Itinerary Critique - OneWorldAward

[okiedokie]

Trying to put together a one world booking, wondering on any suggestions to squeeze more flights in, or better planes?
Only managed one A380 (BA12)

Only requirements are must be Manila at some point, must be Paris from 13th-19th.

Below should be all visa-free (though US need to do some apply thing) and weather alright, so no catches there.

Wed 7 Jun
12:05 Sydney
18:30 Manila
QF19


Mon 12 Jun 17
10:55
Manila
13:20
Hong Kong
CX906


15:20
Hong Kong
19:10
Singapore
CX635


23:15
Singapore
05:50 Tue
London (Heathrow)
BA12

Separate BA flight from Heathrow->Paris outside of this booking


Mon 19 Jun 17
10:45
Paris (Orly)
Duration: 8h 40m
13:25
New York (JFK)
BA8005


Sat 24 Jun 17
19:30
New York (JFK)
09:00 Sun
Paris (Orly)
BA8006

4 hrs to enter immigration, switch airports, immigration again seems too tight? So left a day in the middle


Sun 25 Jun 17
13:10
Paris (Charles De Gaulle)
06:45 Mon
Hong Kong
CX260


09:10 Mon
Hong Kong
20:10 Mon
Sydney
CX139


$1553.74 (AUD) taxes - about $700 of which is Paris->New York return

 

[Boca68]

Trying to put together a one world booking, wondering on any suggestions to squeeze more flights in, or better planes?
Only managed one A380 (BA12)

Only requirements are must be Manila at some point, must be Paris from 13th-19th.

Below should be all visa-free (though US need to do some apply thing) and weather alright, so no catches there.

Wed 7 Jun
12:05 Sydney
18:30 Manila
QF19


Mon 12 Jun 17
10:55
Manila
13:20
Hong Kong
CX906


15:20
Hong Kong
19:10
Singapore
CX635


23:15
Singapore
05:50 Tue
London (Heathrow)
BA12

Separate BA flight from Heathrow->Paris outside of this booking


Mon 19 Jun 17
10:45
Paris (Orly)
Duration: 8h 40m
13:25
New York (JFK)
BA8005


Sat 24 Jun 17
19:30
New York (JFK)
09:00 Sun
Paris (Orly)
BA8006

4 hrs to enter immigration, switch airports, immigration again seems too tight? So left a day in the middle


Sun 25 Jun 17
13:10
Paris (Charles De Gaulle)
06:45 Mon
Hong Kong
CX260


09:10 Mon
Hong Kong
20:10 Mon
Sydney
CX139


$1553.74 (AUD) taxes - about $700 of which is Paris->New York return

Well, it looks fine to me. But not sure how you want it critiqued?

Only thing I could suggest, as it seems to have influenced your taxes and a layover in Paris you perhaps didn't want. Is did you look at the ORY-JFK-ORY leg as part of a multi-trip itinerary or as a return or as separate legs?

My thinking being, that as a return leg it attracts more tax, am I correct? And looking at it as part of multi-leg or separate legs, it might have been less in taxes, plus thrown up a better option, i.e. the transit to CDG? Just a thought that popped into my head. I could be wrong? But, I would explore what options there are, even if only to remove the extra day for the transit. Which, of course means extra in accommodation and travel to and from the airport.

P.S.- I'm assuming this is a one world award (140k/280k/420k) booking, right?

 

[okiedokie]

Anything in general - perhaps there's a flight nearby that has a Dreamliner instead of a A330 etc. Nothing in particular I know is wrong with this itinerary.

I am looking at maybe doing a Paris -> Helinski return on the 24th depending on taxes, figuring that out now.

Ideally I wanted: Sydney->New York->Paris->Singapore/Hong Kong->Manila->Sydney. But it's now sold out for June, only way I can really get to NYC is doing a return from Paris.

Yep 280k award.

 

[okiedokie]

I haven't backed-to-backed so many flights before... if something is missed due to their delays, will they make it up or will I get some token refund and need to make my way home?

 

[okiedokie]

I've noticed if I change to this flight:

Mon 19 Jun 17
11:00
Paris (Charles De Gaulle)
Duration: 1h 40m
12:40
Berlin (Tegel)
AB8293


13:35
Berlin (Tegel)
16:15
New York (JFK)
AB7248

Then I save almost $400 in taxes... probably worth it for the 1hr 40 min in economy.
However that is a very tight turnaround for domestic to international?

 

[Himeno]

However that is a very tight turnaround for domestic to international?

TXL is a small airport. Connection time depends entirely on which terminal the flights are using.
Terminal A has everything from drop off, check in, security, boarding and bag claim at the gate (thus no airside connections).
Terminal B is all bus gates.
Terminal C is similar to MEL T4.

I haven't backed-to-backed so many flights before... if something is missed due to their delays, will they make it up or will I get some token refund and need to make my way home?

As long as everything is on the same ticket, if an airline causes you to miss a connection, they are required to rebook you to your destination.

If the CDG-TXL flight is delayed and you miss the TXL-JFK, then AB would reroute you. Either to the next TXL-JFK flight, or connect you to NYC via ORD, MIA, FRA, LHR or HEL (if they connect to oneworld partners).

 

[okiedokie]

Do you think that is possible? Seems impossible to me, given I'd be within EU for first flight, so I'd need to unboard, immigration, security and get to next gate within 30 mins?

 

[Himeno]

Do you think that is possible? Seems impossible to me, given I'd be within EU for first flight, so I'd need to unboard, immigration, security and get to next gate within 30 mins?

Min Connect Time at TXL is 45 minutes. If too many people were missing short connections, they would increase the MCT.

 

[okiedokie]

Thank you.
I just made the booking - with Qantas I could pick my seat.
With Cathay I could pick "window or Aisle" and it assigned me 12A and 17A which seem ok for A330.
British Airways have nothing - possible to select a seat there?

 

[JohnPhelan]

British Airways have nothing - possible to select a seat there?

BA offers free advance seat allocation to oneworld elites - what status are you? If you don't qualify, then BA will still let you select a seat, but there is a charge for it.

 

[okiedokie]

No status. What's the seat charge, and how can I do it?
No options at all using Qantas 'manage my booking' seat selection.

 

[williamsf1]

Do you think that is possible? Seems impossible to me, given I'd be within EU for first flight, so I'd need to unboard, immigration, security and get to next gate within 30 mins?

As others have mentioned .. TXL is a very small airport and security and immigration is very fast. I use this airport very regulary.. I would be more concerned with strikes - for example TXL and SXF ground crew are on strike again today and the French ATC like to strike as well ....

 

[okiedokie]

I ended up booking BA - extra money but a safe flight. Funnily I'm more anxious now than I have been earlier. I've had 5 min immigrations and 3 hrs immigration. Bit of a safety first planner - even if they accommodated it's still a lot of hassle, only had a few days anyway so 1 less is a fair chunk gone.

I also ****'d up with the NYC->Paris leg, even though I leave 24th it arrives 25th, so that's less than 3 hrs to get from Orly to CDG, clear immigration and get on next. Possible but rather close - bit of traffic, taxi's striking against Uber, late incoming or whatever and I'd be in trouble.

 

[okiedokie]

This is why I'm so anxious!!!!

Call Qantas to change NYC->Paris one day before to be safe.

Apparently it's now 190,000 points more because I have more than 5 stopovers...

Manila
London
NYC
Paris
Sydney

No mate not even close. Even if you count Sydney, which isn't a stopover it's the end destination.

I have a sneaky feeling they are doing:

Manila
London
Paris (because flight leaves from here, they are sneakily counting it as a 2nd stopover destination)
NYC
Paris
Sydney

 

[okiedokie]

Would 4 hrs be enough to get from Orly to CDG on a Saturday?
Arriving one flight, departing another.
Would a late incoming mean they'd get me on another flight if I missed it?

 

[okiedokie]

Three hours on the phone later...

24th June
NYC BA174 7pm -> 7:10am London
London 25th June 8:20am -> 10:40am Amsterdam
1:10pm Amsterdam to 6:20am 26th June Hong Kong
HKG 26th June 9am to Sydney 8:10pm

Is that enough connection time in London?
If missed, will that be considered their fault or mine?

Absolute rubbish the amount of changes I had to make, not more than 5 stopovers but "computer says no" and they have no idea why. Ended up being able to suggest a million flights and getting something that worked. Long way, but long as I get there...

 

[Himeno]

Three hours on the phone later...

24th June
NYC BA174 7pm -> 7:10am London
London 25th June 8:20am -> 10:40am Amsterdam
1:10pm Amsterdam to 6:20am 26th June Hong Kong
HKG 26th June 9am to Sydney 8:10pm

Is that enough connection time in London?
If missed, will that be considered their fault or mine?

Absolute rubbish the amount of changes I had to make, not more than 5 stopovers but "computer says no" and they have no idea why. Ended up being able to suggest a million flights and getting something that worked. Long way, but long as I get there...

Flight Connections | BA174 to BA430 | Heathrow

Is this JFK-SYD via LHR and AMS?
If so, in the case that BA174 is late and the connection to AMS missed, it is likely they will put you on BA15 to SYD via SIN or one of the flights to HKG to connect to the already confirmed HKG-SYD.

 

[okiedokie]

That's right.
Ok great!!