AONE4 from Khartoum
 

Trust me, the money we paid wasn't a tax. It was paid to facilitate a transaction which the officials would not have otherwise been able to do under normal circumstances. It would be naive to think this doesn't happen in these parts of the world. Be prepared for this.

to add another experience in transiting KRT to start AONEX. did it last week. we were a mixed group, so perhaps our experience is not typical.
We were 3, all arriving on ET from ADD at 1:50am. 1 person had straight through connection (same ticket) on TK to IST leaving at 3:20am. the other 2 were starting AONEX with RJ to AMM at 6:20am.
Upon disembarking from ET flight, there were several ground agents at the bottom of the stairs (not sure what to call them - not airline specific, but official-looking wearing white shirts/ties and not tarmac crew). I approached one of them and explained our transfers. He told us to meet him in arrival hall without passing immigration (we are all US citizens without visas). He shortly came, took our passports and went away. Very friendly, fluent english. I was on TK connection and had luggage checked straight through. The other 2 were carry-on only. He told me all bags are unloaded anyway and I had to collect and identify my luggage (no idea if this is ET-specific or what). He walked with me through the immigration and to the luggage carousel and we go my bags. Other 2 remained pre-immigration. We got back to the other two and after some walky-talky chat, a van came up and we were taken to the departure hall. some more people came and went, but we remained with the same guy who kept our passports with him the whole time (and copies of onward itinerary). At arrival hall, he tooks us in reverse through security to the regular check-in area and the RJ-bound were asked to wait for checkin to open.
At this point we separated. Later, RJ-bound pair was taken through security (strangely without being checked in at the counter - not sure why) and to the lounge. Passports remained with KRT folks. Later, they were given their boarding passes in the lounge and all was well.
I ended up missing my connection with TK due to the fact that ET failed to check me in to the TK flight and TK refused to take me as the regular checkin was closed by the time we got to them, but that's a story for another day.
Overall, the transfer for RJ was smooth, everyone was friendly, actively trying to help us and spoke fluent english. No complaints about being a separate ticket. Don't know how much the fact that I was on straightt-through ticket to TK helped as were we in the same process together.
It was a much better experience than we expected. No one tried to shake us down, no extra payments were needed or made to anyone and people were truly lovely!
In addition -our pre-KRT flights wer as follows: ZNZ-ADD-KRT, all on ET. At no point did anyone (in ZNZ or ADD) ask us why we don't have a visa for KRT and what our onward plans were (2 tickets were ending at KRT as far as ET was aware). that was surprising.
Happy to answer any questions.

When do you plan to do this?
I am hoping to do the same: arriving KRT and returning to AMM on same plane as TWOV in April.
I'm not sure that anybody has yet reported doing this successfully, so am not sure if it will work!

AONE4 from Khartoum
 

3 weeks have passed and I am now waiting for the last leg of my DONE 4(AMM-KRT) to immediately start an AONE3. I had a great time - here is a short? TR:

KRT-AMM-LHR (RJ): Unexciting flight with okay seat (for a day flight), food and crew, good collection of movies

LHR-HKG (BA): Had shower in the lounge and got appointment for shoulder treatment without any problems. This time I had to walk past Flounge to the Jlounge knowing that at my next visit I will be BA Gold/OWE and therefore able to use the lower floor establishment:-) The flight itself was one of the best I have ever had - had great dinner, slept 8 hours like dead, woke up an hour before landing, had breakfast felt refreshed and ready for 24 hours in HKG. Was able to check my main luggage in for my next day flight to Sapporo and entered HKG with a light backpack only.
By co-incidence I was there for the CNY fireworks - had a great view from my room in the Conrad.

HKH-CTS (CX 747 LD): It is amazing how efficient airport transfer in HKG is. It took 45 minutes from the hotel reception to the lounge reception (taxi, airport train, immigration and security). Old J seats - they are okay but one feels a bit packed like a sardine in a box. It also feels awkward to be facing aisle wards and no be able to look out of the window. The crew was perfect and food okay. Immigration in Japan took 2 minutes but the luggage took about 25 minutes. I had chosen Sappore for the sole reason that it is one of the few intra-Asian CX flights longer than 2000miles (=140 tier points). Nevertheless I actually enjoyed the visit (48 hours). There was a lot of snow but in contrast to my home town Vienna almost no salt is used on the streets and sidewalks - therefore the whole town stays white and wintery instead of grey and muddy. Seafood was amazing and the yen conversion rate better than it has been for a long time. The second day I took a dodgy looking shuttle bus to a Japanese thermal bath (Onsen) in the middle of nowhere. I was the only non-japanese visitor. It was great to sit outside in hot water and have a view of the snow covered mountains around me.
I stayed in the Sheraton - it's a bit old but cheap and located on the route of the airport express train.

CTS-HKG-PER (CX 747/777): My trip coincided with the end of the CNY holidays = the plane was sold out. Arriving at the airport I found the longest business class queue I have ever seen - the usual zig-zag corridor and than at least another 50! meters through half the terminal. That despite of 4 J checking desks being open. Y queue was much shorter but moved slower with only 1 desk open. Security and immigration was very fast. Flight to HKG was old J again. Half of the UD seats were filled with kids - a very unusual sight. Flight itself was good apart from the fact that the kid opposite of my seat took his shoes and socks off and left them in the aisle - he had unbelievably smelly feet - the whole front half of the cabin was contaminated - I kind of got used to it but every time I came back from the toilet it hit me again.... By the time I arrived in HKG my EC level has been upgraded to Gold (OWE) and I was able to dine and shower in the newly opened Wing Flounge. It is very spacious. Food consisted of a relatively small but high quality buffet. It is amazing how helpful and friendly the CX staff is (compared to some of their European counterparts). Overnight flight to PER was in new J. I find the seats very comfortable. Didn’t have any food or drinks but went to bed immediately after take off.

PER-SYD (QF):
Immigration was quick as we were one of the first planes to land that morning. Had to use bus to transfer to domestic terminal. Qantas Club is comfortable but unspectacular. Highlight is the barista made coffee - first flat-white for a long time. The domestic J seats are okay for day flights but they hardly recline. Did not have any food. Staff was very attentive. Spent two great days visiting friends in Sydney - have been there many times but it always amazes me how cool a city Sydney is.

SYD-SCL-IPC (LA) via AKL: Had a quick breakfast (eggs Benedict - perfectly done) in the famous Flounge. Unfortunately not enough time to use the spa. I have read so many negative things about the LAN flight that I was a bit worried beforehand but I had no choice as there are no QF flights on Sundays. To my surprise the flight turned out to be very good. It left in time, the seats are very comfortable (although not completely flat), my steak was pink in the middle and very tender and the crew was friendly. It is true that they don’t come around every hour to offer you drinks but I think that's really a cultural thing - no shopkeeper in Chile ever asked me what I want - they just wait for you to start talking. Phrases like “what can I get you” somehow do not exist. Same in restaurants - the waitresses usually come to the table and wait for you to start ordering - no welcoming words what so ever. Immigration in Chile took 30 seconds (and is free for Austrians:-). The Easter islands are amazing. It is a strange feeling to swim in the ocean and know that there is more than 2000 miles of water around you. Only had 24 hours but that was enough time to rent a scooter, watch sunset and sunrise and all of the main sites. Specially the quarry where the statues were made is astonishing. Stayed in a simple but expensive (100 USD) hotel in the only dwelling of the island. Airport transfer takes 4 minutes. Airport is tiny - only one gate.

IPC-SCL-PUQ: (LA) the most uncomfortable part of the journey. 4 hours layover in SCL domestic area. No airline lounge but an okay Priority Club lounge. Flight was scheduled for 1 AM but only left at 2 AM. No J service to Punta Arenas. Ended up in a middle seat in the last row in a sold out flight. Very uncomfortable indeed. I didn’t expect an empty seat next to me but a seat more in the front and not in the middle would have been easily doable for an OWE. Maybe part of the problem was that the LAN computer system (despite checkin agents deleting and re-entering my FF number) still had me as OW Sapphire “only” (even two weeks later on the flight back). Slept for two hours and awoke with a headache. Spent two weeks in Patagonia with my brothers and father in a camper can. Although we have great mountains in Austria I was truly impressed by the views and hikes in the Torres del Paine and the Gaciers NP (Perito Moreno and Fitz Roy).

PUQ-SCL-MAD-VIE-AMM-KRT
Very early (4:25AM) flight to SCL again in Y. This time in the second to last row but in a window seat and with an empty middle seat. 4 hours layover in SCL. Neruda lounge is comfortable with large and clean showers. Flight to MAD with Iberia. Half empty J cabin. Very quiet flight. Seat okay but not fully flat. Food was good and crew perfect. Had lunch, watched two movies and slept for the rest of the flight BTW: Iberia just presented an upgraded business plus class. Will be available in all new 330 and retrofitted to the 340s - mainly for South American flights. Looks pretty much like the BA CW product on the two pictures I have seen. Immigration in MAD was very quick. 2 hours in the lounge in the J area of T4. Flight to VIE was unspectacular. As most of you know it is basically a Y cabin with a blocked middle seat and better catering. 2 hours in Vienna. I hate to say it but the new airport design is horrible - it’s a massive walk to baggage collection, the aisles and escalators are not wide enough and the signs are a joke. I truly feel embarrassed for this airport. Flight to AMM (RJ) was comfortable and was over fast.
Now I am sitting in the lounge waiting for my flight KRT (2AM). I am quite nervous about the whole TWOV business - fingers crossed. I will hopefully be able to send you an update in a few hours.

Great summary Nasenrudel. Goodluck on the TWOV and let us know how you get on!

By the time I do my ex-KRT DONE4 in August the customs officials will probably be used to this sort of behaviour; although that may also mean that they find ways to extract additional value out of the transaction :)

Thanks Nasenrudel. looking forward to your update with details, as I am hoping to do TWOV at KRT in April.
I'm in Puerto Natales now, having just been in Torres del Paine. Agree your comments re LAN flight to PUQ, though I did at least have a window seat on the way down, and have one reserved for the return.

Happy travels.

Once the mysterious LAN computer system acknowledges you actually have OW-E status, that dreaded centre back seat commonly becomes row 1 with an empty seat next to you (on the 320s ).

AONE4 from Khartoum
 

It went well.
The cabin crew does not change over in KRT so the first thing I did on the outbound flight was to speak to one of the really helpful stewardesses to explain the situation. I was obviously not the first person ever to do a TWOV (“a lot of people do this”). As soon as the cabin door opened in KRT she spoke to the RJ representative to make him aware of the situation. That is really important as getting a boarding pass in the short window before check in closes (guess about 30minutes, less if plane is late) is really the main issue IMO (neither web-checkin nor checkin beforehand in AMM are possible). In short I was told to wait in the arrivals hall before immigration (had hand luggage only) where I was picked up 10 minutes later and brought back to the plane in a separate bus. I entered the plane as the first passenger together with the RJ guy and was then handed over my BP. The whole procedure was obviously accompanied by a lot of loud talking by numerous different guys but the general tone was not stressed at all.
My summary is that it is doable although there is a potential for problems is the crew is less helpful or if checkin has closed already. If for some reason it does not work it is a major PITA as not only your whole RTW ticked is being cancelled as "no show" (you will get all but the usual USD 100 or so refunded) but you would also have to buy a next day flight home which is probably quite expensive. Guess one could get an award ticket home for the next day just in case and cancel it if not needed...
I will now “park” the ticket in AMM, fly home on an award flight tomorrow and continue the AONE in May.
Will be interesting to see what other people’s experience is.... Good Luck.

Glad to hear it worked out!

Good point regarding the "no show" and subsequent ticket cancellation. Has anyone looked into how travel insurance would handle this situation? (it obviously depends on the insurer and policy - but keen to get some datapoints)

Thanks for the report Nasenrudel, and glad it worked out.
When I was at AMM in December, I asked an agent at the premium check-in area about this. He said that when you check-in at AMM for the AMM-KRT flight, you should explain what you are doing, and they will email their agent in KRT who will print the BP for KRT-AMM and meet you on arrival. Thus there should be no problem relating to not checking-in on time.
I'll see if it works for me next month....................

Most AU based policies you would be out of luck as they use the words "connecting" flights which seemingly is defined as same itinerary... For the same reason travel insurance is pretty useless with most LCCs

Anybody else completed an ex-KRT itinerary in the past month or two?

Not yet completed - but we just started our DONE4s in early April
first flights were KRT-xAMM-JFK-YVR-xHKG-PER
now back in PER
We will have an intra-Oz trip on the ticket in June
and then head back up to Asia and on to Europe in August
Have yet to work out how we'll get home to PER at the end

FYI

• we had no trouble getting our visas on arrival in KRT using pdf printouts of the Entry Permits (obtained for us by the German Guesthouse, which is where we stayed)
• no request for photos, or to see our yellow fever certificates even though we were arriving from Ethiopia
• we did need passport photos for the 'Visa Registration' which is required within three days of arrival; the guesthouse just copied the photos in our passports for that
• nothing much to see or do in KRT, and it was already hot (40degC+)
• had no issues departing either (there have been reports that USD20 per person is extracted from travellers, but no hint of any such scam in our case)
• you need to take cash with you (we took USD) as credit cards are not used
• people were friendly and helpful; we felt very safe there (especially after our couple of encounters with pickpocketers in Addis Ababa! Happily they were both unsuccessful:D)

Writing this in RJ’s fine new lounge, in Amman’s new airport terminal, having just successfully done the AMM-KRT-AMM turn with no problems. Though it’s probably not of much interest now as I doubt there are many more people doing this, since the special fares ended last year.

Checked in at RJ’s City Office near 7th Circle. The agent quickly checked me in for AMM-KRT and AMM-LHR (and checked my suitcase for AMM-LHR so it wouldn’t go to KRT and potentially be mis-handled there), but they cannot check pax in ex-KRT. I asked if she could contact the KRT station manager to alert him to what I was doing, and she promptly called and spoke to him and reassured me all would be well.
On arrival at KRT, I made myself known to the agent at the top of the stairs (no jetbridges at KRT). He had my BP in his pocket, which he gave to me and told me to wait at the top of the stairs until all pax had disembarked, whereupon he told me to go back inside and take my seat. Very easy. I asked him if many others had done this, and he said yes and smiled and said “special fare, huh?” The flight attendants had not encountered this before, so they sat and chatted with me for a few minutes, while they waited for the next load of pax.

The only hitch, which was unrelated to the KRT turn itself, was that RJ had dropped my reservation, and I only discovered it yesterday morning! A few weeks ago, RJ had cancelled their flight on the 22nd and I was re-booked on the 24th. All showed confirmed on aa.com and on rj.com and I specifically asked AA RTW desk if the ticket needed to be re-issued and they said no. However, apparently RJ thought the ticket should have been re-issued, so a week before the flights, they simply dropped the reservation. RJ blamed AA, and AA blamed the travel agent who ticketed it, and in the end RJ said they manually fixed their segments and checked me in with the original ticket number. Though I was lucky to be re-booked with the last remaining seat on the AMM-LHR flight. Another case of Oneworld airlines’ ticketing systems not talking nicely to each other!

Hope all goes well for anybody else doing this.

I think I actually preferred the lounge in the old terminal!
The new one is a mezzanine level of the terminal, so there is no feeling of privacy, it has no business centre/PCs to use; and it doesn't even have wireless networking

(as a whole the new terminal is way better than the old, it's just the RJ lounge I'm not so keen on)