Pandaperth, I'm not sure that I understand. (Actually, I'm quite certain that I don't.) So here are the two options I'm considering:

• MPM-DOH-CDG-DOH-LHR-DOH-LAX-...-BKK-DOH-MPM

and

• MPM-DOH-CDG-DOH-LHR-DOH-LAX-...-HKG-JNB

Are you saying that AA will ticket the second but not the first?

Thanks Panda Perth and pdb456!
Just got hold of an experienced AA RTW desk person. What a pleasure!!!
He knew what he was talking about! In fact he was someone I booked a RTW with 10 years ago ( or 12??) ( have it in my notes)
As you said we can transit DOH IB and OB. A long as one is a transit only. Good news as I want to try the QR in F a380 from SYD or BKK to DOH. (The HKG is still Business class, and IMHO CX service has gone down hill in Business class, my last AA flight on an AA 77W had better service in Business class than my last CX MLE-HKG-SFO.)
Thanks for no flames for my very dumb, uninformed questions.
It did not sink in that I could change the routing for only$125!!
I have home work for today: READ THE RULES.
Thanks!

Cheers,
2old4coach

Yes, as far as I understand that seems to the the problem with AA (fare department not the booking department). They are still insisting on an old rule, that if you backtrack through Europe that there can be no flights between Europe and the Middle East included in the itinerary.

Yes, you understand me

Your second itinerary does NOT backtrack to Europe/Middle East and so AA's issues with what the backtrack restrictions are do not arise (you leave Africa with MPM-DOH, but return with HKG-JNB)

In contrast, your first itinerary does backtrack and so AA's interpretation is No Inter-zone Segments Allowed, and so your DOH-CDG-DOH-LHR-DOH segments will be disallowed (you leave Africa with DOH-MPM and return with DOH-MPM)

Dr. No at RTW
 

Hi All: The issue of MPM- Doh- west and return from west Doh-MPM was resolved with a RTW agent I know. However this Pm another agent I know always has issues with my routings seems to be picking up the RTW line all the time. I guess he is free because he does not complete bookings, in any event:

The One world tool had no problem processing a similar itinary originating in SYD ( but as we know quite expensive: 30K):

SYD x DFW-SCL-IPC-SCL-LAX-SFO-LHR-MUC-LHR-CDG-DOH-SYD. I ran the routing just to check the validity of the transit of North America with a stop over back in SFO.

However when I called the RTW line I got Dr. NO and he said that:
MPM x DOH-SYD x DFW-SCl-IPC-SCL-LAX-SFO-LHR-CDG-DOH x MPM was not valid. The MPM x DOH were fine but the North American transit into south America with a return to North America was invalid?? The rules say North America and South America are one continent and that 2 entries are OK if one is a transit. Did I misinterpret the rules? Several trips ago I transited MIA on the way to EZE and it was ok. Sara was the agent who booked it under the old rules. Has this changed?
Why does the ex SYD routing allow it? Is this the NEW Africa rule?? Sould I try again another day?

Yes, try again and hope to not get Dr No
There has been no change to the North America backtracking rule, and what you want to do there is valid (though your description is wrong - see below).

Your ex-MPM itinerary is valid IMHO but I would expect AA to reject it based on:

• it backtracks to Europe/Middle East (MPM-DOH at the beginning and DOH-MPM at the end, therefore two visits to the continent of Europe/Middle East)
• AND it has a segment between the Europe zone and the Middle East zone (CDG-DOH)
• these are the circumstances that causes AA to reject it

North and South America are not one continent, each is a separate continent according to the rule sheet (Rule 0)
However the rule sheet allows a second visit to the continent of North America, provided one of the visits is a transfer without stopover (Rule 4(e) dot point 1)
So you are correct when you say your SYD-xDFW-SCL...SCL-LAX-SFO-LHR... is allowed: two visits to North America but one is a transfer without stopover

BUT.... I was giving Mr. T the specific flights and dates, and he was checking availability as we went along. I got as far as MPM-DOH-CDG-DOH before he stopped me. He had no idea of what my return was at thatpoint in our conversation. Even when I explained it to him, he said that it doesn't matter. HUACA produced the same result.

Many Thanks
 

I knew I should have avoided Dr. No. I will be rather upset if the price changes overnight! I think I will try this one: MPM x DOH-SYD x DFW-SCl-IPC-SCL-LAX-SFO-__domestic SFO______LHR-JNB.

After talking to Dr. No ( PM me for his name) I worked on this one also:
MPM X DOH-LHR-SCL-IPC ( Easter Island) -SCL-LAX-SFO-HKG-JNB.
Thanks for your help!

I suppose still too early in the day - but does anyone know if 1st August has triggered any price increase ex MPM?

Looks as though there is no fare increase today, at least not posted yet. EF shows slightly different fares from what was displayed yesterday, the difference being currency fluctuation. I can't recall precisely what yesterday's fares were, so I can't say whether they are slight increases or decreases.

Yes, the MZN continues its decline against the USD - this reflected in your before and after values for ROE in what you posted above
The ROE has declined from 58.963 on July 22nd to 64.478 today - that's a decline of >9% in a very short time.

Maybe the currency is heading towards Zimbabwe Dollar status. And today is actually the anniversary if that currency's final(?) demise - on July 31st 2008 the ZWD traded at a little under 19 billion to the USD. The very next day it collapsed to close to 66 billion to the USD (source xe.com).

Maybe I'll carry some hard currency when I visit next month;)

Would make for a pretty cheap AONE6.

I don't have EF these days - what are the AONEn fares ex-MPM?

Using EF and XE

AONE4 is 264,500MZN = approx. 3,800USD
AONE5 is 304,500MZN = approx. 4,350USD
AONE6 is 365,000MZN = approx. 5,200USD