Detail on using the AA RTW Desk

[Will]

Thanks for your patient advice
I am currently halfway through getting a quote via a travel agent in Melbourne, but will try calling Dallas to see how much I'll save in +++.
I think it may be a long phone call, with 20 sectors and specific flight requests for each one!

 

[NM]

I think it may be a long phone call, with 20 sectors and specific flight requests for each one!

You will be surprised how quickly they can process it. But will take around 24 hours to get the price back for you.

Note that you will need to have the ticket issued before the end of May as the 16-sector restriction comes into effect on 1 June.

 

[serfty]

... calling Dallas to see how much I'll save in +++.
I think it may be a long phone call, with 20 sectors and specific flight requests for each one!

Not at all; if you have:

• Your routing chosen and 'validated' with Mileage Monkey,
• Picked your actual flights,
• Checked they have availability* in L class and
• Be prepared to have them insist on a Intercontinental flight on AA.

Then you should be fine; try about 5-10 minutes and you'll have your booking record locater.

*Availability: SeatCounter - The Booking Class Availability Machine, KVS Availability Tool or ExpertFlyer.com - Empowering the Frequent Flyer.

 

[simongr]

Then you should be fine; try about 5-10 minutes and you'll have your booking record locater.

After it took CX 6 weeks to sort my first DONE4 with multiple, multiple emails I then switched to booking through AA - first DONE4 booking (an 18 segment monster) took 7 minutes...

 

[serfty]

Update

...
The upgrades are already showing on AA.com an I have reselected first class seating.

The tickets have been returned by mail; should be back some time next week. ...

The tickets came back about 3 weeks ago.

The original hand written 'red carboned' vouchers showing the AA flight have been removed and replaced with the more normal computer printed cardboard ones.

The AAdvantage points were in mrs serfty's AAdvantage account and the booking is now showing her AAdvantage number against all her segments.

On Qantas.com logging into her QFF account brings up the booking and Checkmytrip is showing her Qantas frequent flyer number. So obviously sabre has different FQ info then Amadeus here. (I deliberately kept my AAdvantage number completely away from the booking - I don't wish to interfere with my QFF upgrade requests, each done at the 90 day limit).

The LAN e-ticket utility brings up the upgraded segments when using the ticket numbers showing on the newly printed vouchers.

About a week ago (good) seat preallocation references appeared for the CX flights on aa.com.

That reminded me that I'll need to ensure my wife's bookings have the QFF numbers in all GDS's before taking the CX flight - no L class earning on AAdvantage.

 

[Keith009]

Re: Update

The original hand written 'red carboned' vouchers showing the AA flight have been removed and replaced with the more normal computer printed cardboard ones.

Do you mean that you now have a combination of handwritten red carbon vouchers, and ATB2 cardboard?

I didn't know they could reissue bits and pieces of a ticket like that. I'd thought that they'd just place stickers on your existing vouchers.

 

[serfty]

Do you mean that you now have a combination of handwritten red carbon vouchers, and ATB2 cardboard?

I didn't know they could reissue bits and pieces of a ticket like that. I'd thought that they'd just place stickers on your existing vouchers.

Yep, it looks like the staples were removed, the old vouchers taken out, the new ones inserted in their place and the whole lot stapled back together. I have some images; I'll see if I have enough time to do an upload.

There's a note on the ATB2 stuff linking to the original ticket number.

With the LAN utility, only the upgraded AA segments show.

 

[Dave Noble]

Re: Update

I didn't know they could reissue bits and pieces of a ticket like that. I'd thought that they'd just place stickers on your existing vouchers.

AA doesn't use stickers anymore I believe

Dave

 

[Keith009]

Re: Update

AA doesn't use stickers anymore I believe

I stand corrected. Learn something new every day.

I remain intrigued by this 'hybrid' ticket of serfty's...

 

[Will]

Not at all; if you have:

• Your routing chosen and 'validated' with Mileage Monkey,
• Picked your actual flights,
• Checked they have availability* in L class and
• Be prepared to have them insist on a Intercontinental flight on AA.

Then you should be fine; try about 5-10 minutes and you'll have your booking record locater.

You were right! I had a very friendly agent who did everything smoothly, quickly and easily.
Still waiting to hear the price though... the quote from the Australian agent through Qantas was $4800 :shock:

 

[Will]

Just called the desk back; it's not really any cheaper. On the LONE4 that Qantas quoted me $4681 (3299+1382), AA has quoted $4701.15.
Of interest, they told me the 'base fare' was $3859 and tax was $842.15, although on further questioning, apparently their 'base fare' includes the fuel surchage.
They also said I would need to pay at a travel agent in Melbourne, but couldn't give me the name of any that would accept the payment other than any who used Sabre.
I may just go with the QF booking, for simplicity of payment, unless there are any other advantages?
Thanks for the report, serfty, it was really very helpful!

 

[serfty]

Are you sure they did not quote for the $3849 LLONE5 + $10 tax?

Sounds like the person you were talking to did not know much.

Things change, however to pay you would need to call the Australian AA number, quote the booking reference and they'd take it from there.

You would be emailed a CC authorisation form that gets filled out and axed back to a Sydney number - the tickets are posted from Sydney AA office.

 

[serfty]

I may need to change some flights - what's the MCT LHR to LGW?

 

[Danger]

Just called the desk back; it's not really any cheaper. On the LONE4 that Qantas quoted me $4681 (3299+1382), AA has quoted $4701.15.

I would call back and start the booking again. Just two weeks I booked a LLONE4 through AA which totaled $4,083, some $500 cheaper than QF.

 

[Keith009]

Will - YGPM.

 

[novacatz]

LAN e-ticket utility

The LAN e-ticket utility brings up the upgraded segments when using the ticket numbers showing on the newly printed vouchers.

What is this LAN e-ticket thing? I've never heard of it....

 

[AnonymousCoward]

Here a link to a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet with some good comparison information:

• WearyBizTrvlr's RTW comparison spreadsheet

Am I right in understanding that these are the prices for a xONEx originating from the countries indicated? Regardless of who you book it through (QF or AA)? So the benefit of booking through AA would be to avoid some fuel fines? And departing ex-NZ appears to save $2000 on a DONE4?

Or am I intepreting this thing incorrectly?

 

[tuapekastar]

Am I right in understanding that these are the prices for a xONEx originating from the countries indicated? Regardless of who you book it through (QF or AA)? So the benefit of booking through AA would be to avoid some fuel fines? And departing ex-NZ appears to save $2000 on a DONE4?

Or am I intepreting this thing incorrectly?

I think you have it pretty right AnonymousCoward

These appear to be base prices, exclusive of any taxes and surcharges. AA adds on some fuel surcharges, but not quite as rapaciously as QF and some others, and some reasonable savings can be made. Also, the AA ATW desk has quite a good reputation for being efficient at handling these bookings. There might be a few pitfalls to look out for if using AA, but probably none which would outweigh the benefits.

So, from NZ it's AUD8805, and from Oz it's AUD10499, which is AUD1694 difference.

Just comparing with the prices listed on the oneworld site (which serfty has indicated can be slow to reflect changes):

From NZ: NZD10599 (approx AUD8683)
From Oz: AUD10499

so AUD1816 difference, according to them (currency fluctuations are always going to influence things a bit)

There is a rule (can't recall exact wording) concerning price differences between where you purchase and where you commence the OWE from (or something like that), but I don't think it's a difficult one to comply with.

 

[Will]

Thanks all - you were right. The pricing desk had indeed mispriced it (despite the confident assurances of one of the RTW desk staff) and the actual price is $4167.86 - more than $500 cheaper.
I don't think I'll buy through Qantas any more if I can help it.

 

[simongr]

There is a rule (can't recall exact wording) concerning price differences between where you purchase and where you commence the OWE from (or something like that), but I don't think it's a difficult one to comply with.

I believe it is the higher of the point of origin and the place of purchase - but something weird happened earlier this year that allowed buying from canada but paying the point of origin price.

The advantage for AAdvantage members is that AA is more likely to sell you AA codeshares rather than forcing you on to QF flight numbers (or even QF flights).