AU$ 1000 difference between Online and local travel agent.
 

I am just about purchasing a Done5 EX-S. Africa from Local travel agent and the price comes to ZAR 72100, around AUD$10,755,

However, I tried booking myself on the ONE WORLD website, with one leg difference, the price comes to ZAR 64201, around AUD$ 9570.

When I complaint the price difference to S.A travel agent, she told me that online booking tool doesn’t need to make commission, so she added 10% for her commission and willing to decrease to 6.5%, which is lower than the standard airline commission fee 7%.

The reason I am purchase the ticket is because
1: I want fly from GRU-NRT as one leg, the online tool wouldn’t give me the choice. But at the moment GRU-NRT is waiting listed.

2: if I can’t fly GRU-NRT as one leg, I am willing to pay 400 dollars to purchase one extra leg, obvious I can’t do it online.


By my understanding, aren’t travel agents get commission from airlines rather than customers.

Thanks guys.
Best

TAs aren't always given commission by airlines, no - it depends on the airline, the ticket type, and the country. She might be able to get a commission if she issued the ticket through a different airline. I have never heard of Mindpearl (AA's GSA in S Africa) wanting to charge commission to the customer.

Based on christep's experience, I advise contacting Mindspring and having them write the ticket with AA as the issuing carrier. In addition to not having to pay 6 - 10% commission, you may find the total price to be lower still (due to minimal AA fuel charges). In addition, when it comes to making free time/date changes, I've found the AA RTW desk to be extremely helpful/accommodating.

Mindpearl. I think in 2008/2009 they also became AA's GSA in Oz/SWP.

Thanks very much guys,

can i have my ticket issued by AA by Mindpeal, even my first is with BA?

Thanks

Yes.

Just we aware that GRU-NRT still counts as touching North America and adds one continent to your ticket. So if you are going to Australia as well, then this will be a DONE6 not a DONE5.
Also what exactly do you mean with buying an extra leg? Where and for what? Do you want to go above 16 (which you can't)?

An extra leg can be purchased over and above the continental limit. i.e. you can have a 7th intracontinental leg in N/A and a 5th leg in the other continents.

The 16 segment limit still applies.

Presumably the OP is looking for GRU to somewhere else in S/A then connecting to NRT.

I know the rules around extra legs. My question was because I fear that the OP wants to fly GRU-NRT in one leg and if this is not possible use 2 coupons and buy an extra (17th?) coupon to make this work. But of course this wouldn't be possible.

Certainly; I was a little confused about this myself, so was putting that one to bed to better enable to question to be answered.

christep,jbalmuth,Gardyloo,jbalmuth

thanks very much,

i have been contacting with Mindpearl, hopefully my peice will be lower.

thanks for the advice and sorry about the wrong information I've given, i thought i could purchase a extra leg, in fact, i can't

my plan was

JNB-LHR-MCT-LHR-lax-DFW-ANC-DFW-SJO-JFk-GRU-NRT-CGK-NRT-DPS-HKG-JNB

as i may not get GRU-NRT and not allow to purchase extra leg, I will change it to

JNB-LHR-MCT-LHR-DFW-ANC-DFW-SJO-JFk-xNRT-syd-nrt-CGK-NRT-
DPS-HKG-JNB

I believe you will find that you won't be allowed to transit Asia en route to Sydney. Interpretation of the "second Asia entry" rule clause by the airlines has limited its applicability only to Europe < > Oz/NZ routes, not N. America or Africa < > Oz/NZ.

Note you don't have a N. America transcon in the works, so you might look at fitting that in someplace.

I'm also not sure of the motivation of JFK-xNRT-SYD, when both QF and AA are offering JFK-SYD as a single direct flight in J, and would thereby leave you with an additional available leg to use.