There has been some discussion, in this thread
Can I Include the Seychelles on a RTW, that old BA RTW fares are still published in the GDSs but are not actually bookable.
Well – they are bookable!!
The trick is to use an agent that has access to the SABRE GDS - because using that system the ticket can be automatically validated, priced and ticketed.
I am personally aware of four people who have recently booked such tickets (one of them booked four AONE4 tickets – for four people that is, not one person making four trips
)
I went as far as getting an AONE5 validated and priced by an agent in Australia – but for personal reasons did not proceed with it ☹
The current base fare prices in ExpertFlyer are:
Results from https://www.ExpertFlyer.com
Code:
Fare Information Search:
Departing SEZ on 24/10/18 for SEZ
Flying BA
Viewing in currency USD
Validated Results
Fare Basis Airline Booking Trip Type Fare Cabin Effective Expiration Min/Max Advanced
Class Date Date Stay Purchase Req
LGLOB29 BA L Round-Trip 1445.00 (USD) E -- / 12M
LONE4 BA L Round-Trip 1445.00 (USD) E -- / 12M
LGLOB34 BA L Round-Trip 1598.00 (USD) E -- / 12M
LONE5 BA L Round-Trip 1598.00 (USD) E -- / 12M
LGLOB39 BA L Round-Trip 1826.00 (USD) E -- / 12M
LONE6 BA L Round-Trip 1826.00 (USD) E -- / 12M
DGLOB34 BA D Round-Trip 2815.00 (USD) B -- / 12M
DONE4 BA D Round-Trip 2815.00 (USD) B -- / 12M
DONE5 BA D Round-Trip 3195.00 (USD) B -- / 12M
AGLOB34 BA A Round-Trip 3423.00 (USD) F -- / 12M
AONE4 BA A Round-Trip 3423.00 (USD) F -- / 12M
DONE6 BA D Round-Trip 3652.00 (USD) B -- / 12M
AONE5 BA A Round-Trip 3880.00 (USD) F -- / 12M
AONE6 BA A Round-Trip 4412.00 (USD) F -- / 12M
I’m showing these in USD, but the base fares are actually stated in SCR (Seychellois Rupees). EF is using an exchange rate of 1USD=13.15SCR
EXCELLENT prices - hope you all agree!
Some caveats:
- must use an agent that can access SABRE
- the fares rules, as implemented in the GDS, have some quirks which results in some valid itineraries being flagged as invalid, for example:
- My itinerary had four flight segments in Asia, which was flagged as invalid
- Another person wanted to start his itinerary with SEZ-xDOH-SYD…, which was also flagged as invalid
- After the event, my agent in Australia emailed that once ticketed, itineraries cannot be changed (
- I have not yet followed up on this, but I think it is that the ticket cannot be automatically changed in SABRE (the fare rule states "not validated for autopricing"))
Let the feeding frenzy begin!!
FYI
- PM me if you want the contact details of the Australian agent I used
- PM @Leo123 if you want the contact details of an agent based in Finland (i.e. in the Euro-Zone) – I have leo123’s permission to tell you all this
With regard to the “quirks” in the GDS fare rules, I have been in correspondence with Oneworld, and will start a new thread on that, where hopefully those FTers with requisite knowledge can educate the rest of us��