RTW enquiry

[dragonman]

About to book a DONE4 for travel in the first 3 weeks of april. Seems to me that given the cost of the positioning flight, AKL might be the best starting point. Ticketed on the oneworld planner through AA it comes to approx AUD$10400 including taxes.

Is there anywhere else I should be starting from - given that I live in Sydney and need to consider a positioning flight.

Itinerary AKL-LAX-CHI-DFW-LAS-LHR-TLV-BUD-LHR-SIN-BKK-SYD-CNS-MEL- AKL.

many thanks

 

[Gold Member]

Given the AUD/NZD is at over $1.30, NZ origination is a great place to start. Since OW rationalised prices based on origination according to world currency dynamics, the old $5K AONE3 from South Korea and smiilar bargains have all but dried up.

There are many other cheaper DONE3/4 bargains offering better outright value than NZ, but the repositioning flights would cost well over $1500-2000 in economy alone.

 

[serfty]

Just be aware you might have some issues with the AA New Zealand booking centre in Brisbane.

There have been reports they have been reluctant to book ex AKL fares for an OZ resident.

When I booked LONE4's ex AKL last year; I employed a phone with a NZ SIM card purchased at AKL.

 

[Alanslegal]

When I booked LONE4's ex AKL last year; I employed a phone with a NZ SIM card purchased at AKL.

Serfty, you have a solution for everything - amazing!!

 

[dragonman]

Just be aware you might have some issues with the AA New Zealand booking centre in Brisbane.

There have been reports they have been reluctant to book ex AKL fares for an OZ resident.

When I booked LONE4's ex AKL last year; I employed a phone with a NZ SIM card purchased at AKL.

The plan is to pay online - using the booking facility on the oneworld planner. That should work ok?

 

[serfty]

Hopefully - the trick is to get AA as your first flight segment. Since I wanted to use QF point to upgrade to J, I needed QF25 rather than AA7315.

Being a DONEx you do not have that issue.

(Also, check the cost of QF Plating - sometimes it is cheaper)

 

[dragonman]

Hopefully - the trick is to get AA as your first flight segment. Since I wanted to use QF point to upgrade to J, I needed QF25 rather than AA7315.

Being a DONEx you do not have that issue.

(Also, check the cost of QF Plating - sometimes it is cheaper)

Always grateful for your advice - but do not know the concept of "QF Plating".

 

[notzac]

Always grateful for your advice - but do not know the concept of "QF Plating".

serfty means ticketing on QF rather than AA. When using the online plan and book function, if the first flight is an AA flight number, it will ticket with AA (same goes with a QF flight number).

 

[dragonman]

serfty means ticketing on QF rather than AA. When using the online plan and book function, if the first flight is an AA flight number, it will ticket with AA (same goes with a QF flight number).

Ok got it - but generally plating with QF would cost more (higher taxes) no?

 

[notzac]

Ok got it - but generally plating with QF would cost more (higher taxes) no?

Sometimes, sometimes not. It shouldn't take much to check both ways online.

As I understand it (someone please correct me if I'm wrong):

• QF will levy a fuel surcharge on sectors they have a fuel surcharge calculated for (regardless of whether they have their own metal on that route or not).
• AA only levies fuel surcharges on their own flight numbers; they don't collect fuel surcharges otherwise.
• LA don't collect fuel surcharges at all.

 

[dragonman]

Sometimes, sometimes not. It shouldn't take much to check both ways online.

As I understand it (someone please correct me if I'm wrong):

• QF will levy a fuel surcharge on sectors they have a fuel surcharge calculated for (regardless of whether they have their own metal on that route or not).
• AA only levies fuel surcharges on their own flight numbers; they don't collect fuel surcharges otherwise.
• LA don't collect fuel surcharges at all.

Thanks but $500+ NZD dearer if I change flight number to QF25 for the first flight.

 

[docjames]

What happens if the initial sector is LA800 SYD-AKL (might be 801 in that direction - I cant recall??) does it then get ticketed as LA??

 

[dragonman]

What happens if the initial sector is LA800 SYD-AKL (might be 801 in that direction - I cant recall??) does it then get ticketed as LA??

Probably but then you pay Aussie prices - a lot more at the moment. Starting from AKL its kiwi prices.

 

[notzac]

What happens if the initial sector is LA800 SYD-AKL (might be 801 in that direction - I cant recall??) does it then get ticketed as LA??

Yes - however do you mean using LA 800 AKL-SCL as your first sector? Using same flight number SYD-AKL (per dragonman) will get you ex-AU prices, which are far less appealing.

 

[docjames]

Oh, I thought the pricing was carrier-based. But looks like it is country based, the only saving being fuel fines. My bad.

I did mean LA800 the SYD-AKL sector only (ie change in AKL to an AKL-LAX flight) but as you've stated, no real saving. Cheap transit to AKL to start though i guess!

SCL not such a great place to transit at the moment..

 

[dragonman]

Oh, I thought the pricing was carrier-based. But looks like it is country based, the only saving being fuel fines. My bad.

I did mean LA800 the SYD-AKL sector only (ie change in AKL to an AKL-LAX flight) but as you've stated, no real saving. Cheap transit to AKL to start though i guess!

SCL not such a great place to transit at the moment..

I guess that if this topic is of any real use its to point out that for Aussies and Kiwis then NZ is the place to consider starting XONE fares given the $1.30 NZD = $1 AUD. Go via the USA and ticket online through AA. Or try your luck getting the AA desk to price it and arrange to pay in NZ.

 

[docjames]

I guess that if this topic is of any real use its to point out that for Aussies and Kiwis then NZ is the place to consider starting XONE fares given the $1.30 NZD = $1 AUD. Go via the USA and ticket online through AA. Or try your luck getting the AA desk to price it and arrange to pay in NZ.

Could you not start in AKL and do AKL-SYD on LA? And avoid fuel fines altogether??

 

[dragonman]

Could you not start in AKL and do AKL-SYD on LA? And avoid fuel fines altogether??

An interesting idea - which I tried. It represents a saving of about $200 NZD. But its the OMG flight which means a hotel in AKL and if something goes wrong you have to deal with LAN.

A sideline is that ticketed through LAN it prices in $US. With AA its $NZD, go figure.

 

[rodders1]

Greetings all, first post !!
I believe that there is a glossary somewhere that explains the abbreviations. Directions please ?

 

[PaulC83]

Greetings all, first post !!
I believe that there is a glossary somewhere that explains the abbreviations. Directions please ?

http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/community/your-questions/abbreviations-and-explanations-5056.html

Its a sticky in the "your questions" section.