Hyacinth Bucket
05-24-2008, 02:43 AM
Hi all, as a travel agent I get numerous daily emails about the travel industry. This is one I received from David. I have tried numerous times to use our ff miles and I rarely am able to get them. I think that is why I was unaware of the fee now charged using ff miles.
HB
"AA is also increasing all sorts of other fees, too. It will now cost $150 to change a domestic ticket, and from $150-300 for an international ticket. Booking by phone or through the frequent flyer program went from $15 to $20. Using a travel agent, including online agencies like Travelocity went from $15 to $20 and buying a ticket at the airport from $20 to $30. Taking a pet along in the cabin went from $80 to $100 each way on domestic, Mexico, Canada and Caribbean flights while travelling in cargo went from $100 to $150 each way. Unaccompanied minors went from $75 to $100 each way. Oversized and overweight bags will now cost $150 each way, up from $100.
The increased bag charges make it even more attractive to consider expressing your luggage by a courier service. I wrote about this when the second bag charge first started and showed that the cheapest (and often best!) way to overnight your bags, seven days a week, is through USPS.
While most of AA's increases are 'more of the same', and while it is a shame to see them increasing, it is hard to argue against the airline's ability to charge what it chooses for what it offers. But how about charges associated with 'free' frequent flier tickers. What part of 'free' does AA not understand? Frequent flyer awards will now cost from $100 to $150, and reinstating miles for unused flight awards will now cost $150.
This is grievously unfair. The cost to us of a 'free' ticket is going up and up - in terms of the cost to earn the miles in the first place, the number of miles we need for an award, and now the ancillary fees and charges associated with getting a free ticket issued and/or changed."
HB
"AA is also increasing all sorts of other fees, too. It will now cost $150 to change a domestic ticket, and from $150-300 for an international ticket. Booking by phone or through the frequent flyer program went from $15 to $20. Using a travel agent, including online agencies like Travelocity went from $15 to $20 and buying a ticket at the airport from $20 to $30. Taking a pet along in the cabin went from $80 to $100 each way on domestic, Mexico, Canada and Caribbean flights while travelling in cargo went from $100 to $150 each way. Unaccompanied minors went from $75 to $100 each way. Oversized and overweight bags will now cost $150 each way, up from $100.
The increased bag charges make it even more attractive to consider expressing your luggage by a courier service. I wrote about this when the second bag charge first started and showed that the cheapest (and often best!) way to overnight your bags, seven days a week, is through USPS.
While most of AA's increases are 'more of the same', and while it is a shame to see them increasing, it is hard to argue against the airline's ability to charge what it chooses for what it offers. But how about charges associated with 'free' frequent flier tickers. What part of 'free' does AA not understand? Frequent flyer awards will now cost from $100 to $150, and reinstating miles for unused flight awards will now cost $150.
This is grievously unfair. The cost to us of a 'free' ticket is going up and up - in terms of the cost to earn the miles in the first place, the number of miles we need for an award, and now the ancillary fees and charges associated with getting a free ticket issued and/or changed."