Questions on *ONE* (LONE4?)

[Sequel]

My brother has just sent me his itinerary for an upcoming trip (which I thought might read something like SYD-BKK-LHR-JFK-LAX-SYD). Instead I got this (but only after I had to look up 90% of the airport codes!):

QF SYD-BKK-LHR, BA LHR-LIS, IB BCN-NCE, AMS-MAD-EZE, LA PMC-SCL-LIM, LPB-SCL-RIO, AA RIO-MIA-DFW-PDX, LAX-LAS-DFW-CUN-JFK, QF JFK-SYD

Itinerary says "Booking code L" for all flights, so is this a LONE4? What else does he need to know? He was thinking of joining the QP, but he will be mainly travelling with a QF SG, so I suggested even with the FF.com.au membership not the best value for money.

He is currently QFF NB, with 30 Sept aniversary, which unfortunately cuts his trip between NCE & AMS, maybe start an AA challenge somewhere? Trip from SYD-PDX is pretty set for June 07-March 08, after that may alter (maybe even going back to LHR on a new ticket).

Any ideas or thoughts would be great.

Edit: Maybe should have changed heading to "Discussion on LONE4", or put it in the questions forum.

 

[serfty]

I would suggest he enroll in AAdvantage and do a Plat Challenge based on his AA flights.

Since L class on AA flights earns 1 QPoint per mile, the 11,628 miles on AA would Qualify him AA Plat if flown during the challenge period.

If his AA flights are after 16th June this year and he arranges the 3 month challenge period to start then he would retain AA Plat (including QP Access in Oz) until Feb 2009.

More here: http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/com...ntage/aa-platinum-challenge-mileage-8595.html (Thanks to Dave Noble)

He would also earn more than 40K AAdvantage points - thats enough for two award round trips between any two QF ports in Oz/NZ.

 

[Sequel]

Thanks Serfty, I was reading through the AA thread while you were editing your post!

Unfortunatley he starts the AA flights in March, so would miss out on the 18 month AA Plat, but would obviously still be worth it even to get the membership for 8 months.

From great circle mapper, he would get approx 38k QF miles vs. 28k AA miles. Having a look at SC's, due to his Sept anv, from AMS to SYD would not even get him PS with 305 SC's, where as the AA flights would get him AA plat (followed by gold the next year). Earn/burn, AA & QF would get him SYD-PER-SYD in Y.

Looks like AA is a no-brainer (as it always is). Assuming he spends more time in UK/EU, is ther any benifit AA?QF?

 

[Dave Noble]

Get him to change the JFK-SYD from being on QF108 to the AA codeshare AA7366. That flight is about 9950 miles and so would earn 19800 on the AA codeshare rather than 9950 on the QF number. Nice extra 9950 miles

I just did a comparison on earnings and I think that you have underestimated the AA earnings. Assuming that he uses the QF107 on JFK-SYD if crediting to QF and the AA7366 number if crediting to AA

Route		Qantas	AAdvantage
-----		------	----------

SYD-BKK-LHR	10620	5310
LHR-LIS		  243	 243
BCN-NCE		  309	 300
ams-eze		 7159	2148
PMC-LIM		 2093	2093
LPB-GIG		 2996	2996
GIG-PDX		 3450	6899
LAX-JFK		 1937	3874 + 3874 PLT bonus
JFK-SYD		 9950	9950 + 9950 PLT bonus

TOTALS		38757	47637

Dave

 

[Sequel]

Get him to change the JFK-SYD from being on QF108 to the AA codeshare AA7366.

Can he do that if he has already paid for the ticket? I am assuming he can, as he said the last legs weren't definate, just booked so they could issue the ticket. Good tip though!

 

[simongr]

The ticket will need to be physically reissued as I suspect its not an eticket - looks like 18 segments. SHouldnt be too much of a trauma. You are allowed unlimite changes on a DONE4 prior to the first flight. After that US$125 fee applies for each change.

 

[Keith009]

Can he do that if he has already paid for the ticket? I am assuming he can, as he said the last legs weren't definate, just booked so they could issue the ticket. Good tip though!

If it's a LONE4, date/time changes are free.
It is even easier if his last legs are open dated.

 

[Keith009]

The ticket will need to be physically reissued as I suspect its not an eticket - looks like 18 segments. SHouldnt be too much of a trauma. You are allowed unlimite changes on a DONE4 prior to the first flight. After that US$125 fee applies for each change.

Reissuing is only necessary when there's a route change, as is the US$125 fee.

He'd only get a post it note if it's a date/time change on an already dated segment. It's supposed to be free but some airlines ding you with a revalidation fee.

 

[simongr]

Given the change in flight number - wouldnt that count as a routing change? I am looking at a couple of my upcoming flights and wondering if I can switch in a QF flight rather than a CX flight so I can potentially upgrade to F for my final flights... so no route change but different aircraft and carrier...

 

[Dave Noble]

Given the change in flight number - wouldnt that count as a routing change? I am looking at a couple of my upcoming flights and wondering if I can switch in a QF flight rather than a CX flight so I can potentially upgrade to F for my final flights... so no route change but different aircraft and carrier...

No. Just changing date/time/carrier is not a reroute and so will not incur the $125 reissue fee. Just phone up AA and get rebooked onto AA.

Dave

 

[Sequel]

He has just informed me that they might just ditch the last leg of the LONE4 and fly JFK-LHR on a new ticket, forfeiting the JFK-SYD leg, as by the time they get to JFK, 12 months will be up (and they want to go back to UK for a year or 2), so it moght be a moot point.

It was the cheapest way to do the trip they wanted (according to the TA, although I am sure some people here have other ideas, but as they leave in 3 weeks...)

 

[serfty]

No, not a routing change. I booked my last DONE4 using a CX agent and they 'insisted' I book on the CX flight number for my JFK-(YVR-)HKG segment. Did not argue.

Once I commenced the travel I was easily able to change to the AA codeshare number for the same flight. No charge.

Why? So I could get the 8070 point QF WP bonus for the segment .

 

[Sequel]

Route        Qantas    AAdvantage
-----        ------    ----------
 
SYD-BKK-LHR    10620    5310
LHR-LIS          243     243
BCN-NCE          309     300
ams-eze         7159    2148
PMC-LIM         2093    2093
LPB-GIG         2996    2996
GIG-PDX         3450    6899
LAX-JFK         1937    3874 + 3874 PLT bonus
JFK-SYD         9950    9950 + 9950 PLT bonus
 
TOTALS        38757    47637

Dave

I counted QF 38661 and AA 28420 (not counting the double mile qualifying flight or PLT bonus JFK-SYD) so close, but I obviously need more practice!

Maybe if someone wants to send me on a FONE4, then I can get more practice working out milage earn!

 

[Dave Noble]

He has just informed me that they might just ditch the last leg of the LONE4 and fly JFK-LHR on a new ticket, forfeiting the JFK-SYD leg, as by the time they get to JFK, 12 months will be up (and they want to go back to UK for a year or 2), so it moght be a moot point.

It was the cheapest way to do the trip they wanted (according to the TA, although I am sure some people here have other ideas, but as they leave in 3 weeks...)

Probably was a reasonable way to do it. If they are ditching the last leg and switching to JFK-LHR, then they will still be better off crediting to AA than QF methunks ( plus will have status which makes travel more pleasant ).

JFK-LHR is 3452 miles; assuming that they fly AA, they would earn 1726 QF miles vs 6904 AA miles , bringing earnings to 30533 QF miles or 34641 AA miles.

Dave

 

[Keith009]

No, not a routing change. I booked my last DONE4 using a CX agent and they 'insisted' I book on the CX flight number for my JFK-(YVR-)HKG segment. Did not argue.

Once I commenced the travel I was easily able to change to the AA codeshare number for the same flight. No charge.

Why? So I could get the 8070 point QF WP bonus for the segment .

For my DONE4, AA booked me on AA7366 for JFK-SYD. I get the 100% status bonus whether it's AA or QF. So what they've done is reduced my 0.000000000000000001% chance of an op up to 0.

Didn't mind though - because it means AA, who did all the hard work setting up my itinerary with great customer service (i got the all star agent in setting it up but the others have also been cool), will now get my revenue from the big transoceanic segment instead of QF who told me to go back to AA for seat allocation (on QF metal flights booked on the QF number) because "that's their job." :-| Not to mention saving me lots of fuel $$$.

 

[Dave Noble]

I counted QF 38661 and AA 28420 (not counting the double mile qualifying flight or PLT bonus JFK-SYD) so close, but I obviously need more practice!

Maybe if someone wants to send me on a FONE4, then I can get more practice working out milage earn!

I used Great Circle Mapper to work out distances so there can be a margin of error on what the airline credits , so you could just as easily be correct on the QF miles. Its the bonus miles where there big difference to AA occurs and sends it rocketing past QF

Dave

 

[serfty]

... So what they've done is reduced my 0.000000000000000001% chance of an op up to 0. . ...

Same thing; but I was quite happy with my Bulkhead CX J seat on 744 lower deck. FWIW, First was full/over-booked & there was a guy sitting across from me who had been bumped from F. They kept bringing him F vittles/drinks as well some F amenities including bright yellow/green CX nightwear. :shock:

 

[littl_flier]

Same thing; but I was quite happy with my Bulkhead CX J seat on 744 lower deck. FWIW, First was full/over-booked & there was a guy sitting across from me who had been bumped from F. They kept bringing him F vittles/drinks as well some F amenities including bright yellow/green CX nightwear. :shock:

I thought I felt sorry for him............. but then again, maybe he was staff. :shock:

 

[Keith009]

Same thing; but I was quite happy with my Bulkhead CX J seat on 744 lower deck. FWIW, First was full/over-booked & there was a guy sitting across from me who had been bumped from F. They kept bringing him F vittles/drinks as well some F amenities including bright yellow/green CX nightwear. :shock:

Umm - how often does this op down business happen? :shock:
Presumably on the codeshare they can't op me down as well in the same way as they can't give me an op up?