Originally Posted by
Kiwi Flyer
Are you sure? I've seen reference to IATA distances that include shortest transit routing (within the alliance) if no non-stop exists. Perhaps I am remembering something from *A rather than OW?
That is what I took this sentence from the rules pdf to mean:
G. A maximum of 20 segments, including surface segments, are permitted for the entire journey. Intermediate surface sectors are permitted at passengers expense. Surface sectors must be included in the total mileage
Note there is no mention of actual flights.
However, the oneworld page says this:
If you choose to travel by surface transport, the most direct flown distance between the origin and destination point of the surface sector will be counted towards your total flown mileage.
Which could, I guess, be interpreted either way. What do they mean by "flown" distance? Flown by a bird or flown by real scheduled metal?
Are you saying that the distance, for example, EZE//JNB would be counted via LHR?
And what happens with flights that come and go? Does the distance vary according to their schedule?
Edited to add: And this is what QF has to say (again unqualified distance):
Surface sectors are permitted at your own expense, provided such sectors are included in the total mileage calculation. This means if your departure city is different from your arrival city, the mileage between these two cities is included as part of your total mileage
And one last edit:
Surface segment rules are particularly rigid and constraining on the Global Explorer, and the 20-segment restriction applies, but transits/connections are not included in mileage totals, which is a big advantage over Star Alliance's RTW.
source:
http://wikitravel.org/en/Round_the_world_flights