Spider

Which Oneworld programmes apart from AA, QF and Cathay consider Central America to be part of South America?

Does Cathay credit to Asiamiles "M" class fares on AA and Iberia flights?

3544quebec

Spider

If you are in Sydney what are you doing up at this ungodly hour of the morning.

To answer your question Asiamiles only credits Iberia economy in Y and R class;It credits AA M class with 50% miles.

AA credits Iberia M class only on trans-atlantic flights otherwise only Y and R class as well.

As an aside I noticed that the mileage credit for IB discount economy class to AAdvantage is currently 100% but from Jan 1 2001 it falls to 30% - hardly worth the effort!

[This message has been edited by 3544quebec (edited 06-26-2000).]

Guy Betsy

Check www.asiamiles.com for the latest. I can't even keep track!

Spider

[QUOTE]Originally posted by 3544quebec:
If you are in Sydney what are you doing up at this ungodly hour of the morning.

Good question!!! I guess I am suffering from a bad bout of travel fever. There are way too many things that are not quite working out as they should. I still haven't quite figured out which programme (my main is AA) to credit my 2nd lot of 6 continents to. I wanted to get BA EC but they don't place Central America in South America thus denying me the 6th continent. What would be the best choice for an alternative programme??

Also, does anyone know of a way (apart from flying in biz or 1st) to get access to airline biz lounges? I called Qantas Club but they were quite vague with their info and the rep said that she doesn't think that they have any partner lounges in Cairo or Panama which pretty much nullifies the whole purpose of belonging to the Club. Any ideas?

stealthflier

i too am trying to get the bonus in more than i program. having same problem as spider with central america counting as south america on BA.

what programs besides AA don't require a 24 hour stopover for credit?

4 cont. in biz desirable because of bonuses, and service, but isn't it better to buy 6 continents in economy to ensure multiple bonuses? (give up 40,000 for 100,000 in 3 programs?

i'm coming to the wire to buy the ticket --

i really need help from all the experts reading this for answers to these questions.

thanks again,
stealthflier

bers

Obviously status gives you lounge access as well....

I assume you are a member of the Qantas Club? I am looking at my Partnet Lounges at a glance book - the one I got with my membership kit earlier this year - and if you are fling on BA out of CAI - which I can only assume you are (and then a flight to HEL) - and an AA flight out of PTY then you'll be okay as both have a lounge which QC members can use. There will be some issues if you are flying an IB flight out of either (which I suppose you could) as the club access is not a OW thing - rather a reciprocal arrangement. I'm sure you could talk your way around as some staff in the Admirals Club may not fully understand it - the lady in SEA had troubles when I was there a month ago.

This still leaves you high and dry on IB, CX, AY, EI and LA - which I'm really annoyed about, especially after forking out for a life membership. Still hopefully it will change! If you experience any differently I would love an email because it would help me.

Spider

This whole Central America issue got me so frustrated that I changed the whole trip to "C" class but covering only 3 continents. This will also solve my prob with airline lounges (travelling in biz). By the time I leave North America I should be Platinum thus eligible to enter lounges when not travelling in biz or 1st. To add the other continents I'll probably just buy cheap roundtrips from MIA to SJO and MIA to CCS, from LHR to CAI etc...

[This message has been edited by Spider (edited 07-01-2000).]

lonman

i was planning to use that logic of also buying cheapo round trips from mia to real south america and from london to real africa. but what i have found is that after starting out with a 4 cont biz ticket beginning in europe it actually is more cost effective to pay the $75US routing change fee plus adding the additional continents than buying coach class (relatively) cheapo tickets.

for example, i coudn't find a ticket from mia to anywhere in south america for less than $425US dollars(either ccs or lim). however, when i called the rtw desk, they told me the cost of adding another biz continent was just over 100000 esp, or $562US plus the $75 change fee. while i realize this is about $212 more in total, what it allows me is 4 segments in south america plus my going and returning flights from/to north america all in biz class, versus one coach flight.

this allows me to do the 5 continents package on aa, ba, cx, la, and ib, with maybe a 3 or 4 continent leftover for ei. this brings my total ticket up to about $4900US now, more than i planned originally, but clearly getting me a better return than last week's cheapo plan.

if i am not completely dead by the end of this, maybe i'll bite the bullet and add africa too. you only live once, and you never know!! in fact, this may actually be the trip that kills me!!!


[This message has been edited by lonman (edited 07-18-2000).]