OW product rules - advice sought
 

Just trying to get my head around OW RTW fare rules, hope you can give some feedback (sorry if this has been addressed in other postings, am sure it might help others to re-iterate):

General:

What are the respective mileage limits for Circle Pacific, Circle Trip Explorer and Explorer fares?

The time limits for completing travel on Explorer tickets are a year and six months for Circle Trip Explorer, how about Circle Pacific?

Where a routing from one point to another involves a change of flight (IE no direct OW flight), is this considered a direct journey or two separate flights, irrespective of the fact that the intermediate point was simply for immediate transfer?

I’ve downloaded the OW timetable but does this list all OW codeshare options as thoroughly as, say, OAG?

One clause I read in the rules stated that even business class tickets will be booked in Y on Lan Chile internal flights; I’ve flown with them before and while not all internals offer J, some do. Any ideas why this has come about?

OW RTW products are not upgradeable sector-by-sector. Which, if any, of the carriers are prepared to bend the rules?

Has anyone tried out WorldFlyer ticket books, do they represent good value?

Explorer
As I understand it, a maximum of four stops are permissible; but can you go back to the same city twice, provided it’s not the point of origin (just country or continent)? For example, if my origin of travel was HKG and my stopovers in Europe were: 1) LHR 2) FCO 3) LHR 4) LHR prior to onward return travel to HKG, is this allowed?

Can the fourth stop be within the continent or does it have to be the exit flight to the next one?

I see that there’s no mention of eastern Scandinavia, Europe or Russia in each of the continental options. Are these considered part of Europe, for OW purposes? Is Turkey considered to be Middle East and, therefore for OW purposes, Europe?

“Except if originating from Southwest Pacific or Hong Kong where, if in first and business class, there is no minimum stay” – what’s defined as SW Pacific and what are the minimum stay restrictions?

As for no restrictions on moving freely intra-continent, surely mileage restrictions must kick in?

Circle Pacific
I see the rules state that “For travel originating or including South America, travel must be via the North/Central Pacific in one direction, and via Chile to from Australia / New Zealand on Qantas services (not via USA) in the other”. So…

1) What is the North/Central Pacific area defined as? IE what are the OW hubs?
2) Via Chile to / from Australia on Qantas services – I see that although QF has a codeshare with LA on this route, it is in fact operated by LA, does this qualify?

Click on Unofficial oneworld Info Desk at www.fewmiles.net

I have done, if I understood the way the information is represented there, I wouldn't be asking here...

You have to break your questions into managable ones if you expect a reply -- you've asked about 100 different things!
Also more than half of your questions are answered in the reference you were provided (you do have to read carefully).
Finally, you've given little info, for example the OW fares differ by country (the circle fares are not avaialable in all countries and have different terms).
In general the OW fares are sector based (not mileage), but there is one OW mileage based fare (the cheapest one). By contrast most other airlines have mileage based fares (Star and Skyteam, for example).
The OW sectors can be upgraded, using whatever upgrade is offered by the carrier flying that sector. When class of service is not offered, the rule is to downgrade to the lower class of service for almost all airlines (not just OW), but there are some great exceptions, and AA upgrades to F which is a great benefit.
A sector is a single flight number -- doesn't matter if it is your choice or the airline's choice. This makes those silly "same flight number with a change of plane" routes highly desirable at times.
The continents are defined in the rules, and vary by fare type. For the OWE Turkey is part of Europe but other middle east destinations are limited to 2 sectors.
SW Pacific is defined as Australia/NZ and Polynesia; Indonesia is part of Asia, for example.
Codeshares are allowed if both selling and operating airline are Oneworld (QF/LA qualifies, for example).

Hope this helps.

[This message has been edited by whmere (edited 10-30-2002).]

Thanks to whmere for detailed reply.

Agree, VT, you sort of have a mess of questions there. Would be easier to read if they were distinguished (in other words, number them). In any event, the ones that were missed.

Europe basically extends to Moscow, and includes Scandnavia, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe. India is in Asia, as is everything east of it. Turkey is part of Europe.

The OW timetable is fine, just watch the codeshare carriers that aren't eligible for any of the OW fares.

I don't remember there being any LA internal flights that are two class. If it's a problem, then I suggest you issue it as open in the highest class possible, then add the reservation at some other point.

Intra continent travel is either constrained by mileage, by sectors, or by rules. Each trip is different, and it just depends on which you are referring to.

Hubs are open to debate, but for the most part are HKG, SCL, LHR, ORD, DFW, MIA, DUB, MAD, SYD, and HEL. NYC, LAX, NRT are not really hubs, but are places that lots of OW carriers go.

On all trips, you can use any codeshare operated by another Oneworld carrier. So you could book on QF or LA on that route.