either be regarded as too cheap and swamped and sold out as families book tickets, or at the other end if they priced it up to match the school holiday end there may not be enough travel as prices would be too high for the local market (when everyone else can fly to other destinations cheaper as it's off peak).

Basically, prices need to be different otherwise one group will get a benefit or another group will be disadvantaged.

 

[Rosege]

Thanks for your responses and I see your points.
From what I can tell with low cost carriers (in general) they don't do this. Every flight has it's price and it doesn't matter what currency or where you're booking it from.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Aust departure tax is Aud$60, plus airport charges, for security fee, and airport pax charges, if the Japan airport charge less, per dep compared to Aust airport charge per dep, yes, there can be a difference.
Take forex into account too, on some airline e tix, the put in a ROE.
Yes, I talk a lot of something, say what you wish, but thats my take from the/for the difference.
I fly Au - NZ many times, and I do look into the fare difference, as I usually fly one way with one airline, and back with a different airline, and different alliance.
Edit: not to mention, too that for an Aust dep, you will travelling J have access to QF's own lounge, where as when coming from Japan to Au in J, you will be using JAL's lounges, and not QF's, so the fee recovery could also be a bit less.

 

[moa999]

from what I can tell with low cost carriers (in general) they don't do this. Every flight has it's price and it doesn't matter what currency or where you're booking it from.

Correct. They price everything as one ways.
(Same as Qantas does domestically now fyi)

 

[Cynicor]

While this is completely normal, haven't you posted the one-way and return prices up there? Or is the QF return $6k?

 

[travelislife]

Have you actually got to the last page of the pricing on the QF Japan website? Taxes and fuel surcharges are added later sometimes so the headline fare looks much cheaper.

 

[Rosege]

While this is completely normal, haven't you posted the one-way and return prices up there? Or is the QF return $6k?

I've posted the one way prices based on a return fare.
So the full price for Ex-HND is around $3000AUD Return
Full price Ex-ADL is around $6000AUD return.

So even if they add on some extra taxes on last page of the booking it wouldnt double the cost.

One other question - If I book a return flight HND - ADL - and I book discount business on way out and flex business on way back - can I cancel the return flight once in ADL?

 

[sudoer]

book discount business on way out and flex business on way back - can I cancel the return flight once in ADL?

I believe the answer is no - the cancellation rules of the most restrictive fare on the itinerary will be enforced.

 

[Rosege]

I think you are right - I see this in the T&C:
Note: If this fare is combined with another fare the most restrictive cancellation conditions apply.
So I guess if you bought a flex fare with a cheap one then you have just thrown your money away since it wont be a flex fare anymore.

 

[sudoer]

So I guess if you bought a flex fare with a cheap one then you have just thrown your money away since it wont be a flex fare anymore.

Yes, but sometimes Flex buckets are all that's available if you have to fly a particular date/time.

 

[Rosege]

yes thats fine - but I would have thought if you buy a ticket thats marketed as flex but only in the small print says well maybe its not it should be against ACL

 

[sudoer]

I would have thought if you buy a ticket thats marketed as flex but only in the small print says well maybe its not

It's still a Flex fare in other aspects - you get more points & SC, more flexibility with routing, access to more inventory, etc.

 

[downgraded]

Ive just been looking at booking business HND - ADL.
If I book this return I can book the flights on Business saver fares for around 122,000 yen each way ($1506AUD).
I just had a look at how much the dates would cost if I booked ADL-HND return and the price for the same flight was double ($3057).
Is this the Australia tax and Qantas gouging Australians?
Maybe its common and im just not aware of it?

The route in reverse on the same dates may have entirely different availability due to eg school holidays. The expectation that pricing should be the same if wrong.

 

[RichardMEL]

The other issue with international pricing is local markets, power of their currency and local earnings. eg your pricing out of a third world country will, in general, be lower than from a first world country (which is why things like buying RTW fares ex CMB or CAI or wherever the sweet spot of the day is) have been favourites for years to reduce costs.

Also, pricing for some airlines out of various places where they do not have a strong presenc(or even none and operate via codeshares) may be lower to attract business. An example of this are the "cheap" AY or LH fares ex-AU.

In a single country or area, such as Australian domestic, none of that really applies, so the use of one way fares makes far more sense. Even then it took a long time for this to come in. Remember the days of required Saturday night staus enforced in "cheap" domestic return tickets.

These days pricing controls are done via inventory and AP requirements.

the comment above regarding differet lounge accesses is irrelevant in my view.

 

[Carrots]

There was an article the other day (maybe on AusBT?) for those frequenting a country/region looking to take advantage of such occurrences where the non Aus return ticket is cheaper.

In essence you book your Aus - Europe - Aus ticket with a long return date (the return date being that of your second trip), and then purhase the cheaper return trip from Europe (or wherever you might be) to use in the middle with the appropriate dates.

(sorry can't recall the specific names and info).

Seems quite simple yet potentially quite cost beneficial.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

In essence you book your Aus - Europe - Aus ticket with a long return date (the return date being that of your second trip), and then purhase the cheaper return trip from Europe (or wherever you might be) to use in the middle with the appropriate dates..

Seems quite simple yet potentially quite cost beneficial.

Google 'nested itineraries'