HI

I am planning a 20 segment DONE4 for March-April 2006:

IST-LHR-PEK(X)-HKG-BKK(X)-SIN(X)-PER(X)-SYD-CHC(X) (ground) WEL(X)-AKL(X)-MEL(X)-LAX-BOS(X)-ORD-SLC(X)-ORD-BOS(X)-LHR-TLV(X)-LHR-IST

I'll be taking an 8 month break in Boston. I've already had to rejigger the schedule to comply with the new Aug. 15 OZ transcon rule. I may have to change it again if the ground segment counts as one of the 20 segments.

The problem is that certain flights appear to have no D inventory in March or April. For example, BA39 yields "J9 C0 D0 I0" for every date I have checked in March and April. The morning flight to TLV, BA165, has the same problem.

I can get to PEK using Finnair, but I need the segments and qualifying tier flight (4 flights on BA metal) on BA to get silver early in the RTW.

Question: Is it simply the case that BA39 (LHR-PEK) is off-limits for a DONE4? Is there any chance that D inventory will open up?

BTW, PEK is a real problem on OWE. If BA is off-limits then Finnair is the only way in from Europe and CX and QF (not daily) are the only way out. Shanghai is worse (no CX). And, of course, there is no OW service between Beijing and Shanghai. Pretty poor, unless I am missing something.