Calchas

What kind of experience are you expecting to find?

The online tool passes the itinerary back to the first airline in the sequence (usually) for issuing and payment.

cphurley

Any experience because I have none! I've booked 2 DONEs but both starting from the US using the AA RTW desk. I didn't know that the tool just sends the ITIN to the first airline - I thought it would accept payment (I never got that far on the tool - I have used it just for planning so far).

The main question is whether I am going to have an issue getting ticketed and paid ex-JNB with a USA credit card. As of right now, the first flight is BA (JNB-LHR). I have read among various threads that some people have had success with AAs ticket office (aka Mindpearl). I suppose I can try them instead of setting up with the tool and contacting BA.

Calchas

Whether the payment will go through is up to the CC issuer. The merchant might pretend that they don't accept foreign CCs because they don't want to deal with the risk and problems of the card being rejected, but if that happens, you should complain to your card issuer (for instance AmEx get particularly annoyed if they hear their cards are not accepted by an AmEx merchant and will follow it up for you).

If it is unusual for you to make 10,000 USD payments in South Africa as a customer-not-present transaction then your card issuer may decide to block the payment. If you are concerned about that possibility, it's worth calling the card issuer and telling them to expect it.

cphurley

I hadn't focused as much on the CC not declining; I'd be using either my AMEX PLAT or AMEX Gold Rewards (hopefully getting the 3x bonus for airline purchases). I'm thinking more about the Airline being not willing to process ex-JNB fare (and trying to charge the USA fare). When I contacted AA RTW desk here and set it up (at that time ex-CAI)... she said they could not ticket as the USA fare would apply.

Again - from my perusal of various threads, I have seen success contacting the AA desk in JNB (Mindpearl)... so my next steps are to contact AA RTW in US to re-work the itinerary and then calling AA JNB (Mindpearl) to ticket.

Calchas

The fare must be sold in the country of origin for the fare to apply. If not, the most expensive fare (of the selling country and departure country) will apply.

If you contacted the desk or travel agent in the USA, then the USA fare will apply even ex-CAI.

It is not about country of residence or CC registration.

This is why we have to find exotic travel agents or ticketing desks in Cairo or JNB rather than just ring our airlines!

Himeno

I have booked DONE3 tickets via both the tool and agents in Korea, Japan and Canada with an AU card. No major issues.

pandaperth

I booked an ex-CPT DONE5 via the tool last month. See the bottom of the first post in this thread http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...cpt-done5.html

creampuff

You get the AA desk to make the reservation, you do not get them to ticket it. AA are correct in saying that they will charge the higher of the USA price and the country of first flight price.

The ticketing is done by the AA GSA in the country when the xONEx starts, using the record locator that the AA around the world desk generates. That way you get the price in Egypt or South Africa or wherever else you start your trip.

It is quite simple, I think you are worrying too much.

pyffii

I had enormous issues last year when using my AU issued AMEX card because my 4 numbered security code wasnt compatible with their 3 numbered security code...So after my CC was declned 3 times I had to arrange a conference call between me, AA in Capetown and AMEX in Oz so that the card could be processed manually...In the end all worked out well but when I book again in a few months time I might just use my Visa card.

cphurley

I was actually just thinking today about which card I should use when I make the purchase... I have AMEX plat, Chase Sapphire Preferred, and AMEX Biz Premier Reward. I think CSP is the right choice with 2x on travel and no forex fees.

Calchas

The starting point is definitely no forex fee. Even 1% is going to be a big number. The other thing is, do you get any additional purchase protection or insurance from the other cards? That alone may be worth paying the extra.

creampuff

I don't know why that happened, but it shouldn't have. All AmEx cards have a 4-digit code. I paid for several DONE6 tickets ex-JNB recently using both a BA Amex and a SPG Amex, all with 4-digit codes.

allset2travel

As someone up-post said, you might have made this process sound more complicated than it actually is.

My recent experience is the following:
1. Use online tool to get an itinerary fully validated, and get it to price (get a copy of that & the details of taxes & surcharges etc... for my own record).
2. Ring up AA RTW desk, give CSR the complete itinerary. If CSR says itin is ok (why wouldn't it as the tool oks it too), he will send it to the rate desk.
3. Few hours to 24 hours later, the price comes back. You can call them to make sure they quote you the same fare as the online tool (in local currency).
4. If all is well, then mention to CSR that you'd purchase ticket at MindPearl in CPT. CSR knows what that means.
5. Meantime, I'd call my credit card company, alerting it of a purchase in South Africa (wouldn't hurt to say a large purchase in ZAR) in next few days, and that the merchant is AA.
6. Call MindPearl, reference the Record Locator. Ask them to ticket. They ask for your CC. Bingo!

TICKETED!!

cphurley

Yup, I've done 1, 2, and waiting on 3... I called it in on Friday morning but price hasn't come back yet. I'll call again tomorrow (Monday) and hopefully get the price and move on to steps 4-6 this week. Thanks to everyone for suggestions.

Himeno

If you can get the tool to price, why would you even need to call anyone?

The only times I've needed to contact anyone was when the tool didn't get to the pricing stage (because the tool has too many bugs in it).