SST

Here's the situation, don't ask for an explanation why: I've got tickets from Gatwick-Tunis-Gatwick already. Paid some $115 in taxes on them. NOW, I've got an SFO-LHR, LGW-RDU-SFO freebie r/t on hold. The return trip exactly matches my existing Tunis-Gatwick flight, so I'll have 4 hours of bliss in London's 2nd airport to "transit" to my heart's content.

But you know the UK's new tax regime: The AA freebie tickets have a $413 tax payment due for the pair........ Anyone know how I might get AA NOT TO COLLECT THE UK DEPARTURE PORTION, since I'm not "departing the UK", only transiting?

If it helps, the Tunis tickets are ALSO FREEBIES, ISSUED BY AA, on "GB Air", BA's "other" carrier.

THe agent suggested one approach, but it involves a $125 redeposit fee, and hoping against hope that my Tunis tickets might still be available to book (at least one way is NOT). He tells me this will reduce the taxes by about $100.

So is there some magic words for an arriving transit passenger to say, at ticketing, when AA can verify that you're not a "UK Departure" and not obliged to pay that portion of the taxes? SOMEBODY here has to have encountered this before....

Thanks, SST

Wexflyer

Your contribution to keeping HM in the style to which she is accustomed and deserves cannot be waived in these circumstances. Time to cowboy up.

Seriously, the air passenger duty is due in your case. It is not sufficient that you be a transit passenger - to avoid the duty you need to transit **on a single ticket**. As you are not doing so, you owe the APD on both tickets.

Mr MCO

I do not see a way around for the airline not to charge you. I would contact the UK Revenue & Customs and inquire about a refund. I am not sure that they would do it as the flights are separate and not a single ticket. However, as stated on their web site you should qualify as a transit passanger by definition of arrival and departure flight schedules. It is a shot...

http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsP...ent#P261_17964

Dave Noble

Unless the transit is on a single or conjunction ticket then the APD is due, so with 2 separate bookings, whether the time in the UK is less than 24 hours or not, then the tax is due

Dave

lili

Hmmm... not sure this is the same thing you are discussing, but ...

I had a RT SAN-DFW-LGW, on AA and a separate return ticket LGW-TLS on BA. (saved a lot of money booking that way.)

Upon arriving LGW for the return AA flight to DFW-SAN, AA asked for the $80 or whatever fee, and I explained the situation. Once I showed them my BA boarding pass for the flight that had arrived two hours earlier from
France, they called a supervisor over to waive the fee, gave me a nice pass to Terraces and a ticket jacket with a Fast Pass stamp (which I know I'm not entitled to as an AA Plat flying Coach, but I'm 2 for 2 this year at LGH and LGW.)

I was using the First/Biz desk as an AA Plat, although while standing nicely by the sign "Wait here for First, Business, Platinum members,' a very obsequious man approached and inquired if "we were flying First Class today?" I pointed to the sign and mentioned the Platinum part and he became quite accommodating.

It was a good experience at LGW, not a thing to take lightly.

brp

Actually, it is pretty much the same situation, and you got lucky ^ You were supposed to pay the fee, but I'm all for getting away with it when possible, as I think it's ludicrous.

I had a similar thing happen in Feb. We had separate tickets (US-LON on AA paid and LON-PRG as BA J award). These were obtained before the new taxes went into affect. Even got an email saying that more taxes would be due at the airport. Well, the folks at the AA transit desk (FCC) didn't seem to know this, and didn't ask for them. I didn't volunteer the information.

I think your experience here has good advice: It never hurts to politely explain the situation and see what happens. They may slip up and one may get away with it

Cheers.

CPMaverick

I ran into the same situation on UA LAX-LHR (used UA vouchers) and BA LHR-PRG (used AA miles).

It was not an expensive trip since I used my 'free' methods to pay the airfare, but ended up paying about $500 in taxes!!

Keith Flyer Maven

Does this apply to me as well? (I looked at the HM Revenue site and it was unclear)

I am flying:

1) AA: LAX-LHR

2) connecting a few later (on a separate, unlinked [for now] ticket) to BA LHR-CDG

3) weeks later, flying back to london, where I will spend several days

4) then LHR/LAX

Am I liable for the tax on any leg(s)? Should I link the reservations?

brp

Item 2 is unclear. A few (hours, days) later? If days, you you are liable, same ticket or not. On the return you are liable, same ticket or not. Also, linking won't help. Has to be on the same ticket.

One is not liable if:

1) Duration of stay is < 24 hours (I believe that's the limit, but close to that, anyway), AND
2) same ticket.

If you stay there a while, the ticket linking is irrelevant, APD is due.

Cheers.

Keith Flyer Maven

many thanks for the clarification...

the missing term was *hours*

sorry for the confusion...

jeffjfj

The APD may be waived on separate tickets if the are considered linked by the airline.

"The connected flights must be detailed on the same ticket or conjunction tickets to qualify for the exemption. Tickets can only be regarded as conjunction tickets if:
(a) they are in one booklet; or
(b) where they are in separate booklets: each refers to the other and states that they are to be read in conjunction or there is a summary of the flights constituting the passengers journey including the flights in question."


http://www.publications.parliament.u...70704h0011.htm

"... the concession is not restricted to passengers who book all their flights with one airline. Any airline can offer through-tickets, including for passengers who have connected flights with different airlines, if the airline collects enough information both to link the tickets and to account to Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs for the connection between the tickets. Many airlines offer that service to their passengers"

Basically, if an airline is willing to say that 2 tix are linked and can provide some evidence if needed, then the tix can be considered linked. It would seem that's what happened in Lili's case, perhaps in an informal manner.

But then an airline may not even need to provide evidence. Accounting options for the APD allow airlines to estimate "connected flight exemptions" so that they don't need to account for each individual connection.
http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsP...HMCE_CL_000508

Given that both of SST's tix are issued by AA, it would be a simple matter for AA to say that the tix are linked. It doesn't hurt to ask. Same applies for Keith Flyer, with the AA/BA link.

brp

It's definitely worth a try. I asked about this very clause once. They said that linking them does not provide the "each refers to the other" except within their system, and it wasn't enough. A different agent may have a different take, and it never hurts to ask. But I wouldn't get my hopes up.

Cheers.

Dave Noble

If they are 2 separate tickets, then they are not conjunction tickets. Each ticket is independant and can be changed/cancelled etc independantly of the other

Dave

ksguenov

OK, I'm confused. I have a trip booked where I will be travelling on two separate tickets--AA from AUS to LHR and BA from LHR to SOF. My layover is a couple of hours each way. Both tickets are paid--not freebies. Am I liable for additional taxes when I transit in London?

Thanks!

Kristin

aamilesslave

You've already paid the appropriate APD. Only if you upgrade your return LHR-US will you be liable for additional APD.

If you would have bought the flights on one itinerary, you would not have been charged the APD as a transit passenger for your flights from LHR (assuming < 24 hr transit)..

When the rates changed, passengers were also liable for the increased APD.