I burn AM only.

But I usually check AA flights on AA and LAN flights on LAN.

BA seems to work well for AA and LAN too. So perhaps OP doesn't need to use AA or LAN.

AA is quite user friendly and doesn't require logging into an account.

I've been using BAEC over the years and it's been good for partner availability. But I've had two issues lately - both with redemptions on QR.

I checked and BAEC shows 2 (and sometimes 4) seats available. I call MPC and they say they can't see any availability.

I ask them to check separately (HKG-DOH, DOH-XXX) to avoid any married segment issues - but they still say there's zero availability.

For one of these problems it was solved after calling again the next day - booked two J awards HKG-DOH-NBO (Nairobi).

For the other one (HKG-DOH-CPH-LHR-HKG), they kept saying there's zero availability in J for DOH-CPH when BAEC keeps telling me there's 2 seats!

Argh! Any ideas why this is happening? Aren't they supposed to see the same award inventory?

I also did some experimenting after my HKG-DOH-GRU case http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/catha...difficult.html

Your CPH case - during my redemption experience sometimes AM can't see QR availability at all but will be able to do so in few hours - try again today morning. If you just want one segment AM should be fine.

Booking multi-carrier award online
 

Has anyone been able to book awards combining more than two airlines online - all alliances seem to have multi carrier awards but one must call the airline call center to book, is this correct?

Correct.

Getting back to the country of origin...
 

Slightly wacko, and not the best of values, but we were going to burn 50k miles for the HKG-SIN r/t in any case, so the incremental value made it worth the hassle rather than an outright $ purchase. Just added most of our domestic southern Africa flights, a trip to Bali and an evening with friends in KL for 35K additional miles (and hefty BA fines):

All in J:

JNB-oVFA-xJNB-CPT//HKG-oSIN-oKUL-oDPS-xKUL-oSIN-HKG//DUR-JNB

Was trying to get this to ticket without the last segment - while we'll be heading to South Africa again in the year, the likelihood+change fees for the last segment is unlikely to be worth the hassle.

Argued with the MPC (and indirectly with ticketing) that these awards do not require a return to the origin country- Since point # 2 of the T&Cs, 'Airline Award - Award Miles Requirements', says that 'If the open-jaw is at the origin, the member or Nominee must return to the country of origin, though not necessarily to the same city.'
We were making the open jaw at CPT, and not the origin-JNB, and in any case that whole point, to me, seemed to be applicable to regular Asiamiles awards and not oneworld multi-carrier awards.

Helpul MPC agent, who got my point, pushed ticketing back, and not finding any love, got a manager involved. Was honest with them about the unlikeliness of the last segment getting used and frankly told them that I am just trying to get the best value for my miles.

The ever-polite manager a)explained that oneworld multi carrier awards are supposed to be round-trip (first sentence in the award chart!), b) explained that a round trip is defined as getting back to the origin country, and c)gave a ticketing deadline of 2 weeks to increase the likelihood of the last segment getting used (MH imposed, BA did not come back with any deadline- useful to note - they sometimes do, for 'critical' flights).

We do need someone to pick a discussion with AM/MPC as to whether point # 2 applies to oneworld multi-carrier awards - given that it starts with a 'make two stopovers, two transfers or one open-jaw' which is for the AM awards.

Now, to get them to get the taxes/surcharges in-line with what I see on ba.com

My itinerary
 

I've come up with the following itinerary for Award Zone 11 for 160k miles in business class. Would this routing be valid?

(CX) SIN-HKG-KIX (1st transit at HKG, 1st stopover at KIX)
(JL/AA) NRT-ORD-DCA (1st open jaw ex-NRT, 2nd transit at ORD, 2nd stopover at DCA)
(AA) JFK-LHR (2nd open jaw ex-JFK, 3rd stopover at LHR)
(BA) LHR-ATH (4th stopover at ATH)
(QR) ATH-DOH (5th stopover at DOH)
(QR) DOH-SIN

It's just a rough idea but did I get it right? Also, where should I look up award availability for my proposed itinerary?

Good luck with QR-QR (5th stopover)

So is my itinerary valid?

Looks fine...I better alert the Tsuen Wan fire department though.

Thanks, guess I'll use BA to lookup award availability.

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I dont see anything that triggers alerts... Unless someone says u may not take more than 2 airlines + cx lol

Percy, what is the problem? or the joke?

I don't think CX's systems can handle it.

:eek::eek::eek: