Maybe I should also share my experiences with another exMPM booking for future use, as I finally concluded my booking. Sorry for the long story.
Because AA didn't allowed flights between Middle-East and Europe, my first exMPM ticket wasn't completely covering all my travel needs. If they would have allowed flights between Middle-East and Europe, I would have put the first flight to an earlier date. And as I had already an exMPM ticket with usable first flight, didn't wanted to endanger it by trying to make changes that would lead recalculation.
I was still trying to book with QR stock through TA, but that was slow process as QR always found some faulty reason, why my routing wasn't valid.
So I decided to give try for another carriers. I first tried with BA, the booking sit on the BA's rating desk more than week without being rated or sent back. Tried to call back several times, res agents were mostly helpful, but they always said that the reservations can't do anything, before it's rated and they couldn't contact rating desk directly. In the end, exMPM fares rose before BA got it rated.
One interesting note, it seems that the BA RTW desk number connect to just random res agent, sometimes when I mentioned that I'm calling about RTW, they transferred me instantly, but the agents were still not very experienced with RTW fares.
Then I tried with CX, the agents that I got didn't agreed to make the booking, claiming that it must be done with first carrier or first over the water carrier. Some even checked from the supervisor, still claiming the same. Tried to educate them, no help.
Tried booking even with UL, as one of my alternate routings involved some UL segments. After telling 5th segment, UL agent just hung up the call after complaints that they don't need to make the booking.
I finally succeeded booking with QF. As I had another tries going on, it was already this week's Wednesday (when some airlines had already risen exMPM fares), when I made the initial booking with QF. The agent started taking my routing without any complaints, but after about 10th flight he started complaining that the itinerary doesn't involve QF at all. After saying that any OW carrier can do the booking and arguing some time, he agreed to finish with the booking, but only for this time as he reminded me that they still don't need to make the booking.
The agent calculated the quote while I was still in hold. He quoted the fare 3230 A$ and total 5700 A$. I needed to make 60 A$ deposit to hold the booking, but the agent said that they would hold it until October for that deposit, nice.
When I tried to book the ticket with another agent, she said that the fare is so low that she needed to get his supervisor approval to sell the actual ticket (QF still hadn't filed the new fare at this time). The supervisor found that the taxes were calculated faulty, so they promised to call back after they have corrected the taxes.
I finally received call back on very late in Friday evening, I was unable to answer, but they left msg to call back asap. When I called back on Saturday I learned that they are holding the fare until the evening. They finally had recalculated total 5610 A$, so I ticketed it.
After I got it ticketed, I saw the tax calculation and I'm quite sure that they have still calculated taxes wrongly.
My current routing is MPM-xDOH-HEL-xLHR-HNL-xLAX-ORD-MIA-LIM-SCL-IPC-xSCL-xJFK-HKG-ICN-xDOH-CPT. Would mostly fine tune it on the way, so suggestions to minimize YQ and YR further are also welcome
Tax calculation is
Code:
Fare : MZN 169210
Fare Equivalent : AUD 3230.00
Taxes and Airline Imposed Fees :
AUD 266.50 YQ AUD 249.10 YR AUD 46.20 LF
AUD 16.50 OX AUD 5.40 YR AUD 0.70 PZ
AUD 7.40 DQ AUD 1.80 XU AUD 13.00 FI
AUD 252.00 YR AUD 72.70 UB AUD 7.30 YR
AUD 23.50 US AUD 254.60 GB AUD 5.30 XA
AUD 9.30 XY AUD 19.80 YQ AUD 197.70 US
AUD 11.80 US AUD 14.80 AY AUD 15.90 ZP
AUD 12.00 XF AUD 23.50 US AUD 19.80 DY
AUD 40.60 HW AUD 14.40 CL AUD 573.90 YQ
AUD 5.40 YR AUD 14.40 CL AUD 39.60 ZQ
AUD 7.30 YC AUD 5.30 XA AUD 9.30 XY
AUD 7.40 AY AUD 20.40 HK AUD 27.20 G3
AUD 35.50 BP AUD 2.70 PZ
Fee : AUD 30.00 OBFCA PAYMENTFEE
In my understanding, at least GB (United Kingdom: Air passanger Duty) shouldn't be charged for transit passangers. So it seems like they have calculated transfers as those were stopovers? Can someone check the breakdown?
Any suggestions, if should I try to complain to QF about wrongly calculated taxes now or leave it later, after I have used 1st coupon, so it doesn't trigger fare recalculation for sure?
And final note, it seems that it's really lottery, if you got an agent who is willing to help. I just didn't accepted negative answer and kept trying.