Got the Amadeus PNR and was able to select seats on CX on the HKG-PER segment but not the SFO-HKG (booked as AA code share). Also, got assignments online for PER-MEL and MEL-SYD (both on QF). The SYD-DFW flight (QF booked as an AA code share) did not show on the record. Called AA RTW and they said it was QF's problem. Called QF and they said AA needed to fix it since they booked the ticket. Back to AA RTW and the person got very snippy. She finally offered to change the SYD-DFW to QF7 (rather than AA codeshare) so I asked her to do the same for SFO-HKG (change AA codeshare to CX flight). She did but complained that "we did all the work and now we get no money for it". Very unpleasant.

Now, all flights have seat assignments and I am glad that I don't have any code shares. I can imagine that if a major problem arose, the buck would be passed back and forth.

I don't know what she's complaining about. You paid AA for the ticket. The money sits in their accounts earning interest until each sector is flown, at which point AA pays out that sector to the operating carrier. True, they don't get as much money out of it as they would with the codeshares, but they still get money out of it.:rolleyes: Next thing you know, they'll be complaining about using the AA code "now we have to pay for your seat on other airline. We're getting hardly anything out of this" ;)

I wondered if her comment was correct. Also, I planned the trip and called AA knowing exactly the flights and dates. THe process took less than 5 min. I called back a couple of days later for the price and then paid for the ticket. Another call to get the Amadeus number and this last call. AA spent less than 20 min on the phone with me. In general, the RTW agents I dealt with were not very friendly, always rushing me and in the latter case, quite rude. The last agent caused me to ask that the SFO-HKG segment be changed from AA codeshare to a CX flight. If any problems, arise I would rather deal with CX and QF than AA RTW.

When you say the SYD-DFW flight did not show on the record, do you mean QF couldn't see it? That is typical for QF flights booked as AA codes, but AA should be able to assign seats for them.

I had a problem with a recently-booked Circle Pacific with a QF SYD-LAX flight booked as an AA code, where the first AA agent said she couldn't assign seats, that when she tried she got an error. So I called QF and the QF agent said she couldn't see the flight in my QF locator, then she added it as a QF code (as confirmed space), which several AA agents advised was a problem. One of the AA agents cancelled the QF sector and assigned me the same seats on the AA code, so all is well.

When the AA RTW desk switched your flights from the AA code to the QF and CX codes, did you have to pay additional fuel surcharges (or "taxes" as they like to call them)? Because as I reported above, when I used the on-line booking tool to price some DONEx trips, I saw cost increases in many cases for doing this.

Also, as a note, if you want seat assignments and that sort of thing, any AA agent can help you, you don't need the RTW desk.

I'm sorry to hear you had unpleasant experiences with the AA RTW desk. I haven't experienced rudeness or impatience (and I recently booked a trip and called just before they closed, optimistically thinking it would only take a few minutes, but ended up keeping the agent well past normal closing time).

As I recall, I could not see the QF flight SYD-DFW on my reservation at aa.com. The QF agent could not see it either but determined that it had been ticketed. When it was changed from AA code share to QF7, it was visible. When I asked that she do the same for the SFO-HKG flight (change AA codeshare to CX), she grumbled about not getting any money.

Perhaps I was a bit strong in my comments about the staff at RTW. One agent did help me by suggesting I terminate the Pacific Circle in DFW (to avoid jumping to the 24K miles level) and book DFW-SEA separately. The new level would have added $2000 to the fare. I booked DFW-SEA with a one-way upgrade for just over $200 (including the co-pay). I guess the last agent just left a bad taste in my mouth.

There have been a number of discussions over the years about AA's (and other OW airlines) desire to have the overwater/intercontinental segments. Apparently the way it has been explained is that the majority of the revenue from a OW xonex or cirpac (or whatever flavor rtw you want) ticket is in those overwater/intercontinental segments. Hence why the airline doing all the work (in this case AA) would like some of that revenue by wanting at least one of the overwater segments as an AA flight number.

Without exception, I have always found the AA rtw desk to be most helpful in setting up and booking rtw tickets.

That is certainly reasonable. However, I was put off by being told by AA and by QF that I needed to deal with the other airline to get the problem fixed. Consequently, I was concerned that the same issue would arise in the event of a bigger problem (flight cancellation, missed connection, etc).

Another question for the experts here. Is it possible to upgrade segments of a Circle Pacific business class ticket to F with AA miles or additional cost? I would be especially interested in the SFO-HKG on CX and the SYD-DFW on QF segments.

Booking is SFO-HKG-PER-MEL-SYD-DFW

Thanks

No, you can't use AA miles or upgrade instruments to upgrade on other airlines (other than IB and BA with certain limitations). If those segments were marketed and operated by AA, people have reported using AA SWU's to upgrade on xonex's.

Thanks. I thought that was probably the answer.

I believe you can upgrade the CX segments with Asia Miles. I don't know anything about QF upgrades, but have heard that they don't even have the same kind of confirmed upgrades that other carriers have.

No Asia Miles, but thanks. I read something about QF upgrades that suggested the same thing about upgrades.

If you have Starwood points, I think those can be transferred to Asia Miles with a 5k bonus for each 20k transferred.

Thanks but no Starwood points either.

QF flights can only be upgraded by QF FF members.
Even then it is not a guarantee, it is done 24hrs out based on space availability (note presently some adjustments to also allow points upgrades as late as an hour out - eg for no shows)