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Pass Travel UPDATE                                                    February 2, 2016       

  updated 2/14/2016

In this issue:

  1. Imputed Taxes and 1099s
  2. myUAdiscount tickets and the new united.com
  3. Star Companions: a little-known flight benefit for retirees
  4. Recent news from United                                                                                                                  For other topics see menu on left and Previous Travel UPDATES



1) Did you receive a 1099 from United? You’ve got Imputed Taxes!


Did your pass riders fly a lot last year? 

If so, they may have accrued enough “Imputed Income” that YOU will be getting a 1099 form from United and YOU will owe taxes to the IRS.


Read the Imputed Tax information on our website here:

http://www.rafa-cwa.org/Costs-and-Imputed-Taxes



The following information was verified by the ETC on Monday, February 1, 2016:


1099s being sent to retirees for Pass Travel in last fiscal year


1) United will send 1099s to retirees (via US Mail) whose “taxable pass riders” cumulatively accrued $600  or more in Pass Tax Value/Imputed Income during the period Nov 1, 2014-October 31, 2015.


2) The 1099s will be post marked by January 31, 2016 and retirees should allow 10 business days to  receive them depending on your local U.S. mail delivery timing.


3) The 1099 will show the accumulated Pass Tax Value amount (related to travel) in Box 3.


4) That amount must be declared on the retiree’s 2015 Federal Income Tax form.


5) How much tax the retiree will pay depends on the retiree’s tax bracket and other income.


6) If you have questions or find discrepancies with your 1099 that are not related to Box 3,  email 1099Inquiry@united.com or call 713-324-4060.  For questions about Box 3, see #9 below.



Pass Travel Report


1) Retirees may verify the "Pass Tax Value" their taxable pass riders accumulated by obtaining a Pass  Travel Report online: Click on the "Pass Travel Report” box in FlyingTogether>Travel.


2) Input the correct dates: Start Nov 1, 2014 - End October 31, 2015.


3) Use the arrows at the top of the Report to view multiple pages. Click the symbol at the top of the page t o download a copy in the format you desire (pdf, etc.).


4) The "Pass Tax Values" are located on the left side of the report, under the date and ticket number for  each flight. 


5) Adding up all the "Pass Tax Values" for your taxable pass riders should equal the amount on the 1099  in Box 3.


6) Any “Prepaid” Ticket taxes (departure taxes) will not be deducted from the Pass Tax Value.


7) Other “Prepaid” service charges (for premium cabin travel) have already been deducted from the Pass  Tax Value.


8) The “Payroll Deduct” amounts labeled as “Tax Withholdings” apply to employees (NOT to retirees), but  can be used as a very rough estimate of what tax retirees may owe the government.


9) If you find a discrepancy in your Pass Travel Report or in Box 3 (travel related) of your 1099,  email ETC@united.com, put “2015 1099” in the subject line and include the following in the body of the  email: retiree name, retiree ID number, ticket details (ticket number, date of travel, passenger name) and  any comments/questions.


NEW!!  Pass Travel Report amounts do not match your 1099?

The problem may be dates flown versus dates billed.
The taxable amount on your 2015 1099 form is calculated from trips FLOWN between the dates of Nov 1, 2014 and October 31, 2015.  Trips on the Pass Travel Report are displayed by dates BILLED.
If your 1099 amount is greater than the total Pass Tax Values on your Pass Travel Reports thru October 2015, then check your Pass Travel Reports for November and December 2015. Often trips FLOWN in mid or late October will show up on the Pass Travel Report in November or December; sometimes they won't appear until JANUARY!

Pay attention to the dates the trips were flown, not the dates those trips were billed.

Likewise, if your 2015 1099 amount is less than your Pass Travel Report total, check your November 2014 report. There may be trips listed there that were actually flown in October 2014. Those trips may have been on your 2014 1099; they would not count toward your 2015 1099 amount.


2)  Buying myUAdiscount tickets on Flying Together


Retirees and their pass riders can buy myUAdiscount tickets to obtain confirmed seats with 2 free bags on United flights worldwide at a discount. If you’re a Mileage Plus member, MP miles will accrue when using these tickets. When you book after Feb 1, 2016, you’ll be taken to the new united.com website and the price will say “Employee Fare”. 


Here is the official announcement from the ETC:


Book your myUAdiscount tickets with new united.com

Employees and retirees will now experience the newly redesigned united.com when shopping for myUAdiscount tickets.

You will continue to access the discounted tickets by clicking the “Book” link on the myUAdiscount page of the Travel tab on Flying Together. Once on the new united.com site, you’ll begin by entering your desired cities and dates of travel. Check out additional search preferences, like connecting cities you’d prefer to avoid.

Once your results page appears, you’ll see new tools like “expanded” view of flight results or “list” view to see more flights at-a-glance. Interact with our filters to slide for departure/arrival times, check off connecting airports or even choose the inflight experience like choosing a flight with Wi-Fi.

Michelle Pritchett

Employee Travel Policy and Procedures Representative, Human Resources 



3) Star Companions are your buddies on several “Other Airlines”


Information from Anita Ware:


Each year employees/retirees are allowed 8 Star Companion passes (buddy passes) that can be used on six Star Alliance Carriers to accompany up to 2 friends on a flight.  The carriers are: Air Canada, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian, Swiss International, and TAP Air Portugal.  Rules:

1) The employee/retiree must accompany their Star Companion(s) on all flights. 

2) Each Star Companion ticket is charged at the HIGH ZED fare.

3) Each Star Companion pass is good for a roundtrip; if used for only one-way, the pass is used up. 

4) We do not get 8 passes per airline, but rather 8 shared among all the carriers per year. 


Your Star Companions do not need to be registered with United as an Enrolled Friend. However, if they are already listed as your Enrolled Friend, you cannot select their name from your United list of dependents; you must instead type their name in the buddy box for a star companion ticket.  For more information go to the individual airline agreement "drop down" box on FlyingTogether>Travel>OtherAirline-InterlineTravel. Select the airline and towards the bottom of each agreement will be instructions for purchase, listing and use of Star Companion passes. 

Click for RAFA's OTHER AIRLINE Travel guide!


4) Recent news snippets from the United Daily (archive on Flying Together>News)

Click the United Daily link above and scroll to the date posted to read each story in detail


12/01: ETC expands hours, simplifies email

12/03: Employees/Retirees get 20% off onboard purchases

12/09: Service to Dubai ends in January

12/09: Free snacks in ECY on domestic and Latin American flights in February

12/15: SFO-Nashville non-stop launches in May

12/18: Second EWR-BRUSSELS flight this summer

12/22: New Travel Options for pax: Economy Plus Essentials and Ecy+Enhanced

12/28: X’ian to SFO nonstop May 10-Oct 29, 2016

01/15: Message from Oscar

01/21: United reports $4.5 billion full-year 2015 profit

01/28: Nonstop SFO-SIN launches Jun 1st; SIN-NRT to end

02/01: Book your myUAdiscount tickets with new united.com


5)  Have you seen our RAFA website?

  Check out the Travel Benefits tab here:  http://www.rafa-cwa.org

 



Compiled by Kirk Moore, RAFA Travel Benefits Committee                                                                  2/02/2016

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