Finalising a OWE RTW ticket: Some questions!

[tuapekastar]

A few questions about a OWE and some sidetrips. I’ll keep it as brief as I can, but apologies in advance for the length of it anyway. Despite my voluminous reading of this site and FT, and an illuminating hints and tips session with Dave Noble, I am still somewhat ignorant about the booking, paying for, and ticketing processes, and their connections with each other. (Oh, I can book a ticket ok, just unsure of some of the terminology). I’m guessing (so please correct me), that:

1) Booking = reserving a seat on flight(s)
2) Ticketing = issuing a ticket (e-ticket or paper) and confirming the seat that was booked
3) Paying triggers ticketing

…or something like that.

Reason I’m asking is that we have (finally) worked out our RTW itinerary. It varies slightly for the 3 of us: (LONE4 BTW)

Pax A (me): MEL-AKL-ZQN-AKL-LAX-JFK-LHR-CAI-LHR-FRA-HEL-BKK-SIN-PER-MEL (Note: PER could be replaced with BNE, depends on a couple of things)
Pax B (him): MEL-SYD-AKL-ZQN-AKL-LAX, YVR-LHR-CAI-LHR-FRA-LHR-ATH-LHR-BKK-HKG-SIN-MEL
Pax C (her): MEL-SYD-AKL-ZQN-AKL-LAX-JFK-LHR-CAI-LHR-FRA-LHR-ATH-LHR-BKK-HKG-SIN-MEL

There are some stopovers and sidetrips in there also.

Pax A is short on SWP segments so going direct MEL-AKL, instead of via SYD. I would be happy to purchase a separate MEL-SYD cheapie and accompany the other two, but this is where my ignorance comes to the fore…can this be done on same itinerary and is it a “protected” connection given it would not be part of the OWE ticket, and concerned that a problem on the morning of the MEL-SYD flight could cause a missed connection. Would be truly disappointing, not to mention very embarrassing, to miss the first leg of a OWE! I don’t think I can purchase extra segments in the continent of origin (If I could, it would be the PER/BNE -MEL one at the end).

Routing via SYD is just to get a few extra points and try out LA SYD-AKL, just for something different (thanks Dave).

Pax B is sidetripping to YVR and YCD (would rather do LAX-YVR-YCD-YVR than lose a day doing LAX-DFW-YVR-YCD), and is going to fly AS metal LAX-YVR, and AC YVR-YCD-YVR.

We are all sidetripping CAI-LXR, ASW-CAI (on MS, shudder!!) in order to do a Nile cruise.

Are these ‘sidetrips’ possible to have included in the one ‘itinerary’. I’m just looking for as risk-free and protected a schedule as possible.

Pax B and C plan to (if allowed, some conjecture over interpretation of fare rules) purchase 2 extra segments ie. LHR-ATH-LHR, in Europe. The conjecture is over the fact that these are ’long’ segments which are restricted to 2 in total, and would have already been used LHR-CAI-LHR. However the rule states only 2 ‘free’ long segments can be used, which implies that other ‘long’ segments can be bought.

I am QP NB and AA PLT (once again, thanks Dave, Lindsay and others)
Pax B is QF NB and am going to enrol him in the AA PLT Challenge
Pax C is QP PS and am going to enrol her in the AA PLT challenge

Pax B and C are not able to take any flights before this trip, so will not get PLT (and ~6500 bonus miles) on AKL-LAX leg, just stiff bikkies there.

We will be using AA flight numbers where possible, and where not, the highest earning option available. Not particularly looking for creative routings that involve lots of extra flying just to earn points/miles, but if any opportunities exist, well…

May miss out here and there with lounges and priority checkin etc. but between the 2 QP memberships, existing AA PLT, and the PLTs that will be earned during the trip, should cover most of it (though I’ve read where BA are very finicky about having the actual PLAT card for lounge access, versus a letter from AA confirming the PLT status).

So in summary:

Briefly, how do booking, paying and ticketing work and affect each other?
Can the sidetrips, and a cheapie separate MEL-SYD flight at the start, be incorporated and “protected”?
Any other thoughts or perhaps major blunders I have made?
Oh, and I believe a OWE booked commencing in SWP (going to book through AA in US) is fully refundable?

Thanks for your indulgence.

 

[Dave Noble]

ok....

1st of all, make sure you book with AA ( i'm sure that AA should start paying me commision )

Assuming you havent exceeded the 20 sector max.....

You can add the MEL-SYD as a purchased sector ( 2 max allowed by OWE ) for AUD200 which will give full protection against misconnects; tbh however I wouldnt worry about it since you are travelling on QF ( even though on an AA flight # ) and , if you do this, you cannot purchase the 2 extra sectors in EU

There is no rule that states that you cannot purchase LHR-ATH-LHR , the others ( such as the US Trans cons ) are specific rules

There's not much you can do about the Egypt domestic flights, they have to be separate . As long as you have a decent connect time or , better still, an overnight in Cairo , you should be fine. Remember , you have flexibility to change date/times of the OWE ex CAI flight should things screw up in EG

To book, contact the AA ATW desk , give them the flight details and get the reloc.

Being an AA PLT, don't forget to hop onto the website and request an upgrade on the LAX-JFK sector and pre-select the exit seat in case the upgrade doesnt clear

When you are happy with the itinery , then you can contact AA in Sydney to pay for it and get the ticket issued

Also, have you considered upgrading to WT+ on the LHR-BKK sector; makes a much more comfortable flight

OWEs except for those issued for departure from TC1 are refundable, so you are fine there

Dave

 

[tuapekastar]

Thank you for those comments Dave.

If things go to plan I'll be flying QF MEL-SYD (maybe on AA flt no. depending on timing - actually, probably not, given the timings I've just seen), then SYD-AKL on LA, which credits to AA at 100% in L class and currently shows leaving SYD at 11:15, so have plenty of morning in which to make it to SYD outside the OWE ticket (I guess around 90 - 100 mins MCT here from DOM to INT)? Anyway, a little flexible on this part of the trip...and I won't be doing the extra 2 EU segments so that issue should not affect me, and the other 2 pax won't be needing extra SWP segments so they're ok.

Definitely be booking with AA ATW desk.

There are min. 1 o/night stays planned at each end in Egypt so hopefully no connect probs there.

As far as AA upgrades go, I think, reading the AA Plat guide, I need to be on a Y or B fare to get a complimentary upgrade, which means on an L fare I would need to purchase a series (presumably 5 for this ~2472 mile trip) of 500-mile upgrade certificates then register for an upgrade and hope for the best? These upgrade certs do not appear to expire, in the event I don't get to use them on this trip. If I have this wrong pls let me know. Will certainly pre-select the best seating I can in any case.

It's the other two flying LHR-BKK and I offered, indeed recommended WT+ to them having flown it not long ago, but they weren't particularly interested. Their loss.

Thanks again for your comments.

 

[Dave Noble]

As far as AA upgrades go, I think, reading the AA Plat guide, I need to be on a Y or B fare to get a complimentary upgrade, which means on an L fare I would need to purchase a series (presumably 5 for this ~2472 mile trip) of 500-mile upgrade certificates then register for an upgrade and hope for the best? These upgrade certs do not appear to expire, in the event I don't get to use them on this trip. If I have this wrong pls let me know. Will certainly pre-select the best seating I can in any case.

It's the other two flying LHR-BKK and I offered, indeed recommended WT+ to them having flown it not long ago, but they weren't particularly interested. Their loss.

Thanks again for your comments.

I would have though that you would have earned a few upgrade credits by the time you get to do the US domestic flights, so would have some in the bank to cover the 5 needed for LAX-JFK

If not, then indeed there is a cost of $30 per credit

I would recommend requesting the upgrades since it is a cheap way to get a decent seat ; you dont need the upgrades in the account to request the upgrade, all you need is to have the upgrades to get the boarding pass. If you find that you have less than 5 in your account, then just buy what you need at the airport at check in. If it doesn't clear then you pay nothing; even nicer hey

If upgrading appeals, you might like to consider taking a different routing , since the LAX-JFK non-stops are , apparantly, one of the hardest to get cleared on

Alternatively, if you have 25k points in your account, you might like to consider using 25k plus $250 and getting a confirmed upgrade from LAX-JFK-LHR

For those not too interested in WT+ atm, if they are swayed by mileage earning, do consider that they would earn 12,474 miles in WT+ vs 5940 on QF . Do make sure that you are booked on QF for LHR-BKK; travel on a BA flight number and the mileage earning will only be 2970

Dave

 

[guil]

My wife and I are planning an AONE6 - Using BA travel agent, but we didn't know about booking through AA

We are working on the following routes
Option 1 Dep LHR

LA – Vancouver – New York – Santiago – Auckland – SYD/MEL – Tokyo – Hong Kong – Johannesburg – Cape Town – Helsinki – Dubai? – LHR

Option 2 Dep SYD

Auckland to Santiago to New York to Toronto to Chicago to Los Angeles to London to Helsinki to Dubai to Johannesburg to Cape Town to Hong Kong to Tokyo to Melbourne


We would appreciate any tips/additional stopovers or routing to maximise SCs and miles

 

[serfty]

My wife and I are planning an AONE6 - Using BA travel agent, but we didn't know about booking through AA ...

There is plenty of information on the FlyerTalk oneWORLD forum.

I would reccomend reading this thread: The oneworld explorer ticket FAQs.

One main tip: Don't start it from London. At the moment the Base cost of an AONE6 starting from GB before any taxes, charges levies is ~£8,100. Ex Oz, it's about £6,600.

Now consider this: To Start from some other places in the world is can be a lot cheaper. Some places in Europe, it can be as low as £4,300. You will find quite a few other places you can get to relatively easily that charge a lot less.

(BTW, in Oz Dollars, those figures are approx. GB:$19,100, Oz:$15,500 & Eur:$10,100.

 

[guil]

Thanks for the tip! alredy found AONE6 fares from £4500!

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

You can add the MEL-SYD as a purchased sector ( 2 max allowed by OWE ) for AUD200 which will give full protection against misconnects; tbh however I wouldnt worry about it since you are travelling on QF ( even though on an AA flight # ) and , if you do this, you cannot purchase the 2 extra sectors in EU

I didnt think you could purchase extra segments in continent of origin.

 

[NM]

3) Paying triggers ticketing

Actually, its the other way around. Ticketing triggers the need for payment. Not that it really makes much difference.

 

[tuapekastar]

I would have though that you would have earned a few upgrade credits by the time you get to do the US domestic flights, so would have some in the bank to cover the 5 needed for LAX-JFK

If not, then indeed there is a cost of $30 per credit

I would recommend requesting the upgrades since it is a cheap way to get a decent seat ; you dont need the upgrades in the account to request the upgrade, all you need is to have the upgrades to get the boarding pass. If you find that you have less than 5 in your account, then just buy what you need at the airport at check in. If it doesn't clear then you pay nothing; even nicer hey

If upgrading appeals, you might like to consider taking a different routing , since the LAX-JFK non-stops are , apparantly, one of the hardest to get cleared on

Alternatively, if you have 25k points in your account, you might like to consider using 25k plus $250 and getting a confirmed upgrade from LAX-JFK-LHR

For those not too interested in WT+ atm, if they are swayed by mileage earning, do consider that they would earn 12,474 miles in WT+ vs 5940 on QF . Do make sure that you are booked on QF for LHR-BKK; travel on a BA flight number and the mileage earning will only be 2970

Dave

I thought I required the U/G certs in advance (eg. at time of U/G request), so that is welcome info. Also re the routing - will see what we can find.

Cheers