V-Flyer

Purchased some UC G rewards today (upgraded from L base fares) and wondered what XT means? The e-ticket 'taxes/charges/fees/surcharges' states the following:-

YQ 295.00 (understand this, ie. the VS fuel surcharge)
GB 120.00 (understand this, ie. UK air passenger duty)
XT 65.93 (don't understand this?)
TOTAL 480.93

On VS website the breakdown of G charges is as follows = no mention of XT:-

YQ 295.00
GB 120.00
XA 3.10 (USA Plant & Animal)
XY 4.30 (USA Immigration)
YC 3.40 (USA Customs)
UB 30.63 (UK passenger service charge)
AY 1.5 (USA Civil Aviation Security Fee)
TOTAL 457.93

I thought possibly 'XT' on the e-ticket would simply be the all charges quoted on website bar YQ & GB bundled together but the e-ticket total with 'XT' comes out bang on £23 more?

Any ideas?

Thanks
James

XT is all the other stuff added together I think. All to do with space on paper tickets. Dont know why its more though, some charge for upgrading? ISTBC though.

That's what I thought, but the e-ticket total comes to £23 more? Maybe you're right Hamster - an 'upgrade fee'

Just edited to say I don't understand why it's more, wasn't quick enough! I have never really looked at the price breakdown before :-s

this from the CAA might help

Where the number of taxes, fees and charges exceeds the number of boxes on a "paper" ticket, some will be shown collectively with the code "XT". A breakdown of the taxes, fees and charges making up this XT total should appear in the fare calculation box on the ticket.

Thanks Tonty, that explains 'XT' is indeed the rest of the charges listed collectively. Just intrigued as to the £23 difference. The more I think about it the more I think Hamster is right, some sort of upgrade fee from the L base fare?

What is the breakdown of the L fare? might be something there to explain it?

The L fare quoted is £557. I actually have two e-tickets, one ticket coverx two of us flying in UC both ways and the other covers 2 pax in UC out & PE return. The same £557 is listed against each pax on each ticket. The XT element is also identical against all four of us whether returning in UC or PE.

Thanks
James

USA Transportation Tax 20.20 - US
USA Passenger Facility Charge 2.80 - XF

Thanks Penny - that's the missing £23

Can't fathom though why this isn't displayed when doing a dummy G booking on-line >>

it shows in the L fare breakdown

Thanks again Penny, really appreciate your help y) My only remaining question is where can I see my L fare breakdown as this is all that shows on the ticket. Also odd that these two charges (US & XF) are the only ones that don't show in the main 'clickable' list of charges on the site? Don't get me wrong, although like all of us I'm not a happy bunny with all these charges, all I'm after is transparancy ?| >>

I would hope that the new initiative talked about in the press today may see the end of these unexplained charges which really do seem to be very unfair and only happen on air travel.

hectershouse wrote:I would hope that the new initiative talked about in the press today may see the end of these unexplained charges which really do seem to be very unfair and only happen on air travel.

Well to be fare (geddit) to VS, when you go through the booking process the total and breakdown is pretty easy to see. In James's case it was the upgrade from L masking the issue ... VS isn't a LCC in this regard.

hectershouse wrote:I would hope that the new initiative talked about in the press today may see the end of these unexplained charges which really do seem to be very unfair and only happen on air travel.

The press reports relate only to credit card fees.

These 'unexplained' fees you mentionare in fact fully explained and are more up-front as they are part of the cost of the flight and not an 'add on' like say buying extra baggage allowance.

In fact airline fees are really quite transparent as it is clear what is charged by the airline, APD and then charges imposted by airports. The annoying thing is that many (but not all) airlines include 'fuel surcharge' in the 'fees' part of the fare when it should reallty be in the base fare. All is does is mislead.

My question still stands, Penny was kind enough to confirm above that these two particular charges are in fact part of the base fare >>
USA Transportation Tax 20.20 - US
USA Passenger Facility Charge 2.80 - XF

I still don't know how I would have ever have known this without asking the question here?

Why are these two particular taxes the only ones hidden in the base fare this way when all the other charges listed in my screen shot above are so clearly listed under "Tax Breakdown"? OK, we're only talking £23.00 but across 4 people that's near on £100. I consider myself reasonably well switched on to understanding in advance what I'll be paying in terms of taxes/charges but in this case I don't know how on earth I would ever have uncovered the fact that £23 worth of 'XF' & 'US' taxes are actually within VS's base fare while the long list of all the others is readily identifiable?

Thanks
James