Westpac TAXES?

[burnt]

First post in years with new ID. Just booked a return red e on Altitude Rocky/Bris return 2 PAX, for 70,460 points plus TAX, at end was option of 94,470 with no tax or pay tax of $144.06. I thought the tax seemed excessive and loged into QFF and quoted the same seats/sectors and tax to pay for QFF was $41.12 (for 2 pax).
Then checked QFF for BN/SYD/MLB business points ticket and taxes were $41.12 and same taxes for economy.

Then logged back to Altitude and priced the same tickets and sectors and the economy TAXES were $86.82 and Business TAXES were $259.38,

Rang Westpac Altitude service centre and they are unable to give any plausible reason for the difference in the taxes, other than "our redemption points are for tickets of different prices?" but i dont understand why the TAXES are different, by legislation the only people who can raise taxes in Australia are State and Federal Gov, is this a matter that demands further answers?

Burnt

 

[burnt]

Just had call back from someone else at Altitude who advised that their "TAXES" is actually taxes and charges and that the fare conditions state"An Agency service fee and administration charge is included within this fare"
My point to them is that the fare is just that, and should include the agency service fee and admin charge and the TAXES are a seperate ammount and shouls be just that, as illustrated on the difference in the quote for Bus. class BN/MLB @$259.38 versus economy @$86.62, versus QFF taxes at $41.12. They certainly are charging a high administration charge and service charge, I will bet my left one that a normal travel agent does not make over $200 for selling a business class return BN/MLB.
I think they are misleading the public by saying that "An agency service fee and administration charge is included within this fare"

It obviously is not included in the "fare" as they are collecting it under the guise of "Taxes" and do not even split the taxes and their internal fees, to disclose the costs being charged to us and what is really being paid in the pure tax.

Burnt

 

[Travel Guru]

I will bet my left one that a normal travel agent does not make over $200 for selling a business class return BN/MLB.

A normal TA names NOTHING on a QF Business Class BNE-MEL ticket as QF in their infinite wisdom no longer pay commission on domestic bookings.

Having said that, it is standard industry practice to charge a service charge, though they should be more open and transparent with charging it.

TG

 

[ejb]

... Just booked a return red e on Altitude Rocky/Bris return 2 PAX, for 70,460 points plus TAX, at end was option of 94,470 with no tax or pay tax of $144.06...

I just did a dummy booking and could pay $260 total for 2 pax. Why would you burn 70K+ points and spend $144 when you could buy them and earn SC's and 1000 points?

Does not seem a good use of points.

But the extra charges do appear to be high but I guess it has something to do with banana's and cyclone's.

ejb

 

[burnt]

Yes, I did look at that, but when you redeem altitude points the tickets are booked as normal revenue tickets that do earn FF points and SC and the redemption rate to get the tickets is not that bad, with a Melb/Syd return at 41,360 on a red e (when I earn 3pts per WBC Plat Amx) plus TAXES at $74.94 (or 12,490 pts) but I do object to the way the TAXES are done, incidentally a JQ jetsaver is from only 8550 points plus TAXES about $23.00.
Burnt

 

[sampson]

Rachel Davis is Director of Trade and Aviation Market Policy at the Comm Dept of Infrastructure, Transport et al. Ask her about the taxes? c- gpo box 594 Canberra 2601.

 

[burnt]

great, thanks, will post a response when I receive one.

 

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

Isn't this just like when the airlines had their obscene fuel surcharges and we're sneaking them into the taxes section?

As Kimmie would say it really got my goat that the airlines were trying to hide several hundred $$$ as a tax, when in reality it should have been part of the fare.

More honesty in ticketing I say:!:

 

[dajop]

Like when airline had (and still have) fuel surcharges, it is probably laziness more than anything. The correct terminology that should be (and often is) used is "taxes and surcharges", more often than not agents abbreviate this to just "taxes" - which is wrong. So if they used those extra two words (and you just didn't hear them properly (!) ) they have done nothing wrong.

 

[burnt]

I hear what you are saying, but I think the problem is the information that is disclosed by Altitude (WBC), when you first look at available flights they list each flight and quote eg, 17600 points plus TAXES, and then when you actually confirm the booking this changes to 17,600 points plus TAXES and CHARGES, but no split up is offered of the dollar figure of the charges and my thoughts would be that the "CHARGES" form part of the ticket cost and should be reflected in the points charge for the ticket and the TAXES should be just that (unless they are willing to disclose the break up of the taxes and charges).

 

[oz_mark]

I hear what you are saying, but I think the problem is the information that is disclosed by Altitude (WBC),

The booking engine is actually run by Pinpoint Travel, and I believe this is the same company behind other banks engines to burn reward points on flights.