Originally Posted by
DownUnderFlyer
I am surprised about this. My interpretation of the rule is that it prevents the existence of a xONE2 which would otherwise be possible.
It says for travel ex NA a minimum of 3 continents must be charged. So ORD-DEL-SYD-LAX would cover three continents and has the required two ocean crossings.
So it should be three continents. However, the issue might be something different:
Code:
Travel must be in a continuous forward direction between TC1 - TC2 - TC3.
Obviously the airlines interpret this in a way that you actually have to cover (=pay for) all three regions. My reading of this is that you only need to fly in a continuous forward direction even when you only fly
over one region.
There was a very lively discussion about these points when AA announced the ORD-DEL service (I think around the time you joined FT.)
To my knowledge the various airlines' tariff departments have interpreted that the "travel ex-SA/SWP/Africa" rule also means that travel VIA those places, not just originating, requires a minimum 4-continent ticket, with one of the continents being Europe as the placeholder for TC2.
Of course you're free to argue the point with the airlines; if you succeed I believe you'd be the first.