Qantas became the latest airline to announce that it is eliminating fuel charges.
Well, “eliminating” might be too strong a word.
Qantas flyers will still have to pay an amount of money equal to what the fuel surcharge used to cost, but they will just pay it as part of the base fare. So, in fact, Qantas has removed the term “fuel surcharge” from its vocabulary.
Hmmm, “removed” might not quite be accurate.
Frequent flyers who are redeeming points for an award ticket will still have to pay a fuel surcharge – though Qantas is reducing the fuel surcharge by up to $130 on some routes.
It’s difficult to explain. You see, removing fuel surcharges is a big, complicated, messy process that can only be achieved gradually. Simple travelers such as us wouldn’t understand – though Qantas tries valiantly to explain it to us here.
Qantas flyers aren’t exactly jumping for joy over this partial removal of fuel surcharge verbiage from some flights that won’t result in ticket prices reductions.
I’m shocked. Shocked I tell you.
lets look at what’s actually been announced. Basically no reduction in fares with the reduction in fuel prices and an ‘up to’ reduction in the cost of Award tickets on ‘some routes’. You may in fact see zero change! ~RooFlyer
this looks like smoke and mirrors to make people think “Oh look how wonderful QF are for reducing these fees” while still allowing them a lot of wriggle room to maintain the massive profits ~Supersonic Swinger
When I first read about this, I thought QF had finally come clean on the fuel fine gouging. But when looking though the details, it appear to me as just marketing hype to try to be perceived as doing the right thing. In my opinion, the end result is far from the right thing. ~NM
this is a bullcrap enhancement that does nothing to improve the FF programme in the areas where it really needs improving. ~Mr_Orange
Read the thread in its entirety (which was started and titled by the Qantas representative on the Australian Frequent Flyer forums): Lower Frequent Flyer charges, review of International fare structure
No need to wait for the rest of the day so i’ll just announce it now: Best blog title of the day!
Nice work.
Thank you Chris, that’s quite an honor. I humbly accept this award on behalf of my beautiful wife who has always supported me, even when I’m an idiot. My mom, who raised me to understand that the important thing is to try hard, and that I shouldn’t worry too much about my countless failures. And of course, Dave Barry, whom I don’t know and doesn’t know me, but who taught me nonetheless that titles are really just another opportunity to be silly.