Originally Posted by
circusboy
Thanks for all your suggestions. I am looking at them all. Starting in WAW isn't going to work for me though,as much as I love the idea getting from DUB takes too much time. I never realised taking the LHR-MEL flight counted as only 1 segment if booked on the one flight number.
Then try ARN - only slightly more expensive than WAW, but there's a SK nonstop that takes 2h40m, v. 1h20 on EI to LHR.
Remember that you can't re-enter the country of origin more than once, so originating in the UK is hard if your itinerary routes you through LHR in some intermediate leg. That eliminates nice mileage/EQP earners like LHR-MCT or -DXB, etc.
Originally Posted by
circusboy
I am checking flight times and rules etc on the oneworld RTW system, is the any advantage/disadvantage to me booking this through this system, or should one of the airlines direct?
The online tool will default to the first airline flown issuing the ticket. Research this forum on BA fuel surcharges vs. AA surcharges. Having the ticket issued by AA can save a lot of money - up to 10% of the ticket price in some extreme cases. You can use the AA RTW office in the US if you have VOIP or cheap phone service, or you can communicate with AA's local offices, including their excellent GSA in WAW or ARN (Tal Aviation.) FWIW AA's tariff desk that comes up with the final cost is in Dublin - maybe someone can give you the direct phone no.
AA generally wants at least one over-water segment on AA metal, but can be talked into an AA code on someone else's plane if need be. And there are numerous reports of the ticket being issued by AA with no AA intercontinental segs at all. But IMO you should be using your eVIPs to upgrade from J to F suites someplace anyway.