LH Surcharge: Won’t Apply to United-Marketed, Ticketed Flights
by Michele McDonald /The Lufthansa Group’s Distribution Cost Charge, a $17.80 surcharge on GDS bookings slated to go into effect Sept 1,, apparently will not apply to Lufthansa-operated flights if they are booked as a United Airlines code-share on United ticket stock.
A Lufthansa spokesperson did not directly answer a question about United code-shares, but said in an e-mail that the DCC applies “if the carrier issuing the ticket is Lufthansa and a GDS is used for issuing the ticket.”
The spokeswoman also confirmed that the surcharge will be applied worldwide except in Hong Kong, Iran and Libya.
Lufthansa provided an infographic to defend its claim that every other player on the air travel food chain gets a better return than the airlines.
ASTA said it has been attempting to reach Lufthansa for clarification of its new policy and exactly how and who will be charged. It had not yet received a response as of Thursday afternoon.
Meanwhile, a document titled “DCC – Distribution Cost Charge Operational Guideline” shed some light on details such as how the DCC is collected, VAT handling and refunds. The document was compiled by Lufthansa eXperts, the official Lufthansa Group service and information platform for travel agents.
IATA agents can register here to gain access to the document.
Still unclear is how online travel agencies would be affected and who would be responsible for paying the surcharge: the OTA, the GDS or the passenger.