BA systems definitely have a similar issue although it didn't keep me from booking. My itinerary includes ORD-EGE-ORD which are both flight AA 2185. Every email I have received from BA, including my initial confirmation with ticket numbers incorrectly states that I am going ORD-EGE, ORD-EGE.

When I pull the itinerary up on BA.com, the correct direction shows... so the same flight number probably messes things up here and there for various partner airlines.

I've encountered the same AA flight number for 2 flight segments on the same day problem in the past. IIRC AA's GDS was fine with it so the ticketing airline changed one of the flights to a different flight number on the same route to force the validation. Fortunately the route was one with multiple flights on the same day.

Feel slightly funny asking such a n00b question since, at least in principal-- I'm no OneWorld explorer n00b, have done quite a few of them in the past.

However, I've really, really fallen out with the various rules, I'm very much in catch-up mode.

One question is this; I see many people struggling getting ticketed ex-JNB/CPT, seemingly-- and I'm reading up all the latest posts on who's succeeded an how. Is trying to use Qatar for the first flight the biggest issue? Or just as problematic using BA?

And, the main question; when i used to do these, we'd go in with a routing and dates, but, almost always completely remake same one back in the U.S. using AA's ATW desk-- so all but the first flights were little more than placeholders, in essence (with the direction of travel established, needless to say.)

Is this no longer possible with these ex-JNB/CPT itins? I see people having huge struggles getting certain transits and routings approved, so, I tend to assume it's, for some reason(s) not as easy as it used to be in this context?

Thanks in advance!

Based upon a few reports here, AA is currently restricting payment for ex-South Africa xonex tickets to credit cards with a South Africa billing address. The AA RTW desk also seems to be enforcing (by leaving notes in bookings) this new AA imposed restriction. Hence, some are now using BA to issue these tickets.

The xonex rules now also include special restrictions for travel including Africa. Individual airlines seem to be interpreting these rules differently. Have a look at Rule 4(e):
https://www.oneworld.com/documents/1...9-d346ec820edf

The online tool is buggy and some are able to make it work and others cannot. If you keep the routing simple (and you do not try to start with QR) it may be possible to book online. You can still amend the ticket later.

Sad to say that the days of the ~$3000 AONE6s with 30+ segments that you used to purchase are long gone.

Thanks, thanks and thanks! That was actually gonna be my 3rd question; -is- one can get the on-line tool to book-- and keep it super simple whist doing so-- -it- it actually possible to ticket in that way at the current ex-JNB/CPT exchange-rate-impacted prices? I'd certainly -prefer- to fly QR than BA, but, if it's the difference between a ton of aggravation vs. not, can easily make the adjustment.

Is it the case that the ticket can then easily be entirely reworked by AA ATW desk as it used to be-- or is there some limitation and/or difficulty now in doing that. (Aside from Sara Mills not being there any more!)

Is that to say that if one -did- have a South African friend that was more than happy to use their credit card for payment, problem is instantly solved and one could us AA ATW desk?

:) Mine were more like $4000 a piece-- now I feel ripped off :D

Following up on JonNYC's question, why not book a simple DONEx using CX as the 1st carrier using the online tool? Fly the 1st segment, then redo the itinerary as you want it. Or is there a problem with CX and the online tool?
If one only wants AFRICA-ASIA-USA-EUROPE-AFRICA routing, then all of those restrictions related to travel between Europe and Middle East do not apply. Except the 2 flights ex-UK. Correct?

I don't think there's any new reason this is more difficult than it used to be. The the one time I had a RTW fare booked by someone else and reworked by the AA RTW desk, the only problem was that the Sabre PNR didn't have all the flights (since the original booking agent didn't use Sabre), so the AA agent had to long sell them based on what was in the ticket coupons, and one of the AA RTW supervisors objected to that.

Yes, although the friend might have to call AA S.A. on your behalf. Personally, I was going to try having my credit card company add my usual South African hotel as a second billing address, and see if that works.


I never got any at even that price.

Would be curious as to the answer to both of these questions as well.

I gather a large part of this is people-- quite understandably-- very much wanting to fly QR out of Africa as opposed to BA or CX?

This is definitely my main question-- and thanks very much for your input-- is there anything I'm "missing" in this in terms of, using headinclouds' example; fly Africa-Asia-N.america, land in US, have AA RTW completely rework the remainder of the ticket? I -feel- like there's some trepidation in the threads I've been reading through, or maybe it's simply a desire to not deal with re-issues down the line. But I always found them kind of "fun" believe it or not. :)

That would be very easy as well. Although noting strikes me as quite as easy as using the on-line tool-- even given all it's limitations, etc.

The Sabre PNR still might not have all the post-AA flights, and it could potentially be an issue with AA not being able to see the original PNR. But none of that is new, and in my experience the AA RTW desk has been very helpful in reworking partly-flown RTWs. So, I don't see any reason not to try it. In the absolute worst case, the AA RTW desk is unable/unwilling to help, so you fall back on Plan B and have the original ticketing carrier make the changes.


For sure.

The perception has been that using the tool with BA as the first carrier, versus having Mindpearl do the ticketing on AA's behalf, resulted in significantly higher YQ on the overall ticket. AA passes through BA YQ on the BA segments, but BA adds YQ to non-BA segments more than AA does. QR is perceived as also having lower YQ than BA.

We don't, however have any real accounting on the total difference in cost brought on by these variables, i.e. does the use of Mindpearl/AA vs. the online tool/BA vs AA RTW queuing the PNR to Mindpearl, etc. etc... really make a giant difference, especially considering the pain and suffering involved at present.

On dummy itineraries using the tool that start with CX JNB-HKG i.e. west-to-east RTWs, the YQ difference with, say, DONE4s that start with JNB/CPT-LHR (i.e. east-to-west) seems to be a couple hundred bucks if you keep the BA segments to a minimum. But not everyone wants to start with JNB-HKG, or even go to Asia at all (I prefer JNB-SYD or v.v.) so using CX isn't always an option.

A big problem is that the AA RTW desk is a lot more hit-or-miss than before. Sara left a huge gap, sad to say. Then add Mindpearl's apparent reluctance to process non-SA credit cards and AA is less reliable for SA-originating tickets overall.

I suspect that Mindpearl would still accept wire transfers and don't know if anyone has tried that. I've also tried to find a TA in Joburg or Cape Town who could do the ticketing, but so far haven't located anybody.

Ha! Nicely put!

Yeah, well, that part of it (the additional YQ) if we're talking a few hundred $$ one way or the other, I'd just assume not pull my hair out with someone that genuinely doesn't want to sell me a ticket or 2.

Yeah, I've all but ruled out using Mindpearl for this, for my $$, not worth the hassle. And the Sara thing, yeah, my memories of AA ATW are undoubtedly influenced by her amazingness.

I'm frantically burning down my list of CPT travel contacts in hopes of same myself!

BTW, you mention the good point of QF's JNB-SYD service (a flight I've taken many times.) Any known reason that flight can't be the first using the on-line tool or otherwise?

There are several agents who know their stuff. If you're talking to one who doesn't (and there are definitely one or two like that), just politely hang up, call back, and ask for one of them.

I mentioned my plan which is to add a S.A. hotel as a second billing address to my credit card. No one mentioned it, so I'm not sure if people think this won't work, don't want to try, or didn't notice it.

This has been my first flight the last few ex-JNB DONEx trips. Only downside is that it's QF old J, which isn't especially nice.

Just call and say that you are the friend (but make sure that you have all of the credit card info). IME they no longer require a scan/fax of the credit card and passport.

and high YQ if ticketing through QF.

Affecting only that first segment or impacting the entire itinerary?

And, if one has a person with a S.African credit card willing to do the transaction does that solve some/most of the issues being experienced, generally speaking?

Thanks again for all the helpful replies! Really appreciate it!