DONE4 questions for you clever people

[pblackm]

First question: I have flown a number of DONE4s over the years but only recently became aware that you could book a couple of sectors in Oz to be used after returning from the main trip. Using the oneworld booking engine, with a Syd departure and arriving back into Mel, I can book a Mel/DRW, but can not get back to the East Coast, even though I am under the sector limit. Current sectors are SYD/AMM/JED/AMM/KWI/LHR/BOS/MCO/JFK/SYD (or MEL). Any ideas?

Second question: BKK/AMM/JED/AMM/KWI are on Royal Jordanian. What experiences have you had flying J on this airline?

 

[Dave Noble]

What is the exact routing?

SYD-AMM cannot be done as a single sector, so would need to be something like SYD-BKK-AMM


How About MEL-DRW-ADL-SYD
For JFK-MEL , would have to be something like JFK-LAX-MEL

That brings the sector count on arrival to Oz as 11 . 3 sectors for MEL-DRW-ADL-SYD brings it to 14 so within the allowed limit of 16


Dave

 

[NM]

First question: I have flown a number of DONE4s over the years but only recently became aware that you could book a couple of sectors in Oz to be used after returning from the main trip. Using the oneworld booking engine, with a Syd departure and arriving back into Mel, I can book a Mel/DRW, but can not get back to the East Coast, even though I am under the sector limit. Current sectors are SYD/AMM/JED/AMM/KWI/LHR/BOS/MCO/JFK/SYD (or MEL). Any ideas?

Check out the terms and conditions for the fare on the OneWorld web site. It states:

Within Australia only one flight is permitted between Perth and Brisbane, Cairns, Melbourne or Sydney or between Darwin or Broome and Melbourne or Sydney.

So you would need to look for MEL-DRW-BNE-SYD or MEL-DRW-CNS-SYD. And of course a max of two stopovers in continent of origin.

Second question: BKK/AMM/JED/AMM/KWI are on Royal Jordanian. What experiences have you had flying J on this airline?

Can't help you there.

 

[jamesatfish]

Seconded for the ADL connection - on my AONE* trips (which are based in Canberra) I try to start CBR-SYD-... and then on return SYD-(stop)-PER-ADL-CBR. The Adelaide connection gets me around the rule about flying across Australia and back.

 

[pblackm]

Thanks Dave and NM. Full list of sectors is SYD/BKK/AMM/JED/AMM/KWI/LHR/BOS/JFK/MCO/JFK/LAX/MEL. the JFK to either SYD or MEL comes up as one sector on the booking. Either way, 11 or 12 sectors of the 16.

In the booking engine, I enter DRW after MEL, and all good. For next sector, have tried to enter ADL , or BNE, or CNS etc, as per the rules. It is at that point that the the red flags start flying.

 

[MelUser]

I only book these via TAs.

At least then you can have a look at what the TA has done (no pun intended) and get them to change/fix up before you tell them to go ahead and ticket.

 

[Evan]

Dave is right about MEL-LAX-JFK, that will be 2 sectors however SYD-JFK is possible on QF107 or the AA codeshare.

 

[pblackm]

I only book these via TAs.

At least then you can have a look at what the TA has done (no pun intended) and get them to change/fix up before you tell them to go ahead and ticket.

Yes, good idea. I like to pre-select my itinerary to suit my meeting schedule, and then give that to the TA.

 

[Dave Noble]

In the booking engine, I enter DRW after MEL, and all good. For next sector, have tried to enter ADL , or BNE, or CNS etc, as per the rules. It is at that point that the the red flags start flying.

Just phone the AA ATW desk and they will put it together for you. I would suggest that you don't want to use the online tool or an agent , since with the initial SYD-BKK, they will force you to ticket via QF or BA and so get hit by the higher fuel fines that they apply

On top of that, a TA may well apply service fees on top

The AA ATW desk is pretty easy to deal with and pretty clued up on the rules

Dave

 

[pblackm]

Thanks Dave.

 

[Prof Henry]

Quote:
Originally Posted by pblackm
Second question: BKK/AMM/JED/AMM/KWI are on Royal Jordanian. What experiences have you had flying J on this airline?

My wife and I flew Y class on Royal Jordanian (Cairo-Amman-Cairo) 4 or 5 years ago and we thought it was fine; J also looked good during our pass-through to the cattle-pens. Service was good.

 

[pblackm]

Thank you for that. I'm planning to do a trip report - late June.

 

[medhead]

Thanks Dave and NM. Full list of sectors is SYD/BKK/AMM/JED/AMM/KWI/LHR/BOS/JFK/MCO/JFK/LAX/MEL. the JFK to either SYD or MEL comes up as one sector on the booking. Either way, 11 or 12 sectors of the 16.

In the booking engine, I enter DRW after MEL, and all good. For next sector, have tried to enter ADL , or BNE, or CNS etc, as per the rules. It is at that point that the the red flags start flying.

The red flags are most likely due to the booking engine seeing the you have more then two stopovers. You need to finish the itinery drw-adl-syd. Then select your flights so there is only 2 stopovers and then the red flags will disappear

 

[pblackm]

Thanks Medhead. I changed the itinerary to a BNE return from JFK/LAX and then booked a BNE/CNS/DRW/SYD and it woiks! I had tried routing via ADL before but it didnt work. Anyway, I've got 15/16 sectors which is the moset utilised DONE 4 that I've ever managed. Great.

 

[v8Statesman]

Thanks Medhead. I changed the itinerary to a BNE return from JFK/LAX and then booked a BNE/CNS/DRW/SYD and it woiks! I had tried routing via ADL before but it didnt work. Anyway, I've got 15/16 sectors which is the moset utilised DONE 4 that I've ever managed. Great.

Change (time permitting) MCO-JFK to MCO-DFW-JFK.

That will get you more miles and status credits (if posting to QFF) and will use all 16 sectors

 

[pblackm]

Change (time permitting) MCO-JFK to MCO-DFW-JFK.

That will get you more miles and status credits (if posting to QFF) and will use all 16 sectors

That is a very worthwhile suggestion, and is appreciated. On the SC's front, I'll have finished re-qualification for WP about 24 hours into the trip, am LTG, and should get Mrs B over the PG hurdle, so don't need any more until the meter starts again in August.

BUT, the five hour gap between landing in JFK and then taking off again gives me time to change terminals, store luggage and then bolt in to NYC to have a late lunch at Dinosaur BBQ. If it is as good as I've been told, then that means I'll the choice of two great BBQ places in NYC (the first being Virgils. Hmmm pork ribs, pulled pork, yum).

 

[NM]

Change (time permitting) MCO-JFK to MCO-DFW-JFK.

That will get you more miles and status credits (if posting to QFF) and will use all 16 sectors

may not be quite so easy. There is currently only one DFW-JFK flight per day operated by AA (AA490, Departs DFW @ 11:45am, arrives JFK @ 4:15pm). Most flights from DFW to New York arrive at LGA. Adding LGA will add another segment as a surface segment if arriving LGA and departing JFK.

So there is only one valid same-day connection MCO-DFW-JFK, being AA395/AA490, meaning a 7am departure from MCO and a long day of travelling to get to JFK at 4:15pm.

 

[pblackm]

Yes NM - this is in the way too hard basket. I'd only ever do a LGA connection again when I have lots of time.