How would you do this trip? rtw? series of one ways?

[fifo]

Qr since the blockade on Qatar have screwed residents of Doha on flights ridiculously, whilst discounting through tix to expand destinations. They have also pushed out other non affiliated carriers, klm and Lufthansa to decrease competition.

They also put up 40% sales that do not actually discount 40% on almost any routes.

Not to mention baggage for sporting goods changing 3 times in the last 18 months.

I've flown j a few times with qr, yes service is great, sc earn is fine. J lounge is great. If only one world golds could utilise it.

 

[Himeno]

I asked earlier if anyone with Expert Flyer could give us the prices for DONEXs for several different airlines, including QR.

Prices for oneworld fare products are the same across all member airlines. The prices vary by departure point (AU prices are different to NZ for example).
When prices change, some airlines may be slow to adjust their prices, as was the case with the more well known changes over the last few years. (Forex fluctuations across a number of African currencies have caused major changes vs strong currencies, prompting many people to book tickets out of those countries. Recent examples have been South Africa, Sudan and Egypt. Once known, the prices were changed - either the price was increased, the fare currency was changed from local to USD, or the fare was pulled completely. For each of these changes, some airlines have taken a week or two to change the fare, meaning one airline could sell cheaper then others. But this is rare and unknown when it may happen.)

The main reason to select who tickets is due to taxes. Some airlines have more excessive surcharges (eg, fuel) then others. Some will collect said charges for other airlines while others won't. Others will charge the surcharge for all flights as if they were all their own (so BA might charge you their surcharges for a LAX-MEL flight as if it were a BA flight).
One trip, I booked a BA LHR-DXB on an IB codeshare. By avoiding BA surcharges, I saved almost $400.

Using the online tool will send the booking to the marketing carrier of the first flight for ticketing. There are some exceptions where it is sent to another airline to issue instead, last time I looked, LA and JL were sent to AA.
I've had tickets issued by QF, AA, CX, QR and JL.
If you need to make changes before departure, you need to deal with the ticketing airline (or travel agent). Changes after departure can be dealt with, in theory, by any oneworld member.

 

[JohnM]

While I've long been aware that substantial savings were able to be made by booking to start elsewhere, I was prepared to pay the QF premium for simplicity. YMMV.

 

[fifo]

While I've long been aware that substantial savings were able to be made by booking to start elsewhere, I was prepared to pay the QF premium for simplicity. YMMV.

Which airlines do you think or starting locations are best? In out eu could work well for me......Finland?

 

[JohnM]

Which airlines do you think or starting locations are best? In out eu could work well for me......Finland?

I'm not the person to answer that question, given that I've always started in Australia.

 

[Himeno]

A few base prices from around the Europe/Middle East region

Eurozone
DONE3 6412 EUR
DONE4 7019 EUR

UK
DONE3 5471 GBP
DONE4 6200 GBP

Norway
DONE3 52398 NOK
DONE4 57959 NOK

Sweden
DONE3 58779 SEK
DONE4 64343 SEK

Jordan
DONE3 4400 JOD
DONE4 5100 JOD

UAE
DONE3 27380 AED
DONE4 31240 AED

Qatar
DONE3 25500 QAR
DONE4 29100 QAR

 

[fifo]

Thanks, very helpful. Is that all in, or can i expect taxes on top of that...and for it to be different for each carrier?

 

[fifo]

Can anyone recommend a guide or website to explain all this, or is it some sort of dark magic and you've just got to play with the ow booking tool until you get it right?

 

[JohnM]

Can anyone recommend a guide or website to explain all this, or is it some sort of dark magic and you've just got to play with the ow booking tool until you get it right?

I thought it was happening here .

 

[RooFlyer]

Thanks, very helpful. Is that all in, or can i expect taxes on top of that...and for it to be different for each carrier?

All add-ons are on top. You will pay different 'carrier charges' depending on the carrier you choose for particular sectors.

Can anyone recommend a guide or website to explain all this, or is it some sort of dark magic and you've just got to play with the ow booking tool until you get it right?

In respect of the booking tool, there's not much to replace just experimenting with it over time. If not that, then just ask a good travel agent to book the trip for you. But make sure you give them pretty precise instructions - preferred carriers, the type of connections you want (short as possible Vs relaxed), very early departures/very late arrivals yes or no; that you are OK with certain add-on tickets etc etc. I use the on-line thing to plan my trip but then get the TA to book it, for reasons I gave up-thread.

 

[RooFlyer]

A few base prices from around the Europe/Middle East region

On todays prices in XR, that makes Eurozone and UK the most expensive of that lot at A$11,000, Norway and Jordan the cheapest at A$9,400 and A$9,171. Qatar comes in at A$10,200.

Up thread, Australian departure was quoted at A$12,000, although my own DONE4 booked a month ago and starting in Australia cost A$11,200.

If I was in Qatar, I'd be prepared to position to Scandinavia or Jordan to save A$1,000.

 

[JohnM]

Can anyone recommend a guide or website to explain all this, or is it some sort of dark magic and you've just got to play with the ow booking tool until you get it right?

The most important thing in my view is to have clearly in your mind the basics of an xONEx, then everything drops into place:

Be aware of these basic rules and you can't go badly wrong:

1. Travel between continental zones must be in the same direction.
2. Travel within continental zones can be in any direction.
3. Maximum 4 sectors within each continental zone, except for N America where it is 6.
4. Only one full trans-con sector (eg. PER-SYD; LAX-JFK) is permitted in each zone (relevant particularly to Australia, USA, and S America).
5. Maximum sectors is 16 (but additional ones can be bought on top). (Make sure you use the lot )
6. If buying an LONEx, be aware that, where PE is offered, a supplement is available to book to fly that sector in PE. That can be done at the time of booking (it appears clearly on the OWA tool).

The online tool is good at trapping errors and telling you why (as long as you understand the above rules beforehand).

There may be a few other less transparent quirks, like my recent experience of QR not allowing a straight-through connection in DOH, for example, that you may get caught on. You need to battle those unpredictable ones at the time if they pop up.

Golden rule: be flexible.

 

[fifo]

If I was in Qatar, I'd be prepared to position to Scandinavia or Jordan to save A$1,000.

It's only 800aud. I'd be extremely hard pressed to get something ex DOH with 2x23kgs luggage, one way or even return to either of those places for less than that. A friend went to Amamm last year, 700usd return. As I said, QR sucks ex DOH.

 

[fifo]

The most important thing in my view is to have clearly in your mind the basics of an xONEx, then everything drops into place:

Be aware of these basic rules and you can't go badly wrong:

1. Travel between continental zones must be in the same direction.
2. Travel within continental zones can be in any direction.
3. Maximum 4 sectors within each continental zone, except for N America where it is 6.
4. Only one full trans-con sector (eg. PER-SYD; LAX-JFK) is permitted in each zone (relevant particularly to Australia, USA, and S America).
5. Maximum sectors is 16 (but additional ones can be bought on top). (Make sure you use the lot )
6. If buying an LONEx, be aware that, where PE is offered, a supplement is available to book to fly that sector in PE. That can be done at the time of booking (it appears clearly on the OWA tool).

The online tool is good at trapping errors and telling you why (as long as you understand the above rules beforehand).

There may be a few other less transparent quirks, like my recent experience of QR not allowing a straight-through connection in DOH, for example, that you may get caught on. You need to battle those unpredictable ones at the time if they pop up.

Golden rule: be flexible.

Your advice is very much appreciated. Im hoping for a done4, given that l for most airlines is a coughty discount econ earn rate. And that is like the transocean stuff to be or or above, so paying 3k or so in pe charges makes no sense vs D.

 

[RooFlyer]

As I said, QR sucks ex DOH.

Ah, yes. I forgot to factor that in.

Be aware of these basic rules and you can't go badly wrong:

To which I would add one: Arriving at one airport in a city and departing from another (eg NRT/HND in Tokyo) counts as a (land) sector.

 

[fifo]

Oh that's a good point.

1. After departing your continent of origin, you may choose up to four segments within each continent (six in North America).
2. You may take a total of two stopovers within your continent of origin in order to get to or from an international gateway.

Would I be better than to start in Africa then fly to Doha/middle East eu zone? Other wise if I start in that zone, won't I be limited to 2 sectors? Or even 0?

Would I then be able to claim a refund on the last flight back to Africa? I see it's all but 5% for refunds.

 

[JohnM]

There is no Middle East zone. DOH, DXB etc are part of the Europe zone. (This can be very usefully used to make long sectors in the Europe zone ).

 

[fifo]

There is no Middle East zone. DOH, DXB etc are part of the Europe zone. (This can be very usefully used to make long sectors in the Europe zone ).

Yes I said Doha middle East eu zone.....won't i be disadvantaged for inside eu travel if I start inside the eu zone? Ie in DOH?

 

[fifo]

JohnM...maybe you have some of your more creative old itineraries on easy access??

I've got to organise this for me and a similar one for my wife, but hers is shorter. No Russia leg for example or eu traipsing about.

 

[Himeno]

To which I would add one: Arriving at one airport in a city and departing from another (eg NRT/HND in Tokyo) counts as a (land) sector.

Cross city connections, such as NRT/HND, ICN/GMP, LHR/LGW, JFK/LGA, etc count towards the 16 sector ticket limit, but don't count towards the allowed sectors for each Continent.

As mentioned, there are some transcon limits, such as only 1 nonstop flight between North America East and West coasts (there is a list of which cities count as "East" and "West" in the fare rules), 1 nonstop transcon in Australia (CBR/MEL/SYD/BNE-PER/DRW/BME/KTA).
You can't back track to mainland NA once you go to Hawaii, so you have to do Asia/SWP-Hawaii-mainland NA or vice visa. You can't do LAX-HNL-LAX.
Only 1 flight to and 1 flight from ANC.

Would I then be able to claim a refund on the last flight back to Africa? I see it's all but 5% for refunds.

no. A 95% refund (for J/F tickets), or 100% refund if visa problems occur, is only available before departure. If you ask for a refund after departure, they'll reprice the used sectors as oneways then issue a refund based on that. With the price of a xONEx compared to a normal flight booking, such a request is unlikely to get anything back (they might even ask for the extra) eg, a NRT-DFW-JFK-LAX-LHR-HKG-SIN-HND DONE3. If you cancel the trip at LAX and ask for a refund, they'll reprice the NRT-DFW-JFK-LAX as a standard ticket, which is likely to be more then the price paid for the DONE3.

There is no Middle East zone

There is. There is the Europe/Middle East continent with both regions having some special rules.

The continent of Europe-Middle East consists of 2 zones:
o Europe (including Algeria, Morocco, Russia west of the Urals and Tunisia)
o Middle East (including Egypt, Libya and Sudan)

If you start in EU/ME, there is a limit of 2 stopovers in EU/ME. You still have 4 flights available. This may not be a problem, depending on what your plans are.