Help Understanding Flight Booking

[internationalguy]

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Contact your travel agent, the airline, or another booking service to purchase tickets.



Fare 4: Carrier 4M IEXEV329 DFW to BUE (rules)
Passenger type ADT, round trip fare, booking code I
Covers DFW-EZE (Business) 17.293,10 Argentina Ticket Tax (AR) 1.800,00 Argentina Retention Income Tax (ZK) 12.600,10 US International Arrival Tax (US) 138,30

I don't know if you notice but the fare is in PESOS. I can't find a way to change it back to dollars. That's why you get the 35% on it.

If you go to a decent travel agent or an airline in the know. They will not charge you 35% unless you pay with argie card or argie pesos.

 

[dennisr]

Receipt for ticket purchased in the USA on Delta site, US CC, For flight originating from EZE, it is what it is: ZK 495.60

Detailed Tax Information
AR 70.80
AY 10.00
QO 10.00
TQ 10.00
US 35.00
XA 5.00
XF 4.50
XR 37.32
XY 7.00
YC 5.50
ZK 495.60
Total 690.72

 

[allcraz]

NOTE: Tickets cannot be purchased from ITA Software.

Contact your travel agent, the airline, or another booking service to purchase tickets.



Fare 4: Carrier 4M IEXEV329 DFW to BUE (rules)
Passenger type ADT, round trip fare, booking code I
Covers DFW-EZE (Business) 17.293,10 Argentina Ticket Tax (AR) 1.800,00 Argentina Retention Income Tax (ZK) 12.600,10 US International Arrival Tax (US) 138,30

I don't know if you notice but the fare is in PESOS. I can't find a way to change it back to dollars. That's why you get the 35% on it.

If you go to a decent travel agent or an airline in the know. They will not charge you 35% unless you pay with argie card or argie pesos.

I will repeat: You can choose ANY currency (on the initial search page) and it shows the tax. So, here is a flight from EZE to DFW in dollars. Fare breakdown:

Make sure to provide the exact booking and fare codes shown.
Fare 1: Carrier AA ONE0MDQ1 BUE to ORL (rules)
Passenger type ADT, round trip fare, booking code O
Covers EZE-MIA (Economy), MIA-MCO (Economy) $404.00
Fare 2: Carrier AA SLW53CQ1 ORL to BUE (rules)
Passenger type ADT, round trip fare, booking code S
Covers MCO-DFW (Economy), DFW-EZE (Economy) $629.00 Argentina Ticket Tax (AR) $51.70 Argentina Retention Income Tax (ZK) $361.60 US International Arrival Tax (US) $17.50 Argentina Security Tax (TQ) $10.00 Argentina Immigration Tax (QO) $10.00 Argentina Airport Tax (XR) $37.32 US Customs Fee (YC) $5.50 US Immigration Fee (XY) $7.00 USDA APHIS Fee (XA) $5.00 US September 11th Security Fee (AY) $7.50 US Passenger Facility Charge (XF) $4.50 US International Departure Tax (US) $17.50 Subtotal per passenger $1,568.12 Number of passengers x1 Total airfare & taxes $1,568.12

I'm very sorry to have you to tell you internationalguy that you are just plain wrong!

 

[internationalguy]

I'm not wrong. The law is as I mentioned. Also Rich One, Nikad and others understand the law the same way. If there's a glitch or if airlines are unable to implement in their system a ridiculous rule that no one in the world would understand and is impossible to implement with the use of IATA systems, that's another thing entirely. I suggest you go to the airline directly, in BA they might be able to override that problem. You just don't get that I'm talking about the rule as a whole, the concept in it's big picture. I'm not talking about individual cases in which computer or human error may come into play.

 

[nlaruccia]

Ok, no, of course you weren't charged for "international purchase" if you used a non-Argentine CC, but I would venture to guess that there is a 35% travel tax included in the total cost of your ticket since it's originating in Argentina. Do you have any way to access the fare breakdown? Because I believe if you could, the "Argentina Retention Income Tax (ZK)" would show up in the list.

I tried a test: I did search from Travelocity for a ticket going to Sydney, Australia from BsAs and one originating from Santiago de Chile to Sydney, Australia and both tickets have pretty much the same amount of taxes and fees, so I suspect that it doesn't include the 35% surcharge in Argentina. I imagine it's just the typical airline and Travelocity fees.

Trip Summary


Buenos Aires to Sydney

Wed May/14/2014 - Tue Jun/17/2014

Departure: Arrives on Thu May/15/2014

1 Ticket: Roundtrip

• Traveler 1: Adult $2,446.92
  • Flight $1,611.00
  • Taxes & Fees $835.92
• Travelocity Booking Fee $9.99

• Total: $2,456.91
• All prices quoted in US dollars

Trip Summary


Santiago to Sydney

Wed May/14/2014 - Tue Jun/17/2014

Departure: Arrives on Thu May/15/2014

1 Ticket: Roundtrip

• Traveler 1: Adult $1,957.60
  • Flight $1,149.00
  • Taxes & Fees $808.60
• Travelocity Booking Fee $0.00

• Total: $1,957.60
• All prices quoted in US dollars.

 

[dennisr]

There may be a way around it, really do not know for sure. My feeling is if the establishment where the reservation is made has a physical presence in Argentina, the 35% withholding tax is going to be charged. Where I screwed up is booking the entire trip on one reservation. Next time The Gomer is going to fly from EZE to Santiago Chile and then make another reservation from Santiago onward to avoid a full screwing. Montevideo is another option.

Everyone is right!

 

[ElCordobés]

From Sabre GDS. The ticketing country is the most important factor.


Example EZE to Atlanta. Ticketed in US in USD. NO ZK. (If you pay with Argie card...then the 35% will be added to your CC of course)

1 DL 110Q 15JUN S EZEATL SS1 825P 552A 16JUN M /DCDL /E
2 DL 101L 30JUN M ATLEZE SS1 910P 820A 01JUL T /DCDL /E


15JUN DEPARTURE DATE-----LAST DAY TO PURCHASE 18MAR/2359
BASE FARE TAXES TOTAL
1- USD1019.00 116.82XT USD1135.82ADT
XT 35.00US 5.50YC 7.00XY 5.00XA
2.50AY 37.32XR 10.00TQ 10.00QO
4.50XF
1019.00 116.82 1135.82TTL
ADT-01 VNN21FMQ/WNGZ
BUE DL ATL Q280.00 229.50DL BUE Q280.00 229.50NUC1019.00
END ROE1.00 XFATL4.5
NONREFUNDABLE/DELTA ONLY
PRIVATE FARE APPLIED - CHECK RULES FOR CORRECT TICKETING
PRIVATE ¤
VALIDATING CARRIER - DL

Same example.. Ticketed in Argentina in ARS. Same fare basis as above, but now it includes ZK.


WPNCB‡TBUE‡SBUE«
15JUN DEPARTURE DATE-----LAST DAY TO PURCHASE 18MAR/2359
BASE FARE EQUIV AMT TAXES TOTAL
1- USD1019.00 ARS8070.00 4153.20XT ARS12223.20ADT
XT 295.60XR 79.20TQ 79.20QO 2824.50ZK
403.50AR 277.20US 43.60YC 55.40XY
39.60XA 19.80AY 35.60XF
1019.00 8070.00 4153.20 12223.20TTL
ADT-01 VNN21FMQ/WNGZ


Finally, the same fare manually pricing in USD. Still ticketed in Argentina. ZK Applies. If you pay in Argentina, they would have to manually exempt the ZK, but good luck with that even in USD. Pay in the US via US OTA or via the carrier website. Use a VPN to spoof your location if you need the US or other country site.


WPNCB‡TBUE‡SBUE‡MUSD«
15JUN DEPARTURE DATE-----LAST DAY TO PURCHASE 18MAR/2359
BASE FARE TAXES TOTAL
1- USD1019.00 524.52XT USD1543.52ADT
XT 37.32XR 10.00TQ 10.00QO 356.70ZK
51.00AR 35.00US 5.50YC 7.00XY
5.00XA 2.50AY 4.50XF
1019.00 524.52 1543.52TTL
ADT-01 VNN21FMQ/WNGZ
BUE DL ATL Q280.00 229.50DL BUE Q280.00 229.50NUC1019.00
END ROE1.00 XFATL4.5
NONREFUNDABLE/DELTA ONLY
PRIVATE FARE APPLIED - CHECK RULES FOR CORRECT TICKETING
PRIVATE ¤
VALIDATING CARRIER - DL

 

[ben]

AFAIK, there is NO way any airline will allow an agent not to collect ZK (the 35% fee). Things *may* be different when dealing with the airline directly - I'm aware of some cases where an American ticketing office here waived ZK upon presentation of foreign passport. This was before last December - as of now, of course, per BCRA regulations, that ticket would have to be issued against foreign currency, but at least you'd avoid 'double taxation'.

The only other way to avoid paying the 35% is to issue the ticket outside of the country: As ElCordobés correctly pointed out, whether ZK (the 35% fee) is collected or not has *nothing* to do with where the reservation was created, and *everything* to do with the physical location of the issuing entity (agency, ticketing office, whatever). If you don't have access to a GDS and want to see this in action using ITA's website, play around with the 'Sales city' field - that's the one which determines this, not the currency of payment.

Internationalguy is probably correct that in theory, ZK shouldn't be collected from tourists, but it is. The reason, I believe, is not as simple as a GDS restriction - I'm sure it's more because the airlines know they can get in plenty of hot water in case of any abuse, know that this abuse happens as soon as there's any opening for it, and would simply prefer to have their behinds covered. As an agent, this is frustrating, but this is what it is.

 

[mrporoto]

Clarify,if at all possible,after being completely banjaxed reading through this thread.Pay for ticket to Colonia with foreign CC or change some usd in Florida
and pay in pesos both options are available.Say the price on internet Seacat is 600arp inc tax as it states.

 

[allcraz]

AFAIK, there is NO way any airline will allow an agent not to collect ZK (the 35% fee). Things *may* be different when dealing with the airline directly - I'm aware of some cases where an American ticketing office here waived ZK upon presentation of foreign passport. This was before last December - as of now, of course, per BCRA regulations, that ticket would have to be issued against foreign currency, but at least you'd avoid 'double taxation'.

The only other way to avoid paying the 35% is to issue the ticket outside of the country: As ElCordobés correctly pointed out, whether ZK (the 35% fee) is collected or not has *nothing* to do with where the reservation was created, and *everything* to do with the physical location of the issuing entity (agency, ticketing office, whatever). If you don't have access to a GDS and want to see this in action using ITA's website, play around with the 'Sales city' field - that's the one which determines this, not the currency of payment.

Internationalguy is probably correct that in theory, ZK shouldn't be collected from tourists, but it is. The reason, I believe, is not as simple as a GDS restriction - I'm sure it's more because the airlines know they can get in plenty of hot water in case of any abuse, know that this abuse happens as soon as there's any opening for it, and would simply prefer to have their behinds covered. As an agent, this is frustrating, but this is what it is.

Very well explained, thank you. You are very right. When I put in Dallas as the Sales city, for example, the tax does not show up in the price breakdown. But if I multiply the ticket total by the dollar blue (let's say 11), it comes out to the EXACT total I am paying in pesos, which does include the tax. So in the end, at least in my particular case, it made no difference. Thanks everyone for the back and forth to help figure this out!