Originally Posted by
razorblade
I've tried doing this at EWR as well as the travel phone line, and both times I was told that I could only list at the airport of departure, and it can not be done anywhere else.
It's all a matter of finding the right agent. They often think you are wanting to list for the flight. You have to find the right person who understands you just want to pay the taxes and fees--which creates a listing through the back door in the process!
Yes, sometimes it's taken me awhile to find the right agent, but it's worth the effort to ask again. I generally try the special services type of desks (each airline may call them a different name) inside security. I especially look for the desk nearest where that airline's international departures are located, if that's possible. These agents typically have done this taxes and fees process before. Many times, even at the ticketing counter portion of the check-in area outside security, a newer agent might be manning the desk and not have ever processed this type of request.
Think of it this way, paying your taxes and fees in FRA, CDG, NRT, etc require the same keystrokes by the agent the day of departure as they do weeks in advance from a USA airport. As I've found, it's just a matter of hitting the right terminology and the right agent. If you do this frequently, once you find a "magic" USA agent who knows the process, ask them to print out the rules for it so you can show it to another agent in the future.
I know other people have said you can't pay your taxes and fees in advance, but I have personally done it on several airlines. YMMV as things can change all the time and my information might be out of date?