Can't finish my DONE4

[Keith009]

Last July I started a DONE4 which expires this July. It is currently parked in LHR, and I have North American and some Asian segments to finish. However, I can't find the time to finish the ticket. I will not get any money back if I cancel as the value of the segments I've travelled on far outstrip the cost of the entire ticket (ex-ICN).

I am currently in SFO for a month. I was thinking of grabbing a cheap AA/BA flight across to LHR for a weekend and jump on the LHR-LAX sector to get back, but the volcano has put paid to that idea as I do not wish to risk being stuck in Europe even if airspace is currently open.

Does anyone have any creative ideas? It'd be a real waste if I have to cancel the remaining segments but I'm suspecting that's the most realistic option thus far.

The remaining segments: LHR-LAX-MIA-ATL-xMIA-JFK-HKG-DPS-xNRT-ICN

 

[serfty]

...
The remaining segments: LHR-LAX-MIA-ATL-xMIA-JFK-HKG-DPS-xNRT-ICN

What segments have you already flown?

 

[Keith009]

What segments have you already flown?

ICN-xHKG-MEL-WLG-MEL-xLHR-DOH-LHR

 

[serfty]

Eeek!

That's leaving 890 SC's in the bin.

... the volcano has put paid to that idea as I do not wish to risk being stuck in Europe even if airspace is currently open.

Ok, since you can't have surface segments between TC1 (Americas) and TC2 (Europe/Africa) you absolutely need to get to Europe to resume.

...(g) Intermediate surface sectors are permitted at the passenger’s expense. Transoceanic surface sectors between TC1-TC2 and TC1-TC3 are not permitted. EXCEPTION: For travel originating in the South West Pacific, one transoceanic surface sector between TC1-TC2 or TC1-TC3 is permitted....

You could rebook at USD125 from Europe to fly back to SFO and use up your 6 NA segments over a few weeks, finishing something like:

• LHR-SFO-MIA-ATL-DFW-ANC-DFW-SFO-NRT/HKG-ICN

(And missing the last two segments if you desired).

This would at least earn you 860 SC's (or 1100 if you actually flew HKG-ICN) as the USA segments would be in First.

 

[Bundy Bear]

Could you make the restart place, Madrid; which is likely less effected by the volcano.

Its a oneworld hub so give you some options.

 

[albatross710]

Given that your plans have been disrupted by the volcano situation is there a cash option available through travel insurance?

 

[drron]

Email me a full face photo.I will contact my plastic surgeon.Then I will turn up at LHR to finish your trip.:shock:
One further thing please arrange an award ticket in your name from ICN to BNE so I can get home and see my surgeon again.
Seriously though the travel insurance option with the volcano could be a goer as if not for that you could have used the remaining sectors.

 

[Bundy Bear]

Option Number 2.

Due to the volcano could you persuade them to allow the Europe/North America segment as a land segment. You would be doing them a favour, by not flying segments.

 

[Keith009]

drron - believe me if air tickets were transferrable I'd rather give the rest of the ticket to someone else for free than let it go to waste!

I doubt I can use the insurance option. Airspace is already open and my LHR-LAX is booked for 01MAY... And I've yet to book anything to LHR, which might look dodgy if they find out that I'd booked the flight to LHR around now.

Plus I really am nervous about going to Europe in the short term. I think the consequences of getting stuck there are much worse than losing some DONE segments.

Has anyone had any experience with extending xONEx ticket expiry?

 

[medhead]

MAD might be a good option as it was still open when UK and Germany were closed, so a lesser risk of get trapped over there. I know my brother's flight from germany to spain was cancelled but his intra spain flight wasn't. Also that a number of airlines were flying asia to MAD, while other places were closed.

 

[docjames]

Agree with trying the MAD option - see if you can get an award seat / cheapish seat to MAD for the dates, and move the DONE to get you MAD-LAX.

If you decide the day before you leave, you can cancel the award seat (minus cancellation fee) and you'll be no worse off really than just losing the remainder of your DONE4.

 

[serfty]

Maybe even FCO?

- it's further away ...

 

[Keith009]

I've emailed the TA who originally booked the ticket inquiring about whether there's any possibility of extending the ticket's validity. Will see what comes out of that.

 

[Keith009]

So I can't extend my DONE4 validity and it expires July 21st. Given that I want to spend my weekends in LA this trip (got invites to several parties I want to attend), I don't think I do a weekend in Europe anytime this trip. I might try again when I'm back in SFO early July.