US Dividend Miles - Oneworld Award Booking Questions and General Discussion

[MEL_Traveller]

I'm not so sure, it would depend on the agent. I have tried numerous times recently with itineraries transiting via non Oneworld hubs to no avail...

It would be interesting to know the routings and cities you've had difficulties for. Plus intended transit times in each.

 

[bcworld]

You'll hit a snag on option 2 as well because you cannot transit via MXP as it is not UsAirways transatlantic getaway cities or Oneworld hub.

The rule is about stopover cities, not transit points.

 

[seritonin]

It would be interesting to know the routings and cities you've had difficulties for. Plus intended transit times in each.

Here are some airports I have tried to transit through to no avail (maximum 6 hour transit time) over about 10 phone calls, I did HUACA but next agents found the same issue. The reason given was pretty much those airport are invalid transit airport. I mentioned that the rule is about stop over not transit but the agent basically said 'computer says no'. I'm pretty sure they are using AA system which is quite strict. One agent even made a comment that she missed how easy it was with *A.

PER, ADL, DRW, BNE, AKL on QF transiting from MEL for MH to KUL (when no availability on direct flight)- You can only transit via SYD or vice versa
CGK on QFtransiting from SYD for QR to DOH
ICN on AY transiting from HEL for MH to KUL or CX to HKG
AUH on AB transiting from TXL for QR to DOH
HKT on QR transiting from KUL for AB to AUH
BKK on MH transiting from KUL for RJ to AMM

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Here are some airports I have tried to transit through to no avail (maximum 6 hour transit time) over about 10 phone calls, I did HUACA but next agents found the same issue. The reason given was pretty much those airport are invalid transit airport. I mentioned that the rule is about stop over not transit but the agent basically said 'computer says no'. I'm pretty sure they are using AA system which is quite strict. One agent even made a comment that she missed how easy it was with *A.

PER, ADL, DRW, BNE, AKL on QF transiting from MEL for MH to KUL (when no availability on direct flight)- You can only transit via SYD or vice versa
CGK on QFtransiting from SYD for QR to DOH
ICN on AY transiting from HEL for MH to KUL or CX to HKG
AUH on AB transiting from TXL for QR to DOH
HKT on QR transiting from KUL for AB to AUH
BKK on MH transiting from KUL for RJ to AMM

interesting data points. Although the AA system would not block a transfer/transit in Australia. I'd like to know more info about why the airport is considered an invalid transit, or why the computer says no, it would appear on the face of it that it's not allowing transits outside hubs... but there could be other reasons (and the agent just came up with whatever they could think of).

 

[sergeyvzn]

interesting data points. Although the AA system would not block a transfer/transit in Australia. I'd like to know more info about why the airport is considered an invalid transit, or why the computer says no, it would appear on the face of it that it's not allowing transits outside hubs... but there could be other reasons (and the agent just came up with whatever they could think of).

Further to this- if you use the AA search engine, you'll find numerous itineraries in and out of Australia where you go via BNE like for example LHR - SIN-BNE -SYD on BA and QF.
So the reason US agents give you can't be right if they use the AA system (which I don't believe they do yet)

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Further to this- if you use the AA search engine, you'll find numerous itineraries in and out of Australia where you go via BNE like for example LHR - SIN-BNE -SYD on BA and QF.
So the reason US agents give you can't be right if they use the AA system (which I don't believe they do yet)

but the AA reasoning would make sense for a whole bunch of the connections from AU to EU via places like AUH, DOH, AMM, CGK and HKT. All of those wouldn't be permitted under the current AA routing rules. (cannot change flight numbers in a third region)

 

[sergeyvzn]

but the AA reasoning would make sense for a whole bunch of the connections from AU to EU via places like AUH, DOH, AMM, CGK and HKT. All of those wouldn't be permitted under the current AA routing rules. (cannot change flight numbers in a third region)

it would for the ports outside Australia but wouldn't for Australia/NZ - if the same agent says "you can't transit through this port" for both AUS/NZ ports and the other mentioned overseas ports using the (presumably) same system based on the AA software, it is really odd

 

[bcworld]

it would for the ports outside Australia but wouldn't for Australia/NZ - if the same agent says "you can't transit through this port" for both AUS/NZ ports and the other mentioned overseas ports using the (presumably) same system based on the AA software, it is really odd

But plenty of people have booked itins that would be disallowed by the AA system e.g. Aus-HKG-USA. Unless the AA system is being used to validate each city pair?

 

[sergeyvzn]

But plenty of people have booked itins that would be disallowed by the AA system e.g. Aus-HKG-USA. Unless the AA system is being used to validate each city pair?

HKG is a OneWorld hub so it's ok to change flight numbers there from the AA rules perspective

 

[MEL_Traveller]

HKG is a OneWorld hub so it's ok to change flight numbers there from the AA rules perspective

Not on AA it's not Travel is not permitted via a third region unless it falls within one of the exception. And USA-AU via Asia is not an exception.

 

[anat0l]

Not on AA it's not Travel is not permitted via a third region unless it falls within one of the exception. And USA-AU via Asia is not an exception.

Well technically AA will book it for you - they won't stop you and will even put it all on one ticket. It's just that you'll have to pay a premium for it (viz. cost will be SWP-Asia then Asia-NA).

 

[sergeyvzn]

Not on AA it's not Travel is not permitted via a third region unless it falls within one of the exception. And USA-AU via Asia is not an exception.

ahh, that's right, I just looked at the rules and saw the "*transpacific only" thing, yes under the AA rules that would gave to gbe two awards Aus-Hkg and then HKG-North America

but then it makes the situation even harder to understand, is it just the well-known situation when some agents can't put together an itinerary you want and come up with all sorts of excuses they make up on the spot?

 

[anat0l]

Here are some airports I have tried to transit through to no avail (maximum 6 hour transit time) over about 10 phone calls, I did HUACA but next agents found the same issue. The reason given was pretty much those airport are invalid transit airport. I mentioned that the rule is about stop over not transit but the agent basically said 'computer says no'. I'm pretty sure they are using AA system which is quite strict. One agent even made a comment that she missed how easy it was with *A.

PER, ADL, DRW, BNE, AKL on QF transiting from MEL for MH to KUL (when no availability on direct flight)- You can only transit via SYD or vice versa

Now that is weird because I have managed to get (help) an itinerary for someone starting in BNE is able to transit in MEL (long transit, but less than 24h of course) followed by MH to KUL.

I'm not sure if it is a published routing (viz. BNE [QF] MEL [MH] KUL), but in US DM I wouldn't have thought that would have been an issue (unlike AA). Even in AA, I would not expect that kind of routing to reject, subject to other rules (e.g. MPM, possibly published routing rules, etc.)

 

[alieninperth]

Whats all the talk about not being able to change flight numbers in a third zone? If this was not possible no one (near enough) would be able to book any form of complex itin. I thought the single flight number rule was only for AUS-EU through the sandbox, ie QF direct. Routing AU-SEA-EU would still be allowed, with the necessary flight number changes. Is this a new rule?

 

[seritonin]

Now that is weird because I have managed to get (help) an itinerary for someone starting in BNE is able to transit in MEL (long transit, but less than 24h of course) followed by MH to KUL.

I'm not sure if it is a published routing (viz. BNE [QF] MEL [MH] KUL), but in US DM I wouldn't have thought that would have been an issue (unlike AA). Even in AA, I would not expect that kind of routing to reject, subject to other rules (e.g. MPM, possibly published routing rules, etc.)

You'll be fine if you are starting in BNE and transiting in MEL or SYD as they are both Oneworld hubs according to few agents I spoke to but not the other way around....

 

[bcworld]

Whats all the talk about not being able to change flight numbers in a third zone? If this was not possible no one (near enough) would be able to book any form of complex itin. I thought the single flight number rule was only for AUS-EU through the sandbox, ie QF direct. Routing AU-SEA-EU would still be allowed, with the necessary flight number changes. Is this a new rule?

It's an AA rule not a US one (yet). The AA rule is quite specific about the airports you can transit through the Asia zones...as far as I know HKG and KUL are not even on the list, although the system may have been updated to include them, in the same way that it seems to have recently started to include DOH as a valid transit for many itineraries. Has anyone tried an Aus-DOH-EU recently?

 

[anat0l]

It's an AA rule not a US one (yet). The AA rule is quite specific about the airports you can transit through the Asia zones...as far as I know HKG and KUL are not even on the list, although the system may have been updated to include them, in the same way that it seems to have recently started to include DOH as a valid transit for many itineraries. Has anyone tried an Aus-DOH-EU recently?

HKG has been a valid transit point for AA SWP-EUR for a very long time.

 

[tm.smile]

You'll be fine if you are starting in BNE and transiting in MEL or SYD as they are both Oneworld hubs according to few agents I spoke to but not the other way around....

I did ticket AUS-USA via HKG a few weeks ago and I am transiting SYD-BNE-HKG-LAX connecting from QF to CX...

 

[seritonin]

I did ticket AUS-USA via HKG a few weeks ago and I am transiting SYD-BNE-HKG-LAX connecting from QF to CX...

Lucky you... I tried a couple of agents with no success.

 

[tm.smile]

I did have to HUACA, but the second agent was very mid-western and as I spoon fed her the details, she accepted then without questioning it...