RTW Award E-tix

[PlutekPlutek]

Hi Everyone,

I finally got around to booking my round the world award flight with OneWorld. Going Sydney-Shanghai-Miami-New York-Warsaw-Sydney. I recieved an email with a pdf attachment entitled E-ticket Itinerary & Reciept. Is this treated as an e-ticket or just a reciept ? Should I be expecting paper tickets in the mail or do I just turn up with this piece of paper at the airport? If this indeed is an e-ticket, how does it work when you're checking into an American Airlines or a BA flight somewhere in the US or in UK or Poland? Does it get honoured as a regural ticket, or does one have a lot of explaining to do ? In addition, it has brief mention of allowed baggage in general that flights to the US are allowed 2 pieces * 32 kg, and all others are 20kg. It doesnt list it for individual flights. Should I assume 2 * 32kg for all flights, or only on those to/from the US ? I've had problems with baggage on my previous trips especially in Poland, and if something is not spelled out clearly on a ticket, they might not allow the 32kg, since I'll be checking in for a BA flight, not a Qantas flight, and they are pretty strict when it comes to baggage.

Any info greatly appreciated,

Thanks
Lukasz

 

[JohnK]

I finally got around to booking my round the world award flight with OneWorld. Going Sydney-Shanghai-Miami-New York-Warsaw-Sydney. I recieved an email with a pdf attachment entitled E-ticket Itinerary & Reciept. Is this treated as an e-ticket or just a reciept ? Should I be expecting paper tickets in the mail or do I just turn up with this piece of paper at the airport? If this indeed is an e-ticket, how does it work when you're checking into an American Airlines or a BA flight somewhere in the US or in UK or Poland? Does it get honoured as a regural ticket, or does one have a lot of explaining to do ?

This is your e-ticket! Print off your e-ticket itinerary and take this along with you. At check-in present passport and e-ticket and you will be issued with boarding pass. In theory the only time you will get issued with paper ticket is if you have a codeshare flight with non-Oneworld carrier.

We have discussed luggage allowances many times on this site and I am still not sure of the rules. Do a search and see if you can learn anything from it. Otherwise ring QF!

 

[Jenelle]

How much did your taxes end up being?

I booked mine the other night -

Melb - Edinburgh - New York - Miami - LA - Mel (I am going from Miami - LA my own way)

Cost me $648.

I was suprised that I actually get the US baggage allocation going to the UK first. I rang to check and it is all ok. This year on my trip to the states when I was taking little flights with Delta etc that were off my main itinerary with Qantas, I was charged once and questioned twice re. my luggage. The guy in Boston was the rudest guy I have ever met, so I wasn't suprised that he charged me for excess baggage - he would've charged me even if I was carrying no luggage! All my other flights were ok - and I took a few while I was there.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

If you have north america on the ticket (as you do) then piece concept applies to all flights on that ticket (including segments that neither start nor end in north america).

Now the maximum weight per piece used to be 32kg, and still is for many airlines. However some airlines have imposed lower maximums (eg 23 kg). IIRC AA is one such airline (and soon BA also).

 

[Dave Noble]

Now the maximum weight per piece used to be 32kg, and still is for many airlines. However some airlines have imposed lower maximums (eg 23 kg). IIRC AA is one such airline (and soon BA also).

Indeed , AAs limit is 50Lb per piece ( approx 23kg ), so this will limit the allowance on the AA sections. AA will charge USD25 per piece which exceeds the 50Lb allowance on domestic flights and a higher amount internationally.

Given that there would seem to be at least one part of the journey on AA, keep the bags to within 50Lb to avoid excess fees

Dave

 

[Dave Noble]

In theory the only time you will get issued with paper ticket is if you have a codeshare flight with non-Oneworld carrier.

Not true. There are a fair number of routes where e-tickets are not available regardless of the carrier being used if the itinerary includes any of them, then a paper ticket will be issued

Dave

 

[PlutekPlutek]

How likely is that given all flights are on Qantas/AA/BA ?

 

[Mal]

How likely is that given all flights are on Qantas/AA/BA ?

The PDF you have is a "E-ticket Itinerary & Reciept". It is your receipt for the taxes/fees/charges that you paid, your itinerary and your E-Ticket.

The various airlines involved will all be able to recognise your bookings from it.

No paper ticket should be required for your itinerary.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Not true. There are a fair number of routes where e-tickets are not available regardless of the carrier being used if the itinerary includes any of them, then a paper ticket will be issued

Dave

And there are other limitations, eg maximum of 16 flights. That rules out e-tickets for my RTWs (at least unless I reticket part way through).

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Not true. There are a fair number of routes where e-tickets are not available regardless of the carrier being used if the itinerary includes any of them, then a paper ticket will be issued

Dave

Yup - Ive been caught by this as well. Oddest one is QF codeshare on LA requires paper ticket. A bit annoying.

Another reason for paper ticket is when the agent has forced an illegal connection or routing the system is apparently unable to eticket.

 

[aus_flyer]

I have never had an eticket RTW ticket. Always paper.

 

[Dave Noble]

And there are other limitations, eg maximum of 16 flights. That rules out e-tickets for my RTWs (at least unless I reticket part way through).

I think that the 16 sector thing is an AA issue rather than a general issue and goes along with AAs system not being able to handle itineraries > 16 and making people handwrite tickets

Dave

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

I think that the 16 sector thing is an AA issue rather than a general issue and goes along with AAs system not being able to handle itineraries > 16 and making people handwrite tickets

Dave

I wasn't referring only to my recent DONE5. Same issue with *A RTWs. If <=16 segments can eticket (assuming all destinations e-ticketable), otherwise paper ticket.

 

[Skyring]

I finally got around to booking my round the world award flight with OneWorld. Going Sydney-Shanghai-Miami-New York-Warsaw-Sydney. I recieved an email with a pdf attachment entitled E-ticket Itinerary & Reciept. Is this treated as an e-ticket or just a reciept ? Should I be expecting paper tickets in the mail or do I just turn up with this piece of paper at the airport? If this indeed is an e-ticket, how does it work when you're checking into an American Airlines or a BA flight somewhere in the US or in UK or Poland? Does it get honoured as a regural ticket, or does one have a lot of explaining to do ? In addition, it has brief mention of allowed baggage in general that flights to the US are allowed 2 pieces * 32 kg, and all others are 20kg. It doesnt list it for individual flights. Should I assume 2 * 32kg for all flights, or only on those to/from the US ? I've had problems with baggage on my previous trips especially in Poland, and if something is not spelled out clearly on a ticket, they might not allow the 32kg, since I'll be checking in for a BA flight, not a Qantas flight, and they are pretty strict when it comes to baggage.

As usual, your questions have been answered already. Baggage is two bags even if a segment isn't going anywhere near the USA - I sometimes get a raised eyebrow when checking in two heavy bags on the Canberra-Sydney leg which is my usual start, but when I point out that in a couple of weeks I eventually find my way to DFW, they let me on. However, it's probably wise not to go over the 23kg limit, even if you are travelling on an airline that allows more.

No paper ticket. Suggest you print out a couple of copies of that PDF and have an electronic version somewhere - on your laptop, a USB key, a CD, anything. Make sure that you take every flight on the itinerary, because if you miss one it invalidates the rest.

How did you book your ticket, BTW? I did mine (June-July CBR-MEL-HKG-FRA-LCY, BHX-GLA-LHR-JFK-NAR-SYD-CBR) on the Qantas site and there was a fair bit of juggling involved before I could get award seats all the way through.

Get onto CheckYourTrip.com and look at seating allocation. Qantas will respect your seat preference as much as poss, but other carriers may not. You should be able to swap seats around on some flights.

And report back when you finish, please!

 

[bravoecho1]

Yup - Ive been caught by this as well. Oddest one is QF codeshare on LA requires paper ticket. A bit annoying.

Another reason for paper ticket is when the agent has forced an illegal connection or routing the system is apparently unable to eticket.

The other odd one is the QF codeshare on Air Pacific. If you purchase the ticket through Air Pacific you receive an e-ticket but if you purchase the ticket through QF on the codeshare you receive a paper ticket.

You'd think that as QF own part of Air Pacific there would be some sort of commonality.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

yeah that is odd too

 

[PlutekPlutek]

As usual, your questions have been answered already. Baggage is two bags even if a segment isn't going anywhere near the USA - I sometimes get a raised eyebrow when checking in two heavy bags on the Canberra-Sydney leg which is my usual start, but when I point out that in a couple of weeks I eventually find my way to DFW, they let me on. However, it's probably wise not to go over the 23kg limit, even if you are travelling on an airline that allows more.

No paper ticket. Suggest you print out a couple of copies of that PDF and have an electronic version somewhere - on your laptop, a USB key, a CD, anything. Make sure that you take every flight on the itinerary, because if you miss one it invalidates the rest.

How did you book your ticket, BTW? I did mine (June-July CBR-MEL-HKG-FRA-LCY, BHX-GLA-LHR-JFK-NAR-SYD-CBR) on the Qantas site and there was a fair bit of juggling involved before I could get award seats all the way through.

Get onto CheckYourTrip.com and look at seating allocation. Qantas will respect your seat preference as much as poss, but other carriers may not. You should be able to swap seats around on some flights.

And report back when you finish, please!

I booked my flights throught the Qantas website. They are for July-August next year. I didn't have too many problems with dates, and ended up getting the routing that I was looking for.

I wasn't aware of the CheckYourTrip.com website. It seems a website full of links to other sites. What am I looking for on this website ?

Lukasz

 

[Jenelle]

I went through the Qantas website as well and had no hassles at all apart from flights disappearing in the last two days which is why I booked now. Up until last week all the scheduling was fine and I've ended up just leaving LA a day earlier and flying out from Melb a day earlier than I originally intended.

Awesome service!! ayayayyaya

 

[Skyring]

I wasn't aware of the CheckYourTrip.com website. It seems a website full of links to other sites. What am I looking for on this website ?

Ooops. CheckMyTrip. You plug in your booking ref and surname and it shows you your itinerary. You can do this on QF, of course, but CMT gives some extra options.

 

[Jenelle]

This is awesome!

Thanks so much for sharing... how accurate is it?

When I rang to 'reserve' my seat she said the one on the window is booked. Checking this, the one on the window is free. Hmmm!

But this is just fab!