Question re: 16 seg etix limit in DONE4

[austrider]

Hi All,

I read with great interest regarding the DONE4 and is thinking of trying it out. A simple question to the experts out there regarding the 16-segment limit when e-ticketing.

When buying DONE4, do I have to specify all the segments upfront? i.e. can I take DONE4 in two halves - e.g. take 15 segments and later take the remaining 5 segments (within 12 months)? If so, can I e-tix the 15 segment?

Thanks!

 

[Dave Noble]

With AA, there is a 16 sector e-ticket limit indeed

If you book the itinerary as 16 sectors or fewer and then once you have taken a few sectors , you can always book in the additional flights and get it reissued ( USD125 )

If you are starting the itinerary in Australia , then I would just go for the paper ticket rather than worry about it; the eticket is something I would be advocating if, for example, you wanted to buy a DONE4 commencing in Tokyo so that it can be issued easily by Tokyo when in Australia

Dave

 

[Evan]

As QF009 reminded me the other night at dinner, not fixing your flights may mean if there is a rule change or timetable changes then your planned flights may not be possible, the other thing is availability.

I am not sure what happens if book the simple route and then add flights in the middle, i assume if you book your major flights then wen you re-issue if you had a seat of the flight you will be able to re-issue with the same seat even though the route changes.

But don't you just want 5 books of paper tickets stapled together ? its so retro its very cool

E

 

[austrider]

I saw QF9's photo of the booklet and that definitely looked cool...

To clarify my situation / thinking (and thoughts/feedback welcome!)

* planning to use a single DONE4 for my year's leisure travel (I don't know how some of you can do 3 DONE4s in a year!!) spread of the year
* plan to buy from AA and pick up from NRT
* 1 main trip Asia-Europe-NorthAmerica then AU (less than 16 segments)
* 1 small trip within AU <= prefer to have flexible for this thus the question
* 1 small trip from AU back to Asia (finish the Asis segments) near the end of the 12 months

If the re-issue fee is USD 125, then maybe I should do the 1st main trip first, then plan/finalise the remaining 2 smaller trips later and get it re-issued the remaining trips togther. Sounds right?

 

[Keith009]

As QF009 reminded me the other night at dinner, not fixing your flights may mean if there is a rule change or timetable changes then your planned flights may not be possible, the other thing is availability.

You won't be affected by a rule change as the rules that were in place when you issued your ticket will 'stick' for the life of the ticket. However with dated coupons - you will be protected in the event that a flight/segment cease to be operated altogether - the operating carrier will rebook you on an alternative routing even if in doing so it breaks the rules of the xONEx (eg ending up with more than 20 segments or ending up on a non-OW carrier). With open dated coupons you have no choice but reroute/reissue.

austrider - your plan sounds fine and is exactly what i've done (pardon the pun). Do note that date changes are free - and so it might be worth making up your mind quicker about the places you want to visit. You would still have to issue it with 16 segments or less at the first go if there's going to be a long period of time between ticketing and your actual arrival at NRT because AA NRT will only do etickets over the phone. And issuing asap is important to protect yourself against fare increase or adverse rules changes. 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!

 

[Ev1dent]

When does the rerouting fee kick in? I am doing a DONE4 (AA ticketed) starting in March and currently have 16 segments booked (is AA2352 DFW-JFK via ORD one or two segments?). However, I may want to rereoute some of my internal US flights if my sightseeing plans change while over there. Does the rerouting fee still apply for an e-ticket?

Also, I am currently booked CBR-SYD-LAX and JNB-SYD-CBR, but are considering changing the return to JNB-SYD, with a very long stopover in SYD, before SYD-PER-CBR. This will give me a cheap way of getting a return CBR-PER business class flight for the cost of SYD-CBR and CBR-SYD flights during the extended SYD 'stopover'. However, this will push me over 16 segments. When I should book these adjustments? I don't know when I will want to do the trip to Perth, but am sure will want to at some stage in the next 12 months.

 

[Dave Noble]

When does the rerouting fee kick in? I am doing a DONE4 (AA ticketed) starting in March and currently have 16 segments booked (is AA2352 DFW-JFK via ORD one or two segments?). However, I may want to rereoute some of my internal US flights if my sightseeing plans change while over there. Does the rerouting fee still apply for an e-ticket?

The reissue fee applies regardless of paper or eticket. eticket is just quicker n easier

Also, I am currently booked CBR-SYD-LAX and JNB-SYD-CBR, but are considering changing the return to JNB-SYD, with a very long stopover in SYD, before SYD-PER-CBR. This will give me a cheap way of getting a return CBR-PER business class flight for the cost of SYD-CBR and CBR-SYD flights during the extended SYD 'stopover'. However, this will push me over 16 segments. When I should book these adjustments? I don't know when I will want to do the trip to Perth, but am sure will want to at some stage in the next 12 months.

Book them in with some random dates once you are at a point where the number of segments remaining ( including land segmentss ) after the change is made is < 17

Dave

 

[serfty]

Unless you puchase the ticket in the Americas, the rerouting fee kicks in once you have taken the first segment.

• VOLUNTARY CHANGES/REROUTING/PENALTIES
  • (a) Rebooking/Rerouting
    • (1) Prior to departure
      • (a) Origin TC1
        • (1) Before ticket issuance - Permitted without penalty.
        • (2) After ticket issuance - Changes to the first international flight and preceding flights are not permitted less than seven days prior to the date of the first ticketed flight. Date/time changes to other flights permitted at no charge.
          Date/Time/oneworld Carrier changes are permitted without reissue provided origin/destination/connecting points and inventory remain the same.
          Changes other than to Date/Time/oneworld carrier permitted at a charge of USD125.00 per transaction.
      • (b) Origin TC2/3
        • Unlimited changes permitted without charge.
        • Date/Time/oneworld carrier changes are permitted without reissue provided
        • Origin/destination/connecting points and inventory remain the same.
    -------------
  Local service fees may apply

 

[austrider]

Btw - can someone explain or link to what TC1/2/3 represents? I suspect it's Travel Continent - but what number represents which region? Thanks.

 

[serfty]

To generalise, the TC stands for "Tariff Conference":

• TC1 is North America and South America
• TC2 is Europe, Middle East and Africa
• TC3 is Asia and South West Pacific.

Hard to get at with an online link as IATA sell this information in several ways, including documentation (CD-ROM, Books) and as part of their training packages.

Look on page 10 of this 3Mbyte .PDF: ACCC DISCUSSION PAPER

3.18 The seven passenger conferences are:

• TC1 (Tariff Conference 1) which has authority for passenger traffic within Area 1 which broadly embraces the North and South American continents;
• TC2 (Tariff Conference 2) which has authority for passenger traffic within Area 2 which broadly embraces Europe, the African continent and part of Asia extending to Iran;
• TC3 (Tariff Conference 3) which has authority for passenger traffic within Area 3 which broadly embraces Asia and Australasia;
• TC12 which has authority for traffic between Areas 1 and 2;
• TC23 which has authority for traffic between Areas 2 and 3;
• TC31 which has authority for traffic between Areas 3 and 1;
• TC123 which has authority for traffic between Area 1 and Area 3 via Area 2.

 

[Mwenenzi]

From http://www.christen.demon.co.uk/CXRule/ one world rules condition No 1 tab

A. SIX Continents are defined as
1.EUROPE / MIDDLE EAST ( Including Algeria , Morocco, Tunisia , Egypt and Sudan
2.AFRICA
3.ASIA
4.SOUTH WEST PACIFIC
5. NORTH AMERICA ( Including Caribbean, Central America and Panama )
6.SOUTH AMERICA

There used to be a map on the oneworld - Home site but can't find it
However I think TC1 as above by Serfty is correct

 

[austrider]

To generalise, the TC stands for "Tariff Conference"

Too good - thanks! How on earth did you guys know these kinds of things.... (rhetorical only...

 

[sparoy]

I’m currently in the middle of my DONE4.

It was issued by AA as an eticket (< 16 segments). I’ve flown 6 segments so far. I’ve now added some segments and the remaining not yet flown segments < 16.

I’ve made the changes with AA US ATW desk and they told me that I have to be issued with paper ticket as the total flown and not yet flown segments > 16.

They also wouldn’t take my AUS CC to pay for the $125 reissuing fee.
What would be the best way to pay the reissuing fee with AUS CC and still retain eticket?

 

[NM]

I’m currently in the middle of my DONE4.

It was issued by AA as an eticket (< 16 segments). I’ve flown 6 segments so far. I’ve now added some segments and the remaining not yet flown segments < 16.

I’ve made the changes with AA US ATW desk and they told me that I have to be issued with paper ticket as the total flown and not yet flown segments > 16.

They also wouldn’t take my AUS CC to pay for the $125 reissuing fee.
What would be the best way to pay the reissuing fee with AUS CC and still retain eticket?

You should be able to collect the paper ticket and pay the re-issue fee at any OneWorld ticket office. However, that is a very big should. It would be far easier to do it at an AA ticket office. So best to wait until you are an airport with an AA ticket office and allow yourself plenty of time. And if they don't like you Aussie CC there, you can find an ATM and pay cash.

 

[austrider]

I’m currently in the middle of my DONE4.

It was issued by AA as an eticket (< 16 segments). I’ve flown 6 segments so far. I’ve now added some segments and the remaining not yet flown segments < 16.

I’ve made the changes with AA US ATW desk and they told me that I have to be issued with paper ticket as the total flown and not yet flown segments > 16.

Hmm interesting. I swear I read somewhere on this forum that if the remaining segments are < 16, then e-ticket is ok?

I recall reading (elsewhere) that IATA is moving towards a new system come May 08 which would bypass this paper ticket limitation (ie 20-segment eticket). Can anyeone confirm this? If so, I'm really tempted to do DONE4 after May.....

 

[Dave Noble]

Hmm interesting. I swear I read somewhere on this forum that if the remaining segments are < 16, then e-ticket is ok?

I recall reading (elsewhere) that IATA is moving towards a new system come May 08 which would bypass this paper ticket limitation (ie 20-segment eticket). Can anyeone confirm this? If so, I'm really tempted to do DONE4 after May.....

It is true that , as long as there are less then 16 segments ( including any land segments ) and that there are no open sectors and that travel is not through any location where a paper ticker is required, that it can be issued as an eticket

Dave

 

[serfty]

... I recall reading (elsewhere) that IATA is moving towards a new system come May 08 which would bypass this paper ticket limitation (ie 20-segment eticket). Can anyeone confirm this? If so, I'm really tempted to do DONE4 after May.....

I have seen references to IATA mandating the use/availability of "Linked" PNR's by the middle of this year.

Here's an FT post regarding this:

• FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Paper -> eticket, + max 16 segments after June 1st

 

[sparoy]

It is true that , as long as there are less then 16 segments ( including any land segments ) and that there are no open sectors and that travel is not through any location where a paper ticker is required, that it can be issued as an eticket

Dave

I believe I've complied with all of the above conditions and yet AA US ATW desk still insists that I got a paper ticket.
May be I should try another agent?

I’m currently in SYD on a long break from DONE4.
Do you think that if I ring AA SYD (and got transferred to IndiAA) I will somehow be able to pay the $125 reissuing fee with AUS CC and got eticket?

 

[Dave Noble]

I believe I've complied with all of the above conditions and yet AA US ATW desk still insists that I got a paper ticket. May be I should try another agent?

I’m currently in SYD on a long break from DONE4.
Do you think that if I ring AA SYD (and got transferred to IndiAA) I will somehow be able to pay the $125 reissuing fee with AUS CC and got eticket?

Phone AA Sydney in India and they will be able to take the $125 ; if it does need to be a paper ticket then it will be issued and posted to you

Dave

 

[sparoy]

Phone AA Sydney in India and they will be able to take the $125 ; if it does need to be a paper ticket then it will be issued and posted to you

Dave

Thanks Dave. Can I clarify something just before I go ahead and pay the $125 reissuing fee?
Once you make 1 routing change, can you make as many more routing changes before you pay the fee or they won’t let you make any more routing changes until the previous change has been paid?