The next DONE4 planning thread

[Dave Noble]

OK - quick question - if I need to change dates of flights after the commencement of the trip is there a fee for that? It's not a reissue of the ticket or a rerouting. Given that it was CX issued - do I need to get CX to make the change (I am at LHR this weekend so could easily go and get them to change it if necessary).

There is no fee for date/time changes. Should just ba able to phone CX and make the change

Even if your points do post in time, there is no guarantee that BA will allow you to the Flounge since you won't have an Emerald level membership card with you

Dave

 

[tscharke]

The only downside to making a change would be that I might not be leaving myself enough time for points to post so that I can get F lounge access at LGW...
S

even with the offering of access to the F lounge would not make me one bit happier knowing that I would have to spend time at a place like LGW.....that place is terrible and belongs in the same class as LTN and not far behind GOT & VLI......

(is it obvious that I didn't have very nice experiences there )

 

[simongr]

My experience of LGW hasnt been too bad - other than the lack of real priority checkin (if i have to queue for 20 mins I dont call that priority).

Slight miscalculation on my part - I will hit EXP on my BGI-JFK flight so it's still J lounge at LGW

Good thing is that due to bringing forward the LGW-BGI-JFK flights - my status might kick in for me earlier than planned and I migth be able to use those eVIPs

 

[Dave Noble]

even with the offering of access to the F lounge would not make me one bit happier knowing that I would have to spend time at a place like LGW.....that place is terrible and belongs in the same class as LTN and not far behind GOT & VLI......

Conversely, I think that LGW is a far nicer airport to depart from than LHR and the lounges there are v decent

Dave

 

[Platy]

OK, I've been Platinum for some years now, but almost entirely based on domestic flying and I haven't been out of Australia for over 3 years!!! It's costing me a lot to maintain the status!!! I finally have the excuse for an overseas trip....

After studying this site (excellent info) and spending countless hours on the OneWorld Planner, mileage monkey and KVS, I have taken the plunge and have reservations with QF here in Oz (but not paid yet) for my first DONE4, which is ex-Japan at a base fare of $7,100, to see family in London, Geneva etc and visit my uni supervisor in Harvard-Boston MA leaving next week from my base in CNS:

In July-Aug-Sept 2007 go

nrt-sin-lhr-mct-lhr-sfo-mia-bos-dfw-anc-dfw-jfk-syd-cns

break the journey until April-May next year

cns-syd-akl-syd-bom-hkg-sin-nrt

The basic plan is to use a separate cheap fare or points ex-CNS to get to NRT and back, and points for a side trip to go J between MIA and POS to visit a friend in Trinidad and points on a side trip to GVA. I want to get to SIN to try a points upgrade from J to F and have identified QF31 on July 26 as the best chance as a Platinum with an overbooked J on that flight and available F (getting to HKG to try on the HKG-LHR service would incur at least one more night in a hotel since it is a morning flight). I will also attempt to upgrade QF108 JFK-SYD from J to F and thus have chosen a mid week flight (26 Sept) Splitting the journey gives me enough SCs for Platinum re-qualification before Feb 08 plus a partner Gold card. The extra flights post Feb 08 will help towards Platinum requalification in Feb08-Feb09 period. I am trying to stay on QF/BA/AA as much as possible to maximise point bonuses etc. I am QF FF (Platinum), but not AA FF.

Obviously my concern is the lack of flexibility of the paper ticket!!!

I have asked QF and they say that it is possible to define a 16 sector itinerary and thus have an e-ticket and then change over to a paper ticket if I add the extra sectors later (by paying the re-issue fee).

So I am thinking of trying this:

define the journey for 16 sectors as

nrt-sin-lhr-gva-lhr-mct-lhr-sfo-mia-bos-dfw-anc-dfw-jfk-syd-cns-nrt

and do the flights pretty much as originally planned in July-Sept and leave the cns-nrt dated at maximum July 2008 and then in the new year when I confirm my travel plans for Asia for April/May 2008 get the booking re-issued
onto a paper ticket and change the final sector on the 16 sector booking (cns-nrt) to

cns-syd-bom-hkg-nrt

If this all goes wrong at least I would have used 15 or 16 of the possible 20 flights (the CNS-NRT would be useful to pick up another DONE4 for another trip next year!!!)

Has anyone tried changing over from a 16 to a 20 sector jounrey and thus eticket to paper ticket on a "split" booking?

Can anyone think of why they would not honour making the changeover as they say they wil on the phone?

Also, since the tax/surcharge is something like $1700 through QF would there be a significant cost advantage to getting the whole thing rebooked with AA if I am going to get an eticket in the first place? I am concerned that if something goes wrong it will be easier for me to deal with QF since I have senior mangement contacts in customer service.

A final question - if I do a mileage run LHR-MCT-LHR and basically turn round and come back on the same aircraft (arr 2130 / dep 0001), do I simply stay in transit airside or do I have to go through customs etc to landside and turn round and go back through security/immigration to get into the sterile area/airside?


Many thanks indeed for any advice!

 

[Dave Noble]

Also, since the tax/surcharge is something like $1700 through QF would there be a significant cost advantage to getting the whole thing rebooked with AA if I am going to get an eticket in the first place? I am concerned that if something goes wrong it will be easier for me to deal with QF since I have senior mangement contacts in customer service.

If you just book through AA you will have a significant reduction in the cost by several hundred dollars methunks. Just keep it to an eticketable itinerary and you can just phone AA in NRT and get the ticket issued nice n easily

There are not many things to particularly go wrong with the issuing of the ticket and I cannot see that having some contact in QF would offset the ridiculous fuel fines

Dave

 

[simongr]

I agree with Dave (unsurprisingly) here re booking through AA. If you have QF flights and something goes wrong then having QF contacts will still help even if ticketed by AA. If something goes wqrong with AA/BA flights I am not sure that QF would help even if ticketed by them.

Out of interest - why avoid the paper ticket and pay a change fee later? I have paper tickets for latest two DONE4s (and paper tickets at my office for DONE4 no. 3 of the year) and have had no problems. I have had them reissued, changed at airport, changed on line everything you could do to a paper ticket (within reason) and have had no problems.

I did have a heart stopping moment yesterday when I wondered where the ticket was but that was because I packed my bags after a glass or two of Bordeaux

 

[serfty]

... I did have a heart stopping moment yesterday when I wondered where the ticket was but that was because I packed my bags after a glass or two of Bordeaux

Yes, you should always pack those bags before having the Bordeaux! (Or teach yourself an ingrained habit of stowing such documents in the same place every time.)

I had a DONE4 purchased from CX in CMB 'Stopping over in LAX' while I went back to Oz for 3 months. This was a paper ticket.

Anyway, my QF25 flight back to LAX was going to be delayed by 3 hours - Qantas informed me the day before. This meant I would miss my onward LAX-DFW flight. A simple call to AA and I was able to rebook on a later flight with A class Availability.

The next morning, it became apparent my flight was going to be running a further 2 hours late; making my new flight connection tight. Again a call to AA and I was put on an even later flight.

It was an absolutely painless process, the voucher was happily accepted by Qantas at MEL where my onward BP for my AA LAX-DFW flight was printed. (Even more painless, as this was the only one of my 6 NA flights were I did not get the dreaded SSSS :shock: )

 

[Dave Noble]

Out of interest - why avoid the paper ticket and pay a change fee later? I have paper tickets for latest two DONE4s (and paper tickets at my office for DONE4 no. 3 of the year) and have had no problems.

You are buying a ticket locally at the nicely expensive Australian rate and so no issues with paper. When issuing overseas in NRT getting an eticket done is easy and can be done over the phone whilst a paper ticket requires getting the ticket issued once you have arrived into NRT

HAving it done as an eticket means that the continuation out of NRT can be done seamlessly plus also, some airlines will cancel reservations on unissued tickets so there is a risk of leaving the DONE unticketed until day of travel

Dave

 

[drron]

Platy another benefit of rebooking through AA is that an AA ticketed DONE on the US domestic sectors will book into first whilst a QF ticketed fare will book into coach and I note you have a few domestic US sectors.

 

[Dave Noble]

Platy another benefit of rebooking through AA is that an AA ticketed DONE on the US domestic sectors will book into first whilst a QF ticketed fare will book into coach and I note you have a few domestic US sectors.

Whether it is ticketed by QF or AA, domestic sectors on AA should be in A class as per the fare rules

Dave

 

[NM]

Platy another benefit of rebooking through AA is that an AA ticketed DONE on the US domestic sectors will book into first whilst a QF ticketed fare will book into coach and I note you have a few domestic US sectors.

That only happens on award tickets, where a business class award issued by QF using QF FF points will book into coach, while a business class award issued by AA using AA miles will book into First class.

 

[serfty]

Platy another benefit of rebooking through AA is that an AA ticketed DONE on the US domestic sectors will book into first whilst a QF ticketed fare will book into coach and I note you have a few domestic US sectors.

As per the previous two posts here, with Business class oneworld Explorer fares (DONEx), US domestic sectors book into A (First) class on flights where no Business class is offered.

Here's the relevant part of the xONEx rules:

Other Conditions

Fares apply only if purchased prior to departure.

For flights where no First or Business class is available or offered First class passengers will travel in Business / Economy class and Business class passengers will travel in Economy class. The fare for the highest class used applies and no refund will be given.
EXCEPTION - For services within/between the USA and Canada where no D class is offered Business class passengers may book and travel in A class subject to availability. This provision does not apply on any flight where a Business class cabin exists but is navailable for booking.

 

[Dave Noble]

One thing to watch out for, if mad enough to book through QF rather than AA, is that QF will often try and book QF codeshares on AA where possible rather than the AA code itself. Although it makes no difference to the seating/service, the QF codeshare books in D and so will only earn business class rather than 1st class FF miles ( and SCs if applicable )

Dave

 

[Platy]

Yes, yes, yes, you were all right!

Yes, you were right to call me "mad" to book a DONE4 though QF!!!

I have cancelled my booking with them a couple of days before departure after a long saga of inconsistent information culminating in being told I had been under-quoted by $3,500 and then being told late Friday afternoon that I would have to pay in YEN for them to honour the original quote by 5pm Sunday, but not told that involved ringing their Tokyo office which of course was SHUT so leaving me with local sales team refusing to take payment!!! Mad! Farcical! And totally INCOMPETENT!!!

Enough is enough and I have learned my lesson, duly eat humble pie and now gladly join the chorus of the wise in shouting loudly and clearly to any remaining non-believers....NEVER BOOK A xONEx TICKET THROUH QF - YOU WOULD HAVE TO BE MAD!!!!!

I shall now re-book through AA or cut my losses and burn up a few points and just go to Europe for a few weeks vacation in the pointy end of the aircraft!

 

[Keith009]

I have cancelled my booking with them a couple of days before departure after a long saga of inconsistent information culminating in being told I had been under-quoted by $3,500 and then being told late Friday afternoon that I would have to pay in YEN for them to honour the original quote by 5pm Sunday, but not told that involved ringing their Tokyo office which of course was SHUT so leaving me with local sales team refusing to take payment!!! Mad! Farcical! And totally INCOMPETENT!!!

Actually - they were correct in that instance. The fare you pay is the greater of the country of departure vs country of purchase. Purchase the fare in Australia and you'll get the ex-Australia fare which is about $3500 higher than the ex-Japan fare. The local sales team will take payment but the fare will be re-rated into the ex-Australia fare even though you're departing from Japan. Not trying to defend QF here since I'm a proponent of booking via AA myself - but that's an xONEx fare rule.

Same process to follow when booking with AA - they've got a dedicated ATW desk in the US you could (and should) call, and you then ring up AA NRT to pay. They take credit card payment for etickets over the phone.

 

[simongr]

OK - I have the SOB ticketed - but it is showing F4 A0 on my NRT-DFW leg (flagship suites) but there is F7 A1 on NRT-ORD. That however leaves at 6PM which would require a complete rethink of SOB starting back witrh my HKG-SIn-NRT trip.

Is it likely that I could get them to release some A inventory as an EXP?

Not sure I fancy a complete rethink...

 

[simongr]

OK - some rejigging might be in order.

I have just rechecked my connection time in BGI and only have 1 hour 50 mins. Given my complete lack of faith in BGI I am thinking of now skipping BGI.

My thoughts are now:

SYD-NRT-HKG[STOP]-SIN-NRT-ORD-JFK[STOP]-DFW-LGW-PFO,LCA-LHR-HKG-SYD-DRW-bne-SYD

I am wondering whether I can use a single eVIP for:

NRT-ORD-JFK-DFW-LGW

There would only be F available on NRT-ORD DFW-LGW - so only two segments upgraded

The other option is:

SYD-NRT-HKG[STOP]-SIN-NRT-DFW-LAX-JFK[STOP]-DFW-LGW-PFO,LCA-LHR-HKG-SYD-DRW-bne-SYD

In this instance I would be looking for NRT-DFW (currently F7 A0) LAX-JFK and DFW-LGW to be eVIPed - is this possible - would it be dependent on the mood of the EXP Agent on the day I called?

The advantage of the first option is that it is 16 segments so could be eticketed. the trip to DRW is an actual personal trip with mrsimongr (trying to work out when/if she wants to go - and if i do it as part of DONE4 I will have to fly back from DRW without her as she will be on award flight).
.
.
.
I really do try and complicate things don't I?

 

[Dave Noble]

I am wondering whether I can use a single eVIP for:

NRT-ORD-JFK-DFW-LGW

No, you cannot. You could happily use a single evip if you do NRT-ORD-JFK-LHR but your backtracking will affect the one-way journey

Also, doing JFK-LHR or LGA-BOS-LHR , you will be able to take daytime services across and avoid the evil overnight

SYD-NRT-HKG[STOP]-SIN-NRT-DFW-LAX-JFK[STOP]-DFW-LGW-PFO,LCA-LHR-HKG-SYD-DRW-bne-SYD

In this instance I would be looking for NRT-DFW (currently F7 A0) LAX-JFK and DFW-LGW to be eVIPed - is this possible - would it be dependent on the mood of the EXP Agent on the day I called?

Again you are backtracking. You could do NRT-LAX-JFK-LHR . Arrive LHR in the evening , overnight at LGW and all set for a LGW-PFO ; flying JFK-DFW-LGW to avoid a 50 minute LHR-LGW coach ride seems excessive

Dave

 

[NM]

Note that ORD-JFK is likely to a Beagle flight, so Y only.