DCIR29 dilemma

[wrldtrvllr]

Having finalised my itinerary for DCIRC29 and getting AA atw desk to price ex-Taiwan I now find myself in a little dilemma regarding physically getting the ticket. I've called up AA Taipei agent who have said I need to be in person to sign credit card authorisation which is fine, but there is a remark that CX needs payment by March 7, but I don't get into Taipei until that evening, so at best I can only get to the AA agent on the March 10 (weekend in between!)

Any ideas how to get around this? I've talked to the AA atw guys and there really isn't much they can do since it's CX who is making the requirement. I suppose I can get the AA atw desk to "copy" the itinerary at a later date to ensure I ticket before any imposed deadline but at the risk of missing the seats I'm already booked for. What about using a TA in Taiwan? As the reservation is already in the "system" can a TA in Taiwan (or anywhere else for that matter) access that reservation and do the ticketing? Or should I get an understaing TA in taiwan to "copy" the itinerary and ticket via a fax CC authorisation (AA agent wouldn't accept that)?

Any suggestions appreciated.

 

[wrldtrvllr]

oh, another side issue - the AA reservation as it stands has the same first name and last name as my passport but there is no middle name (which is in my passport) - does this present any problems?

the AA atw folks have said no prob as long as first name and last names match. I asked whether this also applies to the other OW carriers and they said same policy applies so there is no problem with check-ins.

what do the experts think? if i match all names as per passport that actually requires a "new" reservation and risks losing seats already booked...

 

[Dave Noble]

First name and Surname is all that matters

As far as ticketing goes, is it a ticket that can be issued electronically?

If so, you could try phoning the UK AA office to pay for it. Since there is no DCIR29SA fare for departures out of the UK, they should be able , I believe, to issue it at the ex Taiwan price

Dave

 

[wrldtrvllr]

I thought it should be an electronic ticket as there are on 15 flights, but apparently the AA atw folks say you need to count the surface segments, of which I have 2 so that puts me over the 16 segment limit of e-ticket...
I'll give the UK guys a call later today and see if they can do anything (can't hurt to try).

Thanks Dave - you have been a great help throughout!

 

[littl_flier]

Are there any basic segments that you could cut-out and have the ticket re-issued once you get to Taiwan?

On an other note, I seem to remember reading that the AA RTW desk is sometimes able to extend the CX ticketing deadlines.

 

[NM]

On an other note, I seem to remember reading that the AA RTW desk is sometimes able to extend the CX ticketing deadlines.

Circle Pacific needs ot be issued 7 days before the start of the trip, so unless planning to be at the point of issue for more than a week, its not going to help anyway.

 

[wrldtrvllr]

Circle Pacific needs ot be issued 7 days before the start of the trip, so unless planning to be at the point of issue for more than a week, its not going to help anyway.

ah, yes forgot about that one. doh! i've only given myself 5 days at the point of issue...hmm gonna have to mull over this one.

wanna try keep the itinerary as is with 15 segments + 2 surface so paper tix it looks like (i'm paying all this out of my own pocket so ideal to maximise the experience - i already cut another surface segment out that put me over the mileage by a measly 5mi!). i'm going try investigate the taiwan TA option - i recall reading a post somewhere on FT...will report (good news hopefully) back ...

 

[Dave Noble]

ah, yes forgot about that one. doh! i've only given myself 5 days at the point of issue...hmm gonna have to mull over this one.

wanna try keep the itinerary as is with 15 segments + 2 surface so paper tix it looks like (i'm paying all this out of my own pocket so ideal to maximise the experience - i already cut another surface segment out that put me over the mileage by a measly 5mi!). i'm going try investigate the taiwan TA option - i recall reading a post somewhere on FT...will report (good news hopefully) back ...

If you are prepared to take the USD125 hit, you could trry adjusting it to a 16 segment itinerary and gettiing it as an eticket from AA UK and then get it reissued once underway

Dave

 

[wrldtrvllr]

If you are prepared to take the USD125 hit, you could trry adjusting it to a 16 segment itinerary and gettiing it as an eticket from AA UK and then get it reissued once underway

Dave

I've tried to get in touch with some TA's in Taiwan and coming up to chinese new year I think everyone is like on holidays...so I'm going to try adjust itinerary to 16 segments, call AA UK to pay for ticket, then when I'm in taiwan, visit the AA agent, add back the other segments (i'll take them off from the back-end of the itinerary) prior to departure and hopefully avoid the reissue fee. Does this plan work in theory (I know in reality it can be different)? And would the UK accept Aust CC?

 

[NM]

How do you plan to avoid the reissue fee? If the routing changes, it has to be reissued and that incurs the reissue fee.

 

[Evan]

How do you plan to avoid the reissue fee? If the routing changes, it has to be reissued and that incurs the reissue fee.

Just because the airlines say there is a 7 day limit before which you must ticket does not mean they actually ticket it.

So if you turn up 5 days early you may still be able to change the ticket and you have already met the 7 day requirement but the ticket is not actuallly issued so you can make changes.

I think a DAS13 has the same 7 day limit does it ? if so i did exactly as was planned by the OP 2 days before flying since QF waited to the last minute to actually ticket it.

E

 

[NM]

Just because the airlines say there is a 7 day limit before which you must ticket does not mean they actually ticket it.

In my experience, a ticketing limit written into the fare rules is a fixed and immovable object. I all such cases for me the ticket was issued immediately the issue process was undertaken, not several days after the issuing deadline.

Now it may be different for an issue deadline that is imposed by the airlines and not part of the fare rules. But in the case of a DCIRxx fare, its part of the fare rules. If it was not been issued by the 7 day limit, your ticket will be invalid and cannot be issued as a DCIRxx ticket.

I think a DAS13 has the same 7 day limit does it ? if so i did exactly as was planned by the OP 2 days before flying since QF waited to the last minute to actually ticket it.

No, for a DASxx fare, ticketing must be completed at least 1 hour before departure, except if reservations are made 22 or more days before departure, in which case it must be ticketed 21 days before departure.

My DAS13 that was issued last week had a CX-imposed ticketing deadline. That was nothing to do with the fare rules. But if not issued before the CX deadline, they may cancel the CX segment reservations and the TA would need to book them again.

 

[wrldtrvllr]

How do you plan to avoid the reissue fee? If the routing changes, it has to be reissued and that incurs the reissue fee.

would adding the segments in Taiwan but before departure work? I thought I read from another thread that something similar seemed to work in NRT...

However you can then immediately incorporate the new segments into the itinerary, and reissue the ticket into paper with all 20 segments when you get to NRT but prior to departure - that way you save on the rerouting fee of USD125. I did not have to wait at all at NRT - they'd written out the new ticket before I arrived as I'd advised them on the date I'd like to pick the ticket up. I only had to pay for the new taxes. But DO NOT make changes to the date/routing of the first intercontinental and any preceding segments or the whole thing has to be canned, refunded and reissued according to any new rule/fare!

I do however suspect that there are differing ticketing rules applying to xONEx and xCIRxx fares which may mean this may not be possible...can any experts confirm this?

 

[NM]

would adding the segments in Taiwan but before departure work? I thought I read from another thread that something similar seemed to work in NRT...


I do however suspect that there are differing ticketing rules applying to xONEx and xCIRxx fares which may mean this may not be possible...can any experts confirm this?

The reissue rules are similar:

(A) REBOOKING/REROUTING
(1) Prior to Departure
a. Before ticket issuance: Rebooking/rerouting permitted
b. After ticket issuance: First international and preceding sector cannot be changed, subsequent sectors may be changed - apply provisions shown in Subparagraph (c) below.
-----------
Local Service fees may apply
(2) After departure:
a. Rebooking permitted: such transaction must be made prior to departure of the flight being changed.
b. No show requires rebooking at a charge of USD 125.00.
c. Rerouting requiring reissue of flight coupons permitted at a charge of: USD 100.00 /CAD150.00 each converted into local currency at the Bankers rate. (Discounts for children/infants not applicable).
d. At any time: The non-refundable amount may be used as credit towards payment of any full mileage or oneworld/Global explorer fare providing those conditions are met.

See the underlined sections. Point 1b will apply since the ticket must have already been issued by the time you get to Taiwan, but you are yet to commence travel. This then points to 2c as applying.

 

[Dave Noble]

There is a difference though; with a ticket that has no cancellation penalty and no advance purchase restriction, it is possible to avoid a resissue fee due to ability to cancel and rebook. When I have made changes after ticketing to ATWs after ticketing, AA has just made the change FOC due to this

Dave

 

[wrldtrvllr]

There is a difference though; with a ticket that has no cancellation penalty and no advance purchase restriction, it is possible to avoid a resissue fee due to ability to cancel and rebook. When I have made changes after ticketing to ATWs after ticketing, AA has just made the change FOC due to this

Dave

Dave I take it you are referring here to xONEx (at least DONEx and AONEx) where the restrictions are less onerous than xCIRxx and hence QF009's example @ NRT.

NM - thanks too for clarifying the application of the rules.

There seems to be no way round and after some thought I think I will follow through with the 16 segment e-tix and take the US100 hit for rerouting later on - I've ended up cutting out 2 surface segments near the end of the itinerary so it is now ... -LAX-HNL-NRT-ICN-TPE instead of ... -LAX-KOA//HNL-NRT//KIX-ICN-TPE. So really not a big change, still manageable if I want to keep it to 16 segments - just a bit more backtracking. Original Idea was island hop a bit in Hawaii but that is pretty cheap to do separately and to do Kyoto then onward flight from KIX (1hr) but back to NRT is a bit longer (~4-5hrs I think). Getting it repriced but can't imagine much change.

Incidently the other option I was mulling over was taking an earlier flight to Taiwan to arrive midday instead of evening of the ticketing deadline and proceed to AA office downtown to ticket. But that would all fall to pieces if flights were delayed/cancelled so I think the US100 "insurance" option seems like a good idea (besides I couldn't really get into Taiwan much earlier because of I didn't want to cut into travel plans enroute - 11/12 days in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos)

The jigsaw is slowing coming together!

 

[Dave Noble]

Dave I take it you are referring here to xONEx (at least DONEx and AONEx) where the restrictions are less onerous than xCIRxx

Yup. I was referring to how I have had tickets with no AP requirement processed

Dave

 

[NM]

Incidently the other option I was mulling over was taking an earlier flight to Taiwan to arrive midday instead of evening of the ticketing deadline and proceed to AA office downtown to ticket. But that would all fall to pieces if flights were delayed/cancelled so I think the US100 "insurance" option seems like a good idea (besides I couldn't really get into Taiwan much earlier because of I didn't want to cut into travel plans enroute - 11/12 days in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos)

Why not book it is 16 sectors with the aim of e-ticket issue. Try to get into Taiwan earlier and if you can make it to the AA ticket office (do they really have one there?) the make the last minute changes to add the extra segments and issue on paper. But do be aware that the actual issue process can take quite some time as they have to do a lot of it manually - including hand-writing the paper ticket. So turning up on the doorstep at 4:30pm with credit card in hand may not be the best move.