RTW gurus...am I on the right track ?

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cbert said:
btw....the agent in Aus got back to me and said that he could negotiate a special drop in taxes for me from $1300 to $980. Dont know how he negotiated the drop though cause all the sectors are the same.

There is no way the taxes could have been $1300 and I wouldn't even consider using an agent trying to scam that

Dave
 
Note that Sabre does not make quote the taxes. The tax calculation is a mostly manual process undertaken by the airline issuing the ticket. So the Australian TA will need to contact their issuing airline to get an accurate tax cost calculation. Anything they quote you quickly is an estimate. That is why the AA ATW desk has said it will take a few days to calculate the taxes for you. They have people whose primary roll in life is to perform such calculations.
 
Dave Noble said:
There is no way the taxes could have been $1300 and I wouldn't even consider using an agent trying to scam that

Dave

well the thing is I got similar fare quoted by Qantas about a month ago.

The guy in Qantas was pretty helpful and worked out my taxes for me and said he even got it checked over by someone else in his team, the taxes with 16 sectors came to $1260.

He told me the largest amounts were fuel surcharges.
 
cbert said:
Dave Noble said:
There is no way the taxes could have been $1300 and I wouldn't even consider using an agent trying to scam that

Dave

well the thing is I got similar fare quoted by Qantas about a month ago.

The guy in Qantas was pretty helpful and worked out my taxes for me and said he even got it checked over by someone else in his team, the taxes with 16 sectors came to $1260.

He told me the largest amounts were fuel surcharges.

Well, give AA a call tomorrow n find out what they have come up with and do let us know what they have quoted tax wise

Dave
 
My prediction on the "tax" difference is significant. QF charge $81 for each "international" segment, nothing for USA domestic or USA-Canada flight, $32.60 for Australian domestic segments, and $47.60 for any flight to/from HKG.

As far as I can tell, AA only charge $65 per trans-Atlantic and $65 per Trans-Pacific segment. Nothing for any other segment.

So I make the difference something like this:
Code:
Segment    QF FF      AA FF
SYD-JFK = $81.00      US$65.00
JFK-CUN = $81.00      US$ 0.00
CUN-ORD = $81.00      US$ 0.00
ORD-BUF = $ 0.00      US$ 0.00
BUF-ORD = $ 0.00      US$ 0.00
ORD-LGA = $ 0.00      US$ 0.00
JFK-LHR = $81.00      US$65.00
LHR-CAI = $81.00      US$ 0.00
CAI-BCN = $81.00      US$ 0.00
BCN-IST = $81.00      US$ 0.00
IST-LHR = $81.00      US$ 0.00
LHR-PEK = $81.00      US$ 0.00
PEK-HKG = $47.60      US$ 0.00
HKG-BOM = $47.60      US$ 0.00
BOM-HKG = $47.60      US$ 0.00
HKG-NRT = $47.60      US$ 0.00
NRT-PER = $81.00      US$ 0.00
PER-MEL = $32.60      US$ 0.00
MEL-AYQ = $32.60      US$ 0.00
AYQ-PER = $32.60      US$ 0.00

Total  A$1098.20     US$130.00
Using the ROE of 1.356494 (current as at 1st April), that would make a difference of A$921.85.

Note this is only the fuel fines since all other taxes, levies and charges should be the same between the two airlines.
 
ok so just got off the phone with AA, they got the taxes figure done for me, and it comes to........

drum roll please..................................

:wink:



:D $690AUD!! :D

I am pretty happy with that and THANKS to all for the advice, I would have no clue without your input.

These bloody hidden taxes you dont see make a huge diffrence!!!

It be great if they gave you a break down of the taxes for you to see where it goes here in Aus.

Just a side point, AA person yesterday said the taxes in USD should on an estimate be around $300USD, I thought that was low so aksed could it be more, she said absoulte worst it could be is somthing close to $400USD, I then asked could it hit $500USD and she gasped and said not likley at all.

However $690AUD comes to $510USD.

But either way its better than $1000AUD!!!! :D


Also I did try and make a change to my ticket in the last leg, wanted to fly :

PER - LST - PER

but was told cant do it cause Jetstar does some of those flights and I am not allowed to fly Jetstar.

So changed it to PER - CAIRNS - MEL
 
NM said:
My prediction on the "tax" difference is significant. QF charge $81 for each "international" segment, nothing for USA domestic or USA-Canada flight, $32.60 for Australian domestic segments, and $47.60 for any flight to/from HKG.

True. but according to the poster, the agent had assured him that that was priced using Sabre and so could not have been being done through Qantas

The QF fuel fines are ridiculous

Dave
 
cbert said:
I am pretty happy with that and THANKS to all for the advice, I would have no clue without your input.

These bloody hidden taxes you dont see make a huge diffrence!!!

It be great if they gave you a break down of the taxes for you to see where it goes here in Aus.

Are you now going to go for the easy approach of just getting AA to issue it or going to try and get the agent to do it

It would be interesting to ask the agent to do it; give them the locator and the price with taxes and get them to do it; this would be interesting in order to see if they really do have Sabre access since they would need it to issue it and would determine how truthful they have been which might be useful to know for future purposes

Dave
 
Dave Noble said:
True. but according to the poster, the agent had assured him that that was priced using Sabre and so could not have been being done through Qantas

The QF fuel fines are ridiculous

Dave
Can Sabre or even Amadeus quote the taxes for you? I thought not. They would quote the base price for the fare basis (LONE4 in this case). But as far as I know, the taxes are added manually by the issuing agent. This is why they will only provide a rough estimate until you are ready to have the ticket issued since it is a considerable amount of work and usually done by an agent of the issuing airline and not by the reservation TA.

This has certainly been the case with xONEx tickets issued by our corporate TA - and they most certainly do use Sabre.

An easy way to see if it really has been booked in Sabre is to ask the TA for the reloc and check it through VirtuallyThere.com and/or CheckMyTrip.com and see which has the complete itinerary.
 
will talk to TA today.

in past when ever a booking made with this TA they have sent me a iteniary via a link to Virtuallythere.com website.
 
cbert said:
will talk to TA today.

in past when ever a booking made with this TA they have sent me a iteniary via a link to Virtuallythere.com website.
Then that would indeed imply the use of Sabre.
 
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cbert said:
will talk to TA today.

in past when ever a booking made with this TA they have sent me a iteniary via a link to Virtuallythere.com website.

In which case they should have no problem issuing the ticket and, since you have the fare quote already, they have no reason to charge more

Of course, I would still ask why you would want to add in another party into the issue; if you want to make a change/cancel etc, then ime, it is easier to be able to deal direct with the airline since (a) they are easily contacted 24hrs per day and (b) many agents add their own extra fees for changes/cancellations

Dave
 
well I wanted to book with TA as got some credit there.

AA said with the booking code all the info including taxes price will be attached to the booking code. So the final taxes has come to $693.19

Now all I got to do is figure out the FF points angle.

I joined up for Plat AA Challenge, as such I dont see any reason to sign up for QF FF as from now on will try and credit everything to AA.

when I did the booking, I think the AA lady put my AA FF # into the booking. (**Edit just checked via BA 'manage my booking' and my AA fF # is attached)

Can I just check with you guys if the following is right, my first flight is

SYD-SFO-JFK

SYD-SFO is AA code share on Qantas flight

SFO - JFK is AA flight

Therefore total miles = 10,003

as such points earned will be:
SYD - SFO = 7,417 mi = 7,417 points but I only get 0.5 points flying qantas flight 'L class' so points = 3,708

SFO - JFK = 2,586 mi = 2,586 points, and its 1.0 point for every mile as its an AA flight.

Therefore total points SYD-SFO-JFK = 6,294 ? :?
 
cbert said:
SYD-SFO is AA code share on Qantas flight

SFO - JFK is AA flight

Therefore total miles = 10,003

as such points earned will be:
SYD - SFO = 7,417 mi = 7,417 points but I only get 0.5 points flying qantas flight 'L class' so points = 3,708

SFO - JFK = 2,586 mi = 2,586 points, and its 1.0 point for every mile as its an AA flight.

Therefore total points SYD-SFO-JFK = 6,294 ? :?

No.

As long as you are booked on the AA codeshare then you will earn points as if it was an AA flight

Therefore you will earn 7,417 points and miles on SYD-SFO
You will earn 2,586 on SFO-JFK

The SFO-JFK will complete the challenge and so will earn 100% bonus

Mileage earned is 7417+2586+2586 = 10344

Dave
 
Dave Noble said:
No.

As long as you are booked on the AA codeshare then you will earn points as if it was an AA flight

Therefore you will earn 7,417 points and miles on SYD-SFO
You will earn 2,586 on SFO-JFK

The SFO-JFK will complete the challenge and so will earn 100% bonus

Mileage earned is 7417+2586+2586 = 10344

Dave

Whoa, bloody hell.....that sounds too good to be ture :D

thats brilliant, so then after that I guess if I wanted to I could switch back to earning QA points.

If I read the other posts (The AA Plat tips sticky post) properly, I think I need to get my booking updated so that I dont get points only on AA flights but all flights.

Now got to figure out if its worth sticking with AA all the way through or meeting the challenge and then going back to QA FF.

I believe my Plat AA will end on Feb 2007 but getting lounge acess up till then will be brillant, believe it or not with all the traveling I have done I have NEVER been in one of those exclusive airport lounges before! :p
 
ok so from searching the forum and looking at airline sites, I reckon best FF program to join is both AA and QF when flying 'L class' on my RTW trip.

Reason being:

On AA flights get 100% AA points so can hit the Plat challenge and AA has less points needed to get award fligths as compared to QF.

On QF flights best get QF points cause I will only get 50% mile on AA and 100% miles on QF program.

On CX flights best get QF points cause I dont get points on AA but do get 50% miles on QF program.

On BA flights both AA and QF points are same amount so best get AA on 25% points.

On IB flights best get QF points cause I get 100% QF whilst only 30% on AA.


Now got to figure out if I should get a QF credit card or stick with NAB Velocity card !!! :D
 
hold on did I make a mistake in that above assesment. If I get my Plat status as soon as touch down in JFK then does that mean I get the "Elite-status Bonus" advantage on all flights.

So if I am a AA Plat memeber I get more points as a bonus.

eg; on IB flights on AA program I get 30% miles and then an extra 50% "Elite Qualifying Points Per Mile Earned" ?? :?

Also as Plat member traveling in 'L class' I dont get this do I, cause if I do get this then bloody hell this program is better than I thoguth!! :D

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All elite status AAdvantage members enjoy complimentary upgrades to the next class of service for themselves and one companion when both are traveling on an eligible full-fare* Economy Class ticket within the U.S., Canada, Mexico, The Bahamas, Bermuda, the Caribbean and between the U.S. and Central America.
 
cbert said:
hold on did I make a mistake in that above assesment. If I get my Plat status as soon as touch down in JFK then does that mean I get the "Elite-status Bonus" advantage on all flights.

So if I am a AA Plat memeber I get more points as a bonus.

eg; on IB flights on AA program I get 30% miles and then an extra 50% "Elite Qualifying Points Per Mile Earned" ?? :?

Also as Plat member traveling in 'L class' I dont get this do I, cause if I do get this then bloody hell this program is better than I thoguth!! :D

Complimentary Upgrades
All elite status AAdvantage members enjoy complimentary upgrades to the next class of service for themselves and one companion when both are traveling on an eligible full-fare* Economy Class ticket within the U.S., Canada, Mexico, The Bahamas, Bermuda, the Caribbean and between the U.S. and Central America.

Well, you wont get the elite bonus on SYD-SFO obviously since you wont be Platinum at that stage but after that point you will earn 100% bonus on earned miles

e.g. travel on L on AA you will get 200% mileage (100+100)
travel L on QF and get 100% mileage (50+50)
travel L on BA and get 50% mileage (25+25)
travel L on IB and get 60% mileage ( 30+30)

Plus , as you noticed, as platinum member you can get free and cheap upgrades when travelling AA within north America. If you have any sectors on the ATW ticket within North America, then you may wish to consider requesting upgrades on them once you have attained platinum. Since you are only in L class they are not free, but to upgrade costs $30 per 500 miles of flight distance ( e.g. upgrade JFK-DFW is 1391 miles so costs $75 to upgrade to 1st )

I cannot see any reason why you would want to credit miles to QF ( other than CX which earns zero in L ).

Dave
 
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Dave Noble said:
Well, you wont get the elite bonus on SYD-SFO obviously since you wont be Platinum at that stage but after that point you will earn 100% bonus on earned miles
Just a thought ... how chronologicAAlly chAAllenged is AA's system? Is it possible that the QF-operated SYD-SFO flight will post after the SFO-JFK, and because the date of the flight will be the same, the system may count them in the wrong order?

If that was the case, the system may determine that the SYD-SFO flight is the one that completes the challenge and provide the status bonus for the longer flight?
 
just looking at my flight itinerary on virtuallythere.com site and for all AA flights its says Meal: Food for Purchase

Does AA now charge for each meal in coach ?
 
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