RTW ticketing and TAs

[Keith009]

I was wondering if anyone can advise me on how TAs price up these tickets? Do they have to queue the bookings to the airline they're issuing through for final approval, or can they simply charge any price according to their own calculations?

Currently I am dealing with a TA for an LLGLOB26 because AA will only hold seats for no longer than 21 days. Availability on some segments is tight and so I was keen to book it asap, but I can't afford to pay for it till at least JAN next year - hence the TA.

The itinerary:
MEL-SYD QF
xSYD-HNL AA codeshare op by QF
HNL-DFW AA
xDFW-JFK AA
JFK-LHR AA
xLHR-TXL BA
TXL-LHR BA
xLHR-HKG BA
HKG-MEL QF

I insisted that the TA issue the ticket through AA for the lower fuel fines and so I can EVIP the AA operated segments, to which he agreed. The total tax and surcharges come up to A$647 per the TA's ticketing dept.

For context I had a DONE4 ex-NRT which was also issued with AA, it was issued with 16 segments, had one hit of UK premium APD (so 80 quid or approximately A$200), and of course had far more stopovers. The tax came up to about JPY71 900 (approx A$680).

So I was thinking that the TA got the tax wrong or perhaps used the wrong airline's tax calculation as A$647 sounds a little excessive? There's no UK APD, only 4 stopovers (HNL, JFK, TXL, HKG), and 9 segments. And as far as I know AA only levies fuel fines for its own oceanic segments, and no fines at all for AA domestic segments nor the QF/BA segments.

So is there any way I could make sure that they've verified the pricing with AA? Or could I simply ring up AA and have them verify the charges myself?

Cheers.

 

[Keith009]

Well I managed to get the AA tariffs desk to price out the taxes on my existing itinerary by giving them the AA record locator and having them complete the bits they can't see with info segments.

I knew it... the TA is overcharging me by approximately A$200! :evil:

 

[Travel Guru]

Your TA has stuffed up grandly there, when I quoted it, I got it as $498.04 plated to QF and $455.51 to AA

I must admit though, that seems very cheap, although I assume using the AA flt numbers in place of QF brings it down?

 

[Dave Noble]

I suspect that the $200 is the fuel surcharges since AA adds it to the base fare rather than quoting separately

Dave

 

[Keith009]

I suspect that the $200 is the fuel surcharges since AA adds it to the base fare rather than quoting separately

The base fare is identical to what's showing on the oneworld website, plus the A$600 Q charge because I booked LHR-HKG in WTP.

What I meant was that the TA calculated an extra A$200 in taxes and fuel fines than what the ATW desk and Travel Guru both came up with.

 

[Keith009]

I must admit though, that seems very cheap, although I assume using the AA flt numbers in place of QF brings it down?

Not really. It's the plating on AA that brings it down as they don't collect YQ for QF and BA. In my case I think it brought up the fuel fines for me as using AA flt numbers mean AA will charge me their transpacific and transatlantic fuel fines. I think I'd actually save on fuel fines if I issue through AA, but have the transoceanic segments on QF and BA respectively. I don't think the TA will be comfortable issuing an itinerary on AA document if it has no major AA content though.

The other considetation was that I earn 100% base miles on AAdvantage flying the AA code in L, vs only 50% doing the QF code.

 

[serfty]

If you have a record locater, the LAN e-ticket print utility may be of help (it shows a full list of taxes):

LAN.com Imprima su e-ticket

 

[Keith009]

I've not ticketed the booking. Still going over the tax/YQ with the TA and his ticketing dept.

Meanwhile he's switched me to the AA flight number for MEL-SYD to avoid their silly internal policy of 'first airline issues the ticket.'

 

[serfty]

Even if not ticketed, there may still be a PNR reference available. If with AA that may make it moot.

 

[Keith009]

Even if not ticketed, there may still be a PNR reference available. If with AA that may make it moot.

What system does LA use? I only have Amadeus and AA PNRs. I think the TA operates on Gallileo so there would be a Gallileo locator for the complete itinerary.

 

[Shano]

What system does LA use? I only have Amadeus and AA PNRs. I think the TA operates on Gallileo so there would be a Gallileo locator for the complete itinerary.

I believe that they also use Amadeus.

We use Travelforce for our OS bookings, who also use Galileo, so the booking confirmation lists both the (for QF, etc.) Amadeus PNR as well as the Galileo one.

 

[Dave Noble]

In my case I think it brought up the fuel fines for me as using AA flt numbers mean AA will charge me their transpacific and transatlantic fuel fines. I think I'd actually save on fuel fines if I issue through AA, but have the transoceanic segments on QF and BA respectively.

It would make no odds. AA will charge a transatlantic and transpacific fuel fine regardless of whether you fly on AA or not

Dave

 

[Keith009]

Well, the TA's ticketing people insisted that their calculations are correct and in accordance with AA's template.

They agreed to do a breakdown so I'll see what's going on.

The worst case scenario I can think of is AA only quoted me sans fuel, which would make airport taxes about A$400++. Hmm...

 

[Keith009]

Ok a kind ATW AAgent queued my itinerary to the international tariffs desk in Dublin to get a rate. And it once again tallied with the one worked out by the US tariffs desk yesterday.

AA's tax/fuel = A$473.75 (which includes A$218.65 of YQ)

TA's tax/fuel = A$647 (excluding service charge)

The AA figure would also tally with what Travel Guru worked out.

Unfortunately I can't cancel the itin and rebook with AA due to reasons cited above and also availability has gone down to L0 on some of the crucial segments.

To be fair the TA I'm dealing with has been very nice and has tried everything he could to find out what's going on; but his hands are tied by his flipping ticketing dept people who insist that they've got everything right.

Any idea how I could convince the TA to reconcile the figures with AA?

Also - would the TA have to eventually verify the pricing with AA? If so, could I just chill out and wait for AA to send them the right amount during the verification stage? Or would they simply charge me the wrong amount they came up with?

 

[GDSman]

From what you're describing I would guess that ticketing is being done in one of three ways:
1. In-house 'ticketing department' of the travel agent
2. Head Office ticketing department - of an agency chain/franchise gorup
3. Out-source to a third party consolidator

2 and 3 don't give you much chance to influence as they will ticket based on their, or their ticketing system's, calculations. There's no requirement to check figures with AA before ticketing - some do because of the ADM risks involved but not all have the time as it can be a lengthy process and it sounds like some 'expert' has spoken on your itin.
As far as 'under and overs' go, If they under-collect they'll get an ADM and if they over-collect AA won't say anything unless the agent later applies for an ACM....either way you would normally be unaware of ADM or ACM activity.
If they are ticketing completely in-house I would have thought that they might take into account the correspondence you have with AA, or was it all over the phone?
Ticketing people are ultra conservative, borne of the risk of massive ADMs for the slightest error - they can be really hard to persuade, but good luck...

 

[NM]

I would ask for a breakdown of the extras in a similar format to how the XT would be broken down on a ticket. Then you can check how they got to the $647 number and perhaps query any individual items if you feel they are not being charged correctly. Once you have the breakdown by two-letter code and amount, its not too difficult to find out what the are all for.

Tell them all you want is the two-letter code and amount, such as AU38.00 which would mean the $38 Australian Passenger movement charge (departure tax).

 

[Keith009]

Yes they do have an 'inhouse' ticketing dept from the sounds of things. The agency is trailfinders FWIW. I've usually had excellent dealings with them and this is the first time it's been such a pain. Then again I don't think they usually plate stuff on AA stock either.

Correspondence with AA all over the phone - I rang the ATW desk and had them verify rates with BOTH the US tariffs desk and the Dublin intl tariffs desk. But unfortunately they can't send out a copy of the tax breakdown to me for some reason.

Managed to FINALLY convince the TA to consult AA directly. Will hear back in 24 hrs. I won't be happy if AA chooses this moment to screw up.

 

[littl_flier]

Ok, sorry QF009 but I thought I might ask the question in here rather than in a new thread.

So can a TA hold availability on a oneworld product (DONE4 for eg) longer than we can hold availability direct with AA? Is there usually a time limit?

 

[Travel Guru]

Ok, sorry QF009 but I thought I might ask the question in here rather than in a new thread.

So can a TA hold availability on a oneworld product (DONE4 for eg) longer than we can hold availability direct with AA? Is there usually a time limit?

I cant speak for AA's TTL's, mainly because i've been an agent so long ive no need to tkt through anyone but myself, but agents can hold DONE4 product on most airlines up until day of departure if they really wanted to (although not advisable)

TG

 

[littl_flier]

I cant speak for AA's TTL's, mainly because i've been an agent so long ive no need to tkt through anyone but myself, but agents can hold DONE4 product on most airlines up until day of departure if they really wanted to (although not advisable)

TG

Wow, thanks TG. Does this include CX? The main flight I would want to hold is a HKG-JFK flight in Aug-08 but like QF009, I don't really wish to give QF or AA my money until as late as possible.