Originally Posted by
Brianek
Interesting. So if you use a Travel Agent, is it possible to choose which carrier to ticket on regardless of who the first flight is with ?
Yes, although some TAs are reluctant to ticket on a carrier other than that of the first flight. Any TA that is authorized to issue tickets on a OneWorld carrier than issue a RTW ticket on that carrier. For subsequent changes, you'd normally go through the original TA, although the ticketing carrier may be willing to make changes for you, and sometimes (less so these days) a subsequent carrier is willing to take over the ticket and make changes.
Originally Posted by
Brianek
I booked a DONE4 starting in CMB in February on which the first flight is UL and ticketed via UL because I thought you had to ticket via whoever your first flight was on. I would have far preferred to ticket on BA because then I could manage it via the BA Executive club website. Also, dealing with UL is extremely painful. BA is tortuous enough, even as a executive club gold member, but I imagine making changes via a TA would be a lot simpler.
You could have had that issued by BA, either through a TA or by contacting BA. Normally, if you contact an airline to ticket through them, they will want to have at least one inter-continental flight marketed by them.
Originally Posted by
Brianek
I guess one way around the bug in the online tool would be to set up the itinerary using somewhere close to OSL - Helskinki or Stockholm for example - and then just ask the agent to modify the first flight when you call up to make the booking.
That's a trick people have used before. Use the online tool to set up an RTW where the first flight is marketed by the carrier of your choice (but not QR since that doesn't work with the tool), by either picking a codeshare on that carrier, or a different starting point (doesn't have to be anywhere close, can be anywhere), then contacting the carrier with the PNR, have them change the first flight and re-price.