arlflyer

I just did quite a bit of forum searching but saw nothing on this, so I thought I would just ask for fun's sake. I noticed that even in the July 2014 issue of the US Airways magazine they are still pushing the OW Explorer award in the info pages, with big graphics of potential itineraries, etc. AA, of course, decided to stop offering this around April 8. But while most of us knew the OW Explorer award in the context of AA, it's supposedly a universal thing across the OW partner airlines according to the OW page here (which begs the question of how AA was able to stop offering it without violating its membership in OW, but that's another discussion).

While AA and US are of course merging, the process is far from finished as we all know, and US joined OW as its own airline on March 31.

My question is this - has anyone just for kicks tried to call US and ask about a OW Explorer award? US Airways magazine staff seems to not know that this has been discontinued; is there any possibility that it somehow snuck into the reservation/booking system too?

Pardon the stupid, but like I said, I haven't seen any discussion of this anywhere.

shawn67

I think it is a valid question...I saw them talking about the OW Explorer Reward in the April Magazine and I thought it was ironic...if they are STILL advertising it in July...either they are idiots or there might be something there?

Happy

Typically lack of communication between the operation and the marketing (in this case, the dept handles the publication of in-flight magazine).

As for OneWorld Explorer type of awards, yes some OneWorld airlines offer their own versions, but the rules and mileage requirements are drastically different. No one ever came half way close to the version AA had. I believe CX has one still exists but limited to 4 segments and a lot of miles.

rrgg

The rules are different on LAX, CX, JAL, or whatever but the fact remains that they offer distance based oneworld awards. They are still useful, especially when remaining AA awards have a draconian published fare rule. I secretly hope there was an technical reason or merger-related reason for pulling them and they'll come back in some new form. Wishful thinking I know.

Happy

You would do better daydreaming other subjects.

There is a new tidbit of info that US has quietly added a clause to prevent TPAC routing on redeeming CX for Africa. Must be recent flood of such redemption has caught the higher up's attention and quickly put a stop on it. Right now if it is only enforced by agents, one might still be able to sneak thru one but if it is implemented into computer pricing, that would be it.

aztimm

According to this post in the parent/consolidated AA forum, US never had OW Explorer awards:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/22671969-post5.html

There's a long list of threads (all in the pre-merger AA forum) for more info about Explorer awards, and AA discontinuing them.

dtremit

I think you may be mistaken about what is being advertised -- assuming you're talking about the bit on page 131.

While OW Explorer awards have been discontinued, I believe they are still available as paid tickets -- similar to RTW fares. The mention of "fares" in that section makes me suspect that is what they're talking about.

Dave Noble

I would doubt that the US magazine would be talking about an AA award

There is a OneWorld Explorer ticket which is offered by AA,US and the other OW members. See http://www.oneworld.com/flights/roun...orld-explorer/ for details

arlflyer

Thanks all, for the thoughts. Seems like there's nothing to see here. But always worth digging into these little oddities - every once in a while something good does turn up!