Tour operator Tauck said its air desk has stopped booking American Airlines and other Oneworld alliance carriers because they have “implemented a new policy that makes it all but impossible for Tauck to offer refundable airfares.”
British Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines and Qantas are among the airlines in Oneworld.
Tauck sent a memo to travel advisors on May 16 informing them of the policy change. The tour operator said Oneworld airlines “have implemented a series of policy and systems changes that have made it exceedingly difficult for Tauck and other tour and cruise companies to continue offering their flights with the same service, flexibility and value.”
American on May 13 introduced tighter restrictions on cancellations and rebookings by tour operators and cruise lines.
American said a fee of $50 will be charged for all cancellations beyond the 24-hour booking window.
The airline also placed a tighter restriction on churning — the canceling and rebooking of the same itinerary to circumvent ticketing time limits. One free churn is permitted per PNR (passenger name record). All subsequent churns to the same PNR will incur a $50 fee, up to a maximum of four charged churns per PNR ($200 maximum).
Tauck guests who were booked on American or another Oneworld airline prior to May 13 are not affected by Tauck’s policy change. The tour operator said it would continue to offer flights through its “network of valued airline partners who share our commitment to servicing our guests and travel advisors.”
