Hi again all.



Thanks again for the very helpful replies and all the information and suggestions. It’s given me plenty to think about and discuss with the Tour Approvals Officer!

Special thanks to pandaperth, anabolism and Mwenenzi for your comprehensive replies and the alternative route plan which looks great, if a bit daunting for a first time.

Rather than answer each comment in turn, I will try and do it in topics and apologise if I miss any.

Duration.

I know it’s a lot in a month and we can maybe stretch it by a week. We have been to all but one of these locations before so are happy with short stops but plan a longer spell in Tassie. I note the comments about making RTWs into multiple trips and indeed picked that up from the Wiki. However, we want to keep it relatively simple for a first time. Who knows? we might get the taste for it as suggested. One thing the OW tool, despite its imitations has demonstrated, is we can do this in the timescale, subject to future schedules etc. We will have to balance time in the air, time on the ground and the TP earningin the 4-5 weeks, so it will be a compromise anyway.



Locations.

As said, there is only one new one, so we are ok with the time we have and what we plan to do in them, and we also chose easy places for us to visit re visas etc. I absolutely note the comments on Johannesburg, and Cape Town would be better (the tool would not give me an option, same with Kona over Honolulu!).



Segments.

Again, I note the 16 segments and trying to maximise these along with the TP potential. I had not picked up the single transcontinental US flight rule and that explains the options the tool was offering on the LAX to NYC leg, so yes, via DFW to HNL looks attractive.

Given the tools limitations, I agree, I need to look at the options separately on certain legs to get the best out of this.

General.

Intention was also to meet the ‘4 eligible flights rule’ so we will likely be looking at BA codeshares where possible. I note the comments about BA old CW…... (we are used to it!) and we have recent experience of AAs ‘F’ product on internal flights, particularly a redeye from LAS to JFK! So, we will seek the best comfort options where we have that flexibility.

Thanks again for the help and advice, it is very much appreciated. I still have lots of time and planning to do but I will come back and tell you what we settle on and how the process goes!?