oneworld - Done4 x uk - Charges comparison ?

Hello experts,

Have never done a xOnex before but I am looking at one now, expecially with this discount.

I am looking at doing it x UK, as this seems better value than x Australia with the current exchange rates. (x europe is a possible but if would have to save me enough to get there etc, as I will be in UK when I want to start this just after christmas).

The itenary is going to be something like LHR Asia (prob BA or Qantas - a

couple of stops), AUS (a few stops flying Qantas), North America (about 4 stops), back to UK.

If I use the online booking engine, it will ticket on Qantas or BA (re first flight). I see lots of info re using American Airlines to save charges.

Can anyone give me some ideas on how the figures compare re both fuel surcharges and change (service) charges. I would most likely do it with Qantas but I am concerned re these costs? Is AA a possibility - is it going to be worth it. Since I will be putting my points to Qantas will this affect points as well? Costs are the real question however.

Thanks in advance for any information.

Brian.

Others with more AA experience may have a better answer, but AA seem happy to do ticketting even if they are not the first carrier so long as they have flights in the USA and some long hauls - even codeshares (such as trans Pacifics).

As a QF WP, putting your points with QF makes sense - so you get the 100% status bonus.

You could set up the itinerary by phoning your local AA office, they give you the PNR and a quote (specify where you will pay for the ticket), and then go to or contact that office and pay up.

(I'm becoming a AA convert for ticketing as I saw how much less I paid for extras than going through other airlines).

Just booked a DONE3 x UK from the online booking engine.. Took AA transatlantic ( you could always change later ).. Very simple .... Total taxes and surcharges were 311 British pounds.....

In my experience AA is about 1/3 to 1/2 the cost of ticketing through QF and BA. It is not that must at the moment because fuel surcharges are low but it will get more again as the oil price hit a 12 month high again today.

The AA RTW desk is excellent to work with and you can ticket through them. AA usually tickets almost anything and according to the rules the need to ticket even if there is no AA flight at all.

Also be aware that if you start with a long flight ex UK you will be up for a hefty APD of easily GBP 100 just for the one departure.

Just booked a DONE3 x UK from the online booking engine.. Took AA transatlantic ( you could always change later ).. I'm not sure what it is you're suggesting that the OP might "change later" but if it's the first flight (i.e., ticket it with an AA flight first, so that AA issues the ticket, but then change it to something else), the OP should be aware (particularly during the current 'discount' period) that rule 16(a)(1)(a) says -
"If the first flight is being changed, and the fare level has increased since ticket issuance, the difference between the old and new fare will be charged. If the fare level has decreased since ticket issuance, no refund will apply."

Also be aware that if you start with a long flight ex UK you will be up for a hefty APD of easily GBP 100 just for the one departure.

So if I was looking to book a DONE4 and wanted to go to places like South Africa, Asia and Australia, whats the best way to avoid the £100 APD? And what is APD?

... And what is APD?A tax on all departures from the UK (transits are exempt).

It will be up to £170 by the end of next year.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-aadvantage/892221-change-uk-apd-air-passenger-duty-nov-2009-again-nov-2010-a.html

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/pbr2008/pbrn20.pdf

http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageExcise_InfoGuides&propertyType=document&id=HMCE_CL_000505#P52_3445

So if I was looking to book a DONE4 and wanted to go to places like South Africa, Asia and Australia, whats the best way to avoid the £100 APD? And what is APD?

APD is Air Passenger Duty (http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageExcise_ShowContent&propertyType=document&id=HMCE_CL_000505)a tax by the UK government on premium air travel.

It will go up to GBP 170 for very long haul departure from the UK. The fee is waived for people transiting.

So if you want to avoid the fee you should limit the number of departures from the UK. This can be done by starting from outside the UK and only transiting at LHR, by starting at a UK airport which is exempt (not sure whether this is a practical possibility, I guess not) or you will need to pay. The worst scenario is if someone flies into LHR, stays for a day, flies to MCT and back, stays for a day then flies to IST and back and stays again and then departs to Tokyo. Of course this scenario is not possible if you start your DONE4 from LHR.