I could easily be wrong, of course, but my understanding is that the problems occur when the airline making the change didn't have a fare filed as of the original ticketing date. I had an ex-CAI ticket issued on RJ, and RJ was able to make changes for me even after they pulled the fare, since they did have a published fare as of the original ticketing date. This was the same ticket that AA refused to touch, even to upgrade flights using SWUs, since they did not have a published fare as of the original ticketing date.

However, my question is if there is any accepted wisdom as to the best way to make date changes (either before or after flying some segments) on an ex-CAI ticket issued by QR. Is asking QR the only option? Would another airline take it over? lf one must ask QR, is there a best way to do so, such as calling a specific country, or emailing a specific address?

I dont think it is difficult to change QR issued ticket, as they would just take down the request, and then contact the head office for approval. one just have to wait for a few days for each change. I have had agent telling me that they would need to contact head office even for date change.
The best bet is just called any QR local office that you normally work with. [I tend to do my changes via a walk-in to a QR office in Hong Kong.]

if an airline is taking over the QR issued ticket for date change, my experience suggests that they wont let you make any routing change. This is what CX told me. They said they could takeover the QR issued DONEx, but they would not allow any further routing change after
taking over - as CX didnt have a fare filed. CX was not very willing to take over the ticket but since I bug them so often (I had over a dozen of DONEx ticket on CX stock previously), they would let me to do it with an understanding no routing change is permitted. In the end, since I could do it with QR (routing change) without much trouble. I didnt press further on plating to CX.

All of these are done via walking in the HKG office of QR and CX. not sure how willing they are when you are calling in.

why did you re-stock to AA? I think there is no problem for people to make multiple changes on RJ issued DONEx ex-CAI.

The RJ-issued ex-CAI ticket had long AA segments that I upgraded to first class using an SWU, but AA refused to reticket.

Prior to departure (flying the first segment): Any changes to the first segment will trigger repricing of the entire ticket. If the price has gone up since you bought the ticket, the additional fare will be collected. If the price has gone down, there will be no refund. Changes to the cities will result in a charge of $125 plus repricing of the entire ticket. Again, if the price has gone up since you bought the ticket, the additional fare will be collected. If the price has gone down, there will be no refund.

After departure (flying the first segment): Changes permitted and are free as long as the cities and sequence remains the same. (I.e., changes to flights/dates/times are free.) Changes to the cities or the sequence of the cities results in a $125 fee. Changes to the number of continents will trigger repricing the entire ticket.

See One World Explorer Rules 16(a) 1 and 2.

Prior to departure, only change to the first segment will trigger repricing, but not change to the subsequent segment. If one leaves the first segment unchanged, but push the date of later segment, there should be no repricing -- however, I dont think it works in practice.

It worked in practice for me
AA ticketed ex-MPM DONE6; purchased in Jul-16, just before the price rise
Prior to departure, I changed the dates of all but the first two segments (which were MPM-xDOH-BKK...). At no cost.

Good to know. even when there is a higher fare when you re-ticketed!

I wonder what if there is no fare filed. it can still re-ticketed based on the historical fare?

CX didnt seem wanting to let me change the subsequent sectors before flying. i had a 5 days gap from MPM - xDOH-HKG and 5 days to JFK. able to re validate the subsequent sector in airport express station counter.

Yes, these are the well-known rules. This would be helpful to anyone who was asking about the rules. I was not. I have tried multiple times to clarify my question, seemingly hopelessly. Either I am remarkably inept at language, or people here are not bothering to read my question. Either way, too bad for me.

Of course it works in practice. I have done exactly this with every single DONEx purchased from AA over many years. My practice had been to purchase a ticket where the first flight was on my desired date but roughly 10 months out, but subsequent flights were on dummy dates chosen to be within the 331-day AA booking window, and to adhere to the connection/stopover I desired. About six months after purchase, still four or so months before the first flight, I would call the AA RTW desk and change the dates. As is well-known, as long as the first flight is not changed, no problem.

My question, as I have failed miserably to make clear despite repeated attempts, was because in this case, I have an ex-CAI DONEx ticketed on QR, so AA can't make my date changes, and I have read horror stories about people trying to get QR to make even simple changes to xONEx tickets (with one example of a poster reporting that QR insisted he had to "call OneWorld" to make the change).

Yes, exactly. Although, personally, I don't consider this to be "reticketing" since the ticket isn't being repriced, but merely date/time changes. I'm not saying what the actual definition of "reticket" is since I wouldn't know. AA will reissue the ticket in such cases, but another airline might just revalidate.

Yes, exactly. Although, personally, I don't consider this to be "reticketing" since the ticket isn't being repriced, but merely date/time changes. I'm not saying what the actual definition of "reticket" is since I wouldn't know.

AA has a dedicated RTW desk staffed by those who, for the most part, are well-versed in the RTW rules and understand them. Other airlines often don't have RTW specialists, and standard reservations agents typically don't understand the rules.

I can say that my interaction with QR is professional and I had all the change I wanted. But they had a mistake in manual recalculation for yq that I only found out later. (Not a lot of money so I will cut them some slack.)

Because it was a face to face meeting, I can pull out the fare rule and discuss about any specifics objection that they had . It worked with CX too. Being physically present helps a lot.

My experience is that front desk office people can all do RTW ticket, I cam count at least 3 agents in CX office in HK that can do it without a lot of effort and one can walk in and buy a done fare in as little as 15 minutes.

I'm honestly sad that this was ever posted. It was the gift that kept on giving and now it's gone. I had booked 3 of these for myself and 4 for family / friends, all AONE5 ex-SEZ. Was hoping to book another in a month for use in November '2019 but now that's gone, sigh.

A few points on this for people wondering. The first change of tariff conference (TC2 to TC1/3, i.e. from Africa/Europe to N/S America or Asia/Oceania) has to be a BA flight number. You could fly BA or QR to LHR and then fly a BA-coded flight to N. America or Asia and this would price out. Personally, I plated most of my tickets on Sri Lankan as it had the lowest YQ's that way, but I do have one plated on American.

As for making changes, if you booked it with an agent using SABRE, it's really easy to change and re-issue. The normal WFR commands work if you just tack ‡RW on the end. Will automatically re-calculate the taxes and YQ's, change fee is either 0 or 125. I've re-issued one of my tickets 10 times already.

Does it get queue to UL desk at all for re-routing?

Just out of curiosity, are you an agent?

The must-leave-Europe/M.E.-on-a-BA-flight-number also worked on IB metal ex-MAD. I did MAD-LAX on one of mine. But I thought that that rule only applied to itineraries plated on BA.... No?

Did I answer your question? I changed date after departure on QR stock ticket via QR directly. no problem. sometimes have to wait a few days. Before departure, I didnt try. maybe possible if you can reason the rule with them.
QR is just as competent as any other airline in term of RTW -- my personal opinion.