#782495 by nibbs
14 Jun 2011, 18:59
Hi all,

Just used a bunch of my BMI miles for an Upper Class reward flight returning out of MIA for the two of us. Having called the ICC with reluctance (my previous experiences have not been great) I was pleasantly surprised with the service I received. :D

However, it took me a few minutes to get off the floor when my credit card took a hammering for £825.86 (plus £9.00 credit card fee)! :0

APD was no real surprise at £120 each, but the Fuel and Insurance Surcharge was £250 each. I was wondering if anyone has a view on whether this is about right or not?

Also, as a follow up, I need to add my new born baby next month (due in three weeks) - the guy said that there would be no miles charged, only tax, but now I'm worried I'm gonna get hammered for another £413 for a baby to sit on my lap!

Any thoughts?

Thanks very much.

nibbs
#782496 by nibbs
14 Jun 2011, 19:05
....actually, I may have just answered my own question! Just did a dummy booking on the VS website and the tax is £440. Daylight robbery or what?!

n.
#782498 by tontybear
14 Jun 2011, 19:23
nibbs wrote:....actually, I may have just answered my own question! Just did a dummy booking on the VS website and the tax is £440. Daylight robbery or what?!

n.


Like BMI the biggest part of the Taxes etc part of the VS fare is actually the fuel surcharge.

This is set by the airline. It is not imposed on it by anyone else.

I think it's a disgrace that it is added on to the fare in this way and not included in the base price of the ticket - afterall fuel is a pretty basic element of flying a plane.

Then again it plays into the airlines hands to include it in the 'taxes etc' part of the ticket where most people will blame the tax man for the whole lot rather than just the APD
#782509 by Vegascrazy
14 Jun 2011, 20:32
Yup on a return reward LHR-SFO-LHR the VS 'fuel & insurance surcharge' accounts for a whopping 65% of the overall £458 collected under 'taxes & other charges'. Bizarrly fly PE and the percentage drops to 55% but the VS levy rockets to 66% if in Economy...makes sense eh?
#782519 by BuddingPilot
14 Jun 2011, 22:07
All that will happen if airlines are forced to include fuel surcharge in the base price is that the number of miles required will go up to compensate - nothing is really free :-)

That said, I would be in favour of not including the surcharge in the base price for reward tickets
#782627 by MrT
15 Jun 2011, 21:39
tontybear wrote:
nibbs wrote:....actually, I may have just answered my own question! Just did a dummy booking on the VS website and the tax is £440. Daylight robbery or what?!

n.


Like BMI the biggest part of the Taxes etc part of the VS fare is actually the fuel surcharge.

This is set by the airline. It is not imposed on it by anyone else.

I think it's a disgrace that it is added on to the fare in this way and not included in the base price of the ticket - afterall fuel is a pretty basic element of flying a plane.

Then again it plays into the airlines hands to include it in the 'taxes etc' part of the ticket where most people will blame the tax man for the whole lot rather than just the APD


Out of interest, I looked up how much jet-a costs.

http://www.iata.org/whatwedo/economics/ ... index.aspx

According to that, price is up 53% over the last 12 months!

Still, not to say that charging YQ seperately is a good thing!
Virgin Atlantic

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