How many LHR stopovers are allowed on a AONE4 beginning in CPT
Mar 26, 2017, 5:37 am
#1
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How many LHR stopovers are allowed on a AONE4 beginning in CPT
BA are telling me that an AONE4 beginning CPT-JNB-LHR-DXB-LHR-DUB-LHR-MIA…….. is not allowed as there are too many LHR stopovers.
In the latest Rules (Feb 2017), 4(e) says
“Only one intercontinental departure and one intercontinental arrival permitted in each continent except as follows:
……..Two permitted in Europe/Middle East”.
As “Europe/Middle East” is defined as a continent earlier in the Rules, why do I have too many stopovers?
Or are they forgetting that my continent of origin is SA, not UK, since, if it were the latter, as in Rule 8 only two stopovers would be permitted?
Has anyone run into this problem, or am I missing something, please?
In the latest Rules (Feb 2017), 4(e) says
“Only one intercontinental departure and one intercontinental arrival permitted in each continent except as follows:
……..Two permitted in Europe/Middle East”.
As “Europe/Middle East” is defined as a continent earlier in the Rules, why do I have too many stopovers?
Or are they forgetting that my continent of origin is SA, not UK, since, if it were the latter, as in Rule 8 only two stopovers would be permitted?
Has anyone run into this problem, or am I missing something, please?
Mar 26, 2017, 6:28 am
#2
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You are right. BA is wrong.
There is no restriction on the number of stopovers at any one point in an itinerary. The rule you quoted is not relevant - it does not refer to stopovers; you arrive in the continent from Africa and depart to North America, this has nothing to do with stopovers IN the continent.
At the end of your itinerary how are you getting back to Africa? If that is through Europe/Middle East then you might have a problem depending on the itinerary - your return must be a "transit without stopover" and must be through the Middle East Zone, not the Europe Zone (because you have included South Africa in the itinerary).
There is no restriction on the number of stopovers at any one point in an itinerary. The rule you quoted is not relevant - it does not refer to stopovers; you arrive in the continent from Africa and depart to North America, this has nothing to do with stopovers IN the continent.
At the end of your itinerary how are you getting back to Africa? If that is through Europe/Middle East then you might have a problem depending on the itinerary - your return must be a "transit without stopover" and must be through the Middle East Zone, not the Europe Zone (because you have included South Africa in the itinerary).
Mar 26, 2017, 12:39 pm
#4
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The return to SA is via HKG. The full itinerary:
CPT-JNB-LHR-DUB-LHR-DXB-LHR-MIA-GCM-MIA-SAN-ORD-HKG-NRT-HKG-JNB-CPT
Mar 26, 2017, 6:46 pm
#5
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Is a perfectly valid Oneworld Explorer. So the BA agent you dealt with was certainly incorrect.
TBH - I wouldn't include LHR-DUB-LHR in a premium cabin Explorer.
And also I would fly CPT-LHR at the start, unless I had a reason to go to JNB at the beginning as well as at the end.
Then I'd use the segments freed up to fly some decent premium cabin routes (for example LHR-DOH-LHR in QR's A380)
TBH - I wouldn't include LHR-DUB-LHR in a premium cabin Explorer.
And also I would fly CPT-LHR at the start, unless I had a reason to go to JNB at the beginning as well as at the end.
Then I'd use the segments freed up to fly some decent premium cabin routes (for example LHR-DOH-LHR in QR's A380)
Mar 27, 2017, 2:38 am
#6
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Thanks pandaperth.
I agree that LHR-DUB-LHR is a waste of a premium ticket, but I'm severely restrained by the amount of time I can spend in Europe and must go there on business.
I fly CPT-JNB-LHR in order to use First in the A388 which isn't on the CPT-LHR route. I know it's a wasted segment, but worth the inconvenience.
Question: your idea of LHR-DOH-LHR is excellent, but could I do this on the same ticket as LHR-DXB-LHR? I know the Middle East rules changed recently, but are two LHR-Middle East journeys allowed?
(Actually, I've just checked ExpertFlyer and QR offer no A class seats whatsoever in Sept/Oct 2017, the period I need, even though every flight appears wide open.)
I agree that LHR-DUB-LHR is a waste of a premium ticket, but I'm severely restrained by the amount of time I can spend in Europe and must go there on business.
I fly CPT-JNB-LHR in order to use First in the A388 which isn't on the CPT-LHR route. I know it's a wasted segment, but worth the inconvenience.
Question: your idea of LHR-DOH-LHR is excellent, but could I do this on the same ticket as LHR-DXB-LHR? I know the Middle East rules changed recently, but are two LHR-Middle East journeys allowed?
(Actually, I've just checked ExpertFlyer and QR offer no A class seats whatsoever in Sept/Oct 2017, the period I need, even though every flight appears wide open.)
Last edited by Full Score; Mar 27, 2017 at 2:54 am
Mar 27, 2017, 5:42 am
#7
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Yes. There is no longer any restriction on the number of U.K.-Middle East flights. (though the limit of 4 flight segments in the continent still remains of course.)
Mar 28, 2017, 9:49 am
#9
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Please note that you cannot spend more than 24 hours on MORE than ONE of the LHR stopovers. That might be the stop-over restriction they are referring to
Last edited by PMMMDL; Mar 28, 2017 at 9:51 am Reason: clarity
Mar 28, 2017, 11:26 am
#10
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Mar 28, 2017, 11:49 am
#11
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And this is for a RTW starting outside Europe. Does this make a difference?
Mar 28, 2017, 5:09 pm
#12
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This is incorrect. The only place in the rules where "transit without stopover" is mentioned is in connection with allowed second visits to continents. And Full Score does not have a second visit to Europe/Middle East.
Me too. In fact I have stopped over twice in London on a OW Explorer (and three times in Perth on another on).
In the 9 years I've been flying OW Explorers there has never been such a restriction.
Where you start makes no difference at all. In your continent of origin you are allowed only two stopovers, but they could both be at the same place. (For example: HEL-oLHR-xMCT-oLHR...)
Of course if you were starting the ticket in London, then you cannot even transit there let alone stopover.
Full Score, have you gone back to BA yet, armed with your copy of the rule sheet?
Where you start makes no difference at all. In your continent of origin you are allowed only two stopovers, but they could both be at the same place. (For example: HEL-oLHR-xMCT-oLHR...)
Of course if you were starting the ticket in London, then you cannot even transit there let alone stopover.
Last edited by pandaperth; Mar 28, 2017 at 5:15 pm
Mar 29, 2017, 8:11 am
#13
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[QUOTE=pandaperth;28099247]
You're right...that was where I have run up against the next flight/24 hour rule before...been a while since I did that...and it was on SkyTeam at the time..
I just booked an AONE3 for May.
This is incorrect. The only place in the rules where "transit without stopover" is mentioned is in connection with allowed second visits to continents. And Full Score does not have a second visit to Europe/Middle East.
You're right...that was where I have run up against the next flight/24 hour rule before...been a while since I did that...and it was on SkyTeam at the time..
I just booked an AONE3 for May.
Apr 29, 2017, 12:10 pm
#14
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After being given the run-around by numerous BA agents over a three week period, I eventually found a supervisor who acted after I sent her the Feb rule sheet; she received a quotation for the tickets within 24 hours, and they were issued a few days later.
Apr 30, 2017, 12:06 pm
#15
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Congratulations on your perseverance.^