Exactly. since i am the bozo who called the Virgin GSA in DAC to get assistance booking that and wound up getting the DAC-LAX fare pulled, I can say with a high degree of certainty that we should definitely not call the GSAs on this. Let's find a couple of TAs who will try to ticket these.
Other poser posted, all RTW fares have to be sent to the airline rate desk for pricing.
There is also a provision in that fare rule which states that if purchased outside Malaysia, the fare must be brought up to the fare charged in the country of purchase. Thus if my Canadian TA issued it the cost would be: CAD/5916 plus fuel/tax.
And it will still have to be sent to AI /NZ rate desk for pricing even if issued in Canada at the Canadian price.
I cannot see a KL TA issuing this tix without a manual pricing from either AI or NZ rate desk.
Quote:
Quote:
Originally Posted by rcs85551
All RTWs need to be priced manually by the issuing airline (unless an agency is willing to assume all risks of a fare or tax miscalculation).
I would look for a travel agent in KUL and just make a phone call up there... this is going to take some time to ticket and I think you going to have more luck with a travel agent in KUL. I'm in the US for a few weeks but planned to look into this when I return. I'd look for a TA in KUL who handles AI ticketing and start there (you shouldnt need any buy in from NZ, just J space availability and AI can ticket). Obviously you should approach them without any wows or "ooh, aahs" about the fare... good luck!
Quote:
Originally Posted by nor4
I'll be in SIN next week, so if I popped up to Johor Bahru I could buy this ticket?
I'd like to maximize the NZ legs to get *A EQMs so I'll need NZ buy-in. Can the AI agents book these NZ flights at AI prices?
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stephem
Quote:
Exactly. since i am the bozo who called the Virgin GSA in DAC to get assistance booking that and wound up getting the DAC-LAX fare pulled, I can say with a high degree of certainty that we should definitely not call the GSAs on this. Let's find a couple of TAs who will try to ticket these.
This ticket cannot be issued cos:
1) NZ does not fly to Malaysia
2) TAs MUST consult either airlines (GSAs) for fare in order to issue the ticket.
3) NO TA will just issue the ticket without referring to airlines, especially in Asia.
Last edited by rcs85551; May 18, 08 at 5:53 am.
Reason: keep thread on topic
1) NZ does not fly to Malaysia
2) TAs MUST consult either airlines (GSAs) for fare in order to issue the ticket.
3) NO TA will just issue the ticket without referring to airlines, especially in Asia.
1) Is there anything to prevent my buying the tik in KUL and flying out of another city, say LAX, on the tik? Does the fare require a) the origination city to be KUL if I buy with ringgit in KUL, and b) at least one leg to be on AI, i.e., can I use an all NZ itin with this fare?
2) Will consulting with NZ result in no sale. Not sure of the implications of that warning.
3) Same as 2)
The fare amounts listed in the fare rules are about $3000 USD when buying with ringgit. Is this a business class fare or coach? If coach, any way to find the business fare?
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Last edited by nor4; May 17, 08 at 5:09 pm.
Reason: "ringitts" to "ringitt"
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nor4
1) Is there anything to prevent my buying the tik in KUL and flying out of another city, say LAX, on the tik? Does the fare require a) the origination city to be KUL if I buy with ringgit in KUL, and b) at least one leg to be on AI, i.e., can I use an all NZ itin with this fare?
2) Will consulting with NZ result in no sale. Not sure of the implications of that warning.
3) Same as 2)
The fare amounts listed in the fare rules are about $3000 USD when buying with ringgits. Is this a business class fare or coach? If coach, any way to find the business fare?
1)You can't buy a ticket in one counrty's currency and fly out of another counrty- go to the various RTW forums to see why not... Some permits it . But not all. Yes you can buy the ticket in Malaysia if the fare exists for originating in USA. But then you will end up paying the fare as though you are originating from USA, converted to Malaysian Ringgit of course.
But AI does fly to KUL, so I could start on AI metal (yuck, I know, but for one or two segments I could deal)... maybe this is a matter of going West to India first (KUL-BKK-DEL) and taking advantage of the backtracking exception for SE Asia on the way back to make it to KUL to close the ticket out? Or maybe KUL-BKK-surface-HKG-AKL-LAX-LHR-etc?
BTW Guy Betsy, I called on the VS fare because you said it couldn't be ticketed And to others, I did call myslef a bozo, but as I explain below I at least have half an excuse...
I'll give this RTW a serious shot when I am back in Asia, there are some other older RTWs out there that I've investigated and it's clearly the case that these things have been filed and then forgotten. Many participating airlines in the potentially lucrative World Traveller RTW have no idea they participate in that fare!
I'll be subtle, but as you point out, in Asia, no TA is going to issue something like this without consulting the airline, so the idea that I can totally avoid doing anything that could possibly set off alarm bells is out of the question.
That is in fact what happened with the VS fare, a DAC based TA told me I had to call the VS GSA to get this issued. So I tried that, but at the same time that TA sent an email to the GSA and that, my friends, was the end of it. By that time I had gotten some good PMs from helpful europe based TAs who offered to book the VS fare for me. In the end, that is why I try to post here and leave time for others to comment before going to the GSA. As I said, it looks like this AI RTW is only going to be issued after some consultation with an airline, so we can either let it sit unused in the fare schedules or give it a shot and see if we can get it booked, knowing that might result in the fare being pulled. If anyone thinks they can get this issued without using a KUL based TA and without any calls to AI, then let me know and I will stand down and let you have a go at it.
Last edited by rcs85551; May 18, 08 at 5:55 am.
Reason: keep thread on topic
It looks like the best option out of KUL on AI is KUL-BOM-HKG - all nonstops about 5-6 hours each. There doesn't appear to be a KUL-BKK AI flight, which would be much better. Flying via India appears to be the only way to fly out of KUL and get the fare.
Once you're in HKG you can use NZ for the rest of the RTW, going either west via LHR or east via AKL.
__________________ Not the idea of the thing, but the thing itself.
After 1,075 posts HOW could someone POSSIBLY do this?
Quote:
Originally Posted by stephem
BTW Guy Betsy, I called on the VS fare because you said it couldn't be ticketed And to others, I did call myslef a bozo, but as I explain below I at least have half an excuse...
That is in fact what happened with the VS fare, a DAC based TA told me I had to call the VS GSA to get this issued. So I tried that, but at the same time that TA sent an email to the GSA and that, my friends, was the end of it.
stephem, you absolutely NO IDEA how much damage you caused by your bungling. This fare had been around for well over 6 years (that I am aware of - it may have been there longer) and I must have got a dozen tickets issued over that time, the last one being a couple of months ago. My TA in the US had no problem in issuing it and has never had any comment (i.e. ADM) from VS. Just as European TAs offered to issue it for you, any TA anywhere in the world could have issued it. So it is just plain wrong to claim that the ticket could not be issued.
And even if you thought you could not, discretion demands that you simply move on and DO NOT CONTACT the carrier (or the GSA, which is the same). If a FTer of 2004 vintage with more than 1,000 posts under his belt has to be told this, it is absolutely no wonder that experienced folks are reluctant to post any deals on this forum, which is a loss for the entire FT community.
Last edited by rcs85551; May 18, 08 at 5:56 am.
Reason: TOS violation
I agree - i hope we can move on from this - stuff happens, and he made a mistake. Its too bad - perhaps its a good lesson for others as well to be careful when trying to get a fair ticketed.
If anyone has info on other good deal premium fares to india, bangladesh, pakistan or CMB, I'd love a PM.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nor4
It looks like the best option out of KUL on AI is KUL-BOM-HKG - all nonstops about 5-6 hours each. There doesn't appear to be a KUL-BKK AI flight, which would be much better. Flying via India appears to be the only way to fly out of KUL and get the fare.
Once you're in HKG you can use NZ for the rest of the RTW, going either west via LHR or east via AKL.
If this fare exists, logic is that it has to be flown in ONE direction only and you cannot effectively go backwards which is what you're doing if you do KUL-BOM-HKG. As with 'normal' RTWS, you can only fly westward or eastward, so logic with this is KUL-BOM-LHR-LAX-AKL-HKG-SIN-KUL (the latter might be the only exception to the rule). HKG-SIN-KUL might be flown with SQ or UA/SQ. BUt if this fare is as old as I think it is, then it was when NZ probably flew to KUL - which was in the late 90s!
Effectively this ticket can only be issued at country of origin and and after consulting with airlines. I doubt this can be issued at all.
If anyone has info on other good deal premium fares to india, bangladesh, pakistan or CMB, I'd love a PM.
THIS is precisely my point. If we all have to resort to PMs to exchange info about deals, that defeats the purpose of this Forum.
For those who have expressed outrage at my post, I am sorry for having offended you, but do not see anything outrageous in my post. So I am not editing my post; the mods can take it down if they so wish.
And I repeat, while err is to human, such an error from a FTer who has been a member for 4 years and has more than a 1,000 posts, is beyond my comprehension. Even if my credentials on FT do not match such august levels.
And to others, I did call myslef a bozo, but as I explain below I at least have half an excuse...
After 1,075 posts HOW could someone POSSIBLY do this?
