Updated xONEx prices

[Keith009]

You know sometimes life is not easy. Rang the AA RTW desk (thanks QF009 for the tip). First prob NRT-DEL-NRT has no seats. Next prob is that CX want this paid for by NOV 21. I want to pay for it now but cannot pay in JPY until arriving at NRT on Dec 22.

Is there a way around this problem that anyone knows of?

You need to call AA NRT to discuss payment. They do take payment by credit card for etickets over the phone. Their number is +81-3-4550-2111.

How did you end up routing NRT-DEL-NRT? Since you can't return to country of origin until the end of the ticket...

And finally I don't think your first intercontinental and any preceding flights can be ticketed as open segments. Are you flexible at all with dates?

The caveat is AA NRT not taking payment for paper tickets over the phone. And if you do not have availability on any segment those segments will be open dated and AA's system does not produce etickets if open dated segments exist. You also need 16 segments (inclcuding surface segments) or less to issue as an eticket - you can 'restore' those segments later on by paying the rerouting fee.

IF for whatever reason you simply need to wait till you arrive in NRT to pick up the ticket, my suggestion to deal with the CX auto HX is to get the ATW desk to try persuading CX to extend the deadline through their oneworld desk and bring it into line with the AA ticketing time limit. I've done this but it was only for a fortnights' extension or so - I'm not sure if they'd extend it for a whole month.

And unfortunately you'd soon find that the lack of availability is the 'cost' of doing RTWs for they book into lower fare buckets. As with the hassle of organsing a cheap RTW originating elsewhere. (just look up threads on FT about MRU)

 

[dragonman]

Sorry it should have said NRT DEL HKG - and the dates I can do it are set in concrete due to obligations I have later on.

Once again your assistance is gold. AA in Japan will not be insisting on a USA based credit card I take it?

Alternatives out of NRT are a little thin (I would have taken Bali instead but that is full too), could well end up being Jakarta.

You are on the money about CX being asked to extend and I should get an answer tonight. But since it will book originally as an e-ticket, being able to pay by cc over the phone to NRT will solve that problem. the plan is to add more SWP sectors at the end.

Thanks again QF009.

 

[Keith009]

No probs using Aussie credit cards with AA NRT. The person who charged my card didn't even ask for billing address.

Interestingly I was helping my friend organise one of these things and he too wanted NRT-DEL-HKG. He had the problem of nil availability on DEL-HKG; and the flight was truly full instead of seats just being blocked off. He settled for KUL, and decided to do DEL at the tail end of the itinerary where there was availability on HKG-DEL-NRT.

 

[serfty]

And don't forget the 15% rise in the value of the A$ vs US$ in the same 12 month period.

What's the TWI change in the corresponding period?

 

[dragonman]

I just wanted to express my gratitude again to simon, QF009, serfty and many others who have helped me out. The fact is my DONE4 was paid today through AA at NRT and it cost me $7901.16 inc taxes as opposed to $10,189 before taxes From Sydney. I know I have to get to NRT but that will be part of the TR when the whole show gets under way.

many thanks guys!

edited as per Dave Noble's correction

 

[Dave Noble]

I just wanted to express my gratitude again to simon, QF009, serfty and many others who have helped me out. The fact is my DONE4 was paid today Through AA at NRT and it cost me $7901.16 inc taxes as opposed to $10,189 before taxes with QF. I know I have to get to NRT but that will be part of the TR when the whole show gets under way.

Umm. That cost difference there is nothing to do with AA vs QF but to do with the different costs from country to country. It would have been the same base fare from QF in Japan (though the fines on QF would have been higher) and if booked ex Australia AA would have charged a base of $10,189

Dave

 

[dragonman]

Umm. That cost difference there is nothing to do with AA vs QF but to do with the different costs from country to country. It would have been the same base fare from QF in Japan (though the fines on QF would have been higher) and if booked ex Australia AA would have charged a base of $10,189

Dave

Sorry - did not mean to imply otherwise.

 

[simongr]

And I can take no credit for this - I was put onto this by the "old timers" here and am massively grateful for the time I have been able to spend with my family in Cyprus which if it wasnt for AFF I would never have had a chance to do!

 

[Keith009]

And I can take no credit for this - I was put onto this by the "old timers" here and am massively grateful ...

Ditto. I prefer to think that I was merely passing on things I learnt and put into practise myself from the real experts on here and FT.

Have an awesome trip!

 

[jpk]

Anyone been thinking of CMB as a starting point again? The price for a DONE4 translates to AUD $5723 +taxes compared to $7292 +taxes from NRT. ($10189 +taxes ex AU).

Would seem to be some big savings there, and i know others have used CMB in the past. Is ticketing/payment more difficult though, or other misc problems? Concerns over security, safety and general stability of the country?

Any advice welcome.. thanks,
JK.

 

[moa999]

CMB is still listed on the OneWorld site but is not available according to AA.
Reason is that CX suspended flights into CMB after the airport bombing incident and according to reports have shut all office and removed all signs etc so they are not coming back to CMB any time soon.

Only way into CMB is via RJ but this is a Europe-Asia flight which means you cannot get a valid routing finishing in CMB.
Unless an exception to the rules is allowed (eg Bangladesh can terminate in BKK/SIN) then the price is an orphan with no way to ticket.

--

Having done a DONE4 from CMB its disappointing, Colombo is not a bad little place. Fort Galle area and seaside is great.

 

[NM]

Anyone been thinking of CMB as a starting point again? The price for a DONE4 translates to AUD $5723 +taxes compared to $7292 +taxes from NRT. ($10189 +taxes ex AU).

Would seem to be some big savings there, and i know others have used CMB in the past. Is ticketing/payment more difficult though, or other misc problems? Concerns over security, safety and general stability of the country?

Any advice welcome.. thanks,
JK.

The problem is that currently no OneWorld carrier flies Asia to/from CMB, so no way to book a valid routing ex CMB.

 

[jpk]

Ahhh ok, for some reason i thought CX had started flying in there again.

What about South Africa then, anyone ticketed out of there? DONE4 = AUD$6600. This would miss out the mileage run opportunities in Asia but seems a good deal.

I realise most of you have probably run these sums at some point already, so sorry if i am covering familiar ground here...

 

[Platy]

What about South Africa then, anyone ticketed out of there? DONE4 = AUD$6600. This would miss out the mileage run opportunities in Asia but seems a good deal....

Actually there's a sweet deal out of Mauritius - $6,000 foor DONE4 and $7,000 for AONE4 - at those prices you can afford to go for a 5 continent or go first class!!!

BA have an office in Mauritius.

You can get there on Air Mauritius exSYD or MEL or PER - Bestflights.com.au have some deals.

I have yet to try booking one.....

 

[Keith009]

AA has a GSA in CPT:

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Ahhh ok, for some reason i thought CX had started flying in there again.

What about South Africa then, anyone ticketed out of there? DONE4 = AUD$6600. This would miss out the mileage run opportunities in Asia but seems a good deal.

I realise most of you have probably run these sums at some point already, so sorry if i am covering familiar ground here...

 

[jpk]

Actually there's a sweet deal out of Mauritius - $6,000 foor DONE4 and $7,000 for AONE4 - at those prices you can afford to go for a 5 continent or go first class!!!

BA have an office in Mauritius.

You can get there on Air Mauritius exSYD or MEL or PER - Bestflights.com.au have some deals.

I have yet to try booking one.....

Yeah i saw that price (have been running all the prices through xe.com) but thought it suffered the same problem as CMB - only OW airline into there is BA. Can't figure out how to get in from east-side and complete the journey... Unless CX into JNB then a codeshare into MRU would work, but that doesn't seem correct.

 

[Keith009]

Yeah i saw that price (have been running all the prices through xe.com) but thought it suffered the same problem as CMB - only OW airline into there is BA. Can't figure out how to get in from east-side and complete the journey... Unless CX into JNB then a codeshare into MRU would work, but that doesn't seem correct.

You don't need to end your xONEx in MRU - you can end it anywhere in Africa with an origin/destination surface segment. It's one of the exceptions to the "end at point of origin" rule.

Travel
must begin and end at the same point except origin - destination surface segments permitted as
follows:
(a) Within the country of origin
(b) Within the Middle East
(c) Within South America
(d) Between the United States and Canada.
(e) Between HKG and China
(f) Between Bangladesh and BKK/SIN.
(g) Between Malaysia and SIN
(h) Within Africa

Also, I think Comair flies between JNB and MRU.

 

[jpk]

You don't need to end your xONEx in MRU - you can end it anywhere in Africa with an origin/destination surface segment. It's one of the exceptions to the "end at point of origin" rule.

Also, I think Comair flies between JNB and MRU.

thanks dude... sounds like it could be a goer.

 

[Platy]

thanks dude... sounds like it could be a goer.

Actually Comair (JNB-MRU and other flights in southern africa) is allowed for a DONE4 as a listed subsidiary of BA.

So in theory you can fly in or out of the UK (MRU-LHR or LHR-MRU) for part of your journey and in/out of JNB for the other.

eg. MRU-JNB-CPT-LHR-.....SYD or HKG-JNB-MRU

or

MRU-LHR-....SYD or HKG-JNB-MRU

or not even finish at MRU!

 

[Keith009]

Planning DONE4 mk 2.

Right now am thinking for EUR: xx_-xLHR-oBAH or MCT-xLHR-oIST-oLHR-xx_

I'm not doing turnarounds - actually visiting places. Not doing DXB as I'm already going there on my existing DONE4. What would people suggest: BAH or MCT? The extra SC zone isn't a concern as I'm crediting to AAdvantage. So I'm more interested in which is the nicer/safer city to visit. Is it true that I'd face problems at LOTFAP immigration if I have an Oman stamp in my passport?

Interesting that IST doesn't fall into the "far reaches of Europe" rule but cities like ATH do... Not that I'm complaining.