Airline surcharge clarification

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Fieldtrips Chatboard

Airline surcharge clarification

by Francoise Boden

Apr 19, 2008

/blockquote>

I am reading what everyone is saying about airline
surcharges,and I used to be in that business. I am a French
teacher now.
1. The student companies do not purchase the airline tickets
until they have received the final balance for your trip,
typically 90 days before departure. Although the airlines
have blocked the seat for them and have required a deposit
for each seat, the airline cannot and will not guarantee the
final ticket price until the ticket is actually purchased. A
ticket to France from SFO could be a certain price 6 months
ago, but because of fluctuating gas prices could be higher
or lower at the time of purchase. The smart travel company
should predict that and charge more than what the actual
price at the time of your quote (when you sign on). That way
they are covering any loss or any last minute surcharge. A
company that charges you just one month before is
irresponsible because by now they have r...See More

Comment

(4)

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Papa Gio /blockquote>

Thanks for the info. The point I was trying to make is that
all of the travel companies tell you that your airfare is
included in the program fee which is fixed; then they turn
around and add the fuel adjustment at a later stage in the
game. If the airfare is included in the program fee, then any
additio...See More

Apr 19, 2008

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MR BODEN, misinformed /blockquote>

Actually Francoise the companies do not know who they will be
using until the very late stages. You are absolutely WRONG if
you think the companies do know. They may know what space they
have with which airlines, but do not know which group will be
on which airline until very late. So, actually you are wrong...See More

Apr 23, 2008

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Francoise Boden /blockquote>

To Mr. Whatever:
First, Françoise is a feminine name, so I am Mrs. Boden.
Second, I don't think you read my answer carefully enough. I agree
that companies do not know on which airline they will put you on
when you sign on, but they know who they have contracts with, so
they can tell you for example, for Eur...See More

Apr 23, 2008

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............ To say that responsible companies should plan ahead for these charges and show them up front is down right wrong, and here is why. Lets say a company charges $200 dollars up front to anticipate rising costs when they actually book the ticket; then lets say when they go to book the ticket the price has only gone up $100 dollars. Then the company pro...See MoreTo say that responsible companies should plan ahead for these charges and show them up front is down right wrong, and here is why. Lets say a company charges $200 dollars up front to anticipate rising costs when they actually book the ticket; then lets say when they go to book the ticket the price has only gone up $100 dollars. Then the company profits by a $100 dollars at the expense of the student. To say the company would reimburse the student if that happened is moronic. For those companies that just hand the fees down as they come the customer is ensured that they are paying the lowest fee. Any smart consumer would realize this is much better. The companies that work this way make it clear that fees could increase after the initial quote was sent out. If they are not doing a good job of conveying this then that needs to be fixed. However, in the end I would rather be sure I was paying the lower fee rather than overcharged from the beginning.

As far as cancellation fees, companies cannot actually make people pay them. That is the truth. They tell people to, but if they dont nothing will happen to them. That is why the application fee is so important.

On 4/23/08, Francoise Boden wrote: > To Mr. Whatever: > First, Françoise is a feminine name, so I am Mrs. Boden. > Second, I don't think you read my answer carefully enough. I agree > that companies do not know on which airline they will put you on > when you sign on, but they know who they have contracts with, so > they can tell you for example, for Europe we use Air France, or > British Airways, or whoever. So they already have an idea of what > kind of fees they will encounter from those airlines and should > include them in the whole price. That is why I was very happy > with Prometour. They said that $150 for fees and surcharges was > included in the price our our tour, and that we would be > responsible for anything over $150. It was very clear and simple. > > As for those other companies, once they get your final payment, > they really should book the group and not wait until the last > minute, and then give you surprise fees, unless they explicitely > mention it when you sign on. Furthermore, talking about Prometour > our final payment was in December,and we got our tickets on Air > France in January for our March trip. I remember that with EF we > did not get our tickets until 10 days before departure. > Third, you say that the membership fee charged by most companies > is charged to help cover losses in case of cancellation. I don't > believe it's true as all companies have cancellation fees. So that > membersip fee is bogus, or the companies should be upfront in > explaining that it is a cancellation fee of some sort to protect > them,and not make up this story about membership. Membership in what? >> Actually Francoise the companies do not know who they will be >> using until the very late stages. You are absolutely WRONG if >> you think the companies do know. They may know what space they >> have with which airlines, but do not know which group will be >> on which airline until very late. So, actually you are wrong >> when you say the companies do know what airlines each group >> will be on. They have contracts with almost every airline, so >> how could they know. As for the enrollment fee, your right >> they really are only for the companies gain. However, they are >> there because if someone signs up and then cancels when all >> that effort was put in to get the trip started and to save >> space in hotels and airlines the companies does not have to >> take a complete hit. >> >> On 4/19/08, Papa Gio wrote: >>> Thanks for the info. The point I was trying to make is that >>> all of the travel companies tell you that your airfare is >>> included in the program fee which is fixed; then they turn >>> around and add the fuel adjustment at a later stage in the >>> game. If the airfare is included in the program fee, then >> any >>> additional fuel adjustment costs should be adsorbed by the >>> travel company and not the travler; n'est ce pas? >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> On 4/19/08, Francoise Boden wrote: >>>> I am reading what everyone is saying about airline >>>> surcharges,and I used to be in that business. I am a French >>>> teacher now. >>>> 1. The student companies do not purchase the airline tickets >>>> until they have received the final balance for your trip, >>>> typically 90 days before departure. Although the airlines >>>> have blocked the seat for them and have required a deposit >>>> for each seat, the airline cannot and will not guarantee the >>>> final ticket price until the ticket is actually purchased. A >>>> ticket to France from SFO could be a certain price 6 months >>>> ago, but because of fluctuating gas prices could be higher >>>> or lower at the time of purchase. The smart travel company >>>> should predict that and charge more than what the actual >>>> price at the time of your quote (when you sign on). That way >>>> they are covering any loss or any last minute surcharge. A >>>> company that charges you just one month before is >>>> irresponsible because by now they have received all your >>>> money and should have bought the tickets as soon as you paid >>>> the final balance. >>>> 2. Each airline surcharge is different. I was shopping for >>>> myself for this summer to go to France from SFO and the >>>> different amount of surcharges from airline to airline was >>>> incredible. The least expensive airline is Air Canada: the >>>> base ticket was $1,068, and by the time taxes and fees were >>>> added the ticket was $1,131. United Airlines was one of the >>>> most expensive: the base ticket was $1,000 (so at first it >>>> looks like a good deal), but at the end the ticket price was >>>> $1,478!!! American Airlines was from $1,200 base to $1,700 >>>> final price!!! Air France was from $1,200 base to $1,500 >>> final. >>>> In conclusion, when booking with a company, ask specific >>>> questions about which airline they will use and check the >>>> airline site for the surcharges. If the company tells you we >>>> don't know who we are going to use, that is not true! They >>>> have contracts with specific airlines and know exactly who >>>> they will use, especially huge established companies like >>>> EF. Also, their membership fee is a joke like EF, and >>>> others. It means nothing and just adds to their profit. >>>> Challenge it and they will back down and offer it as a >>>> discount, or tell them to put it towards the so-called >>>> surcharge.

Oct 1, 2008

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