I'm nearing the end of a xCIRC29SA. Fights on QF, LA, AA, JL and CX. Trip booked via the AA RTW desk. In the middle of the trip I made a sequence of date changes (cities and carriers not changed). The changes were made by phoning the AA RTW desk. I tried to keep it nice and simple by keeping AA in control of the process.

After the date changes, I smelt a rat. Since two of us are travelling together, I was only able to see one ticket number on the AA web site for our reservations. Nothing I did could make the other person's ticket number appear - but there were references to our seat numbers in the reservations. A phone call to the RTW desk advised "no problems - it's all there". My request for an emailed e-ticket receipt still only showed one ticket number. Seeing the reservation on the QF web site showed our two names. A call to QF got the missing ticket number.

The ticket numbers of the revised itinerary were very different to the original numbers and the new ticket numbers were not sequential (for the two of us). In fact they were vastly different (both 001-xxxxx numbers).

QF had no problems issuing BPs for our flights ex Oz. LA struggled and could only issue one BP - she did furious typing and "you have three reservations, but I'll clean it up for you". A further LA flight caused a supervisor to appear and do more furious typing. I offered the ticket numbers and they were eternally grateful.

The AA check-in machine happily issued 2 BPs without hesitation. All it wanted was the PNR and passports.

The JL check-in person couldn't do anything without me offering e-ticket numbers.

CX issued BPs then intercepted me in the lounge looking for ticket numbers "because we can't find yours" ( but they had the other ticket number).

Moral:
1. don't assume e-tickets are perfect,
2. have the PNRs & ticket numbers - always
3. If web shots of "your reservations" are not perfectly as you expect - be relentless in finding out why they are "odd".
4. Don't wait until check- in to sort the problems - do it beforehand.