1) Can anyone tell me if the AA flight from MIA to LAS (AA1717) via ORD is classed as a transcontinental flight? It is one flight number but makes a stop in ORD first. Also is this then one flight segement against the allowance of 6, or two?

2) If i wanted to do SYD-SIN-HKG-JFK with CX using SIN and HKG as short transits, am I able to then stopover at HKG from Europe on the return leg?
- 2 PERMITTED IN ASIA. 1 MUST BE A
153N . TRANSIT WITHOUT STOPOVER -OR- ON
154N . DIRECT SINGLE PLANE SERVICE BETWEEN
155N . THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AND EUROPE.

So i guess im asking if SIN and HKG can both be classed as transit cities for this rule?

Cheers

On 1) my understanding is that you could ticket it as MIA-LAS on one coupon in which case it would be one transcontinental segment, or you could ticket it as two coupons (MIA-ORD-LAS) which would be two segments but not transcontinental.

On 2) I think this is very borderline, so it is going to depend entirely on getting the right ticketing agent.

Please let us know how question number 2 turns out.

Thanks.

Q2 - Yes. As long as the outbound is connecting only, your return from Europe may stopover in HKG or anywhere else in Asia. But remember, you've already used up ONE segment for the SIN-HKG sector, so you're allowed 3 more sectors enroute to Australia on your return.

However, QF/CX might be a little bit more picky when it comes time to issue the ticket and they might insist that you fly direct SYD-JFK on QF or at least via the USA instead of routing via Asia.

Q2 - No.

You are not making a transit without stopover or on direct single plane service between the Southwest Pacific and Europe. You are making a transit without stopover between the Southwest Pacific and North America. My reading of the rule is that under that routing you do not get a second intercontinental arrival and departure to Asia with a stopover. You can have your stopover in Asia on the way to North America, but on your way from Europe to Australia, you may only transit Asia.

As always,what the rules say and what you manage to get ticketed can be totally different things

- 2 PERMITTED IN ASIA. 1 MUST BE A
153N . TRANSIT WITHOUT STOPOVER -OR- ON
154N . DIRECT SINGLE PLANE SERVICE BETWEEN
155N . THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AND EUROPE.

I think that when you look at the rules you have to interpret them giving thought to the reason for which they are there.
In the case of this exception to the only one arrival to/departure from each continent, the exception is there not to allow you to maximise mileage (although most of us here would like to think so) or to encourage you to sample the delights of Cathay Pacific. It is there to allow you to travel from SWP to Asia to North America to Europe and then allow you to get back to Australia without having to cough up the money to pay for an extra continent,ie Africa, that you may not want to visit. If you are not wanting to stop in Asia on your way to North America but on your way back from Europe then there is no justifiable reason (in the airlines view) why you should be allowed an exception to the one arrival/departure rule. You should be flying direct from SWP to North America.

So while on the face of things there may be next to no real difference in the number of flights you take/cost to the airlines if you have your stopover in Asia on the outbound or return leg, there is a difference in the two routings that are permitted by the rules in your case- 1)SYD-JFK-LHR-HKG-SYD versus 2)SYD-HKG-JFK-LHR-SYD.

I don't think it is a case of CX/QF being picky



[This message has been edited by 3544quebec (edited 07-07-2002).]