Pre-April 15th, I bought a OWE4, departing from Vancouver. While booking, I dated most of the tickets on my itinerary, thinking that changing the dates would be easy while en-route. After having read some of the posts in this discussion, I realize that this is not advantageous, and I should have left them all open-dated (except for my first international flight).

- Am I right in thinking that open-dated tickets are more convenient, and less of a headache for someone who is not 100% certain on their itinerary?
- **Any suggestions on how to re-issue my tickets as open-dated? (if this is at all possible...)

I have had no problems with my AONE4 with either dated or open dates segments. I made many changes to dates and times with no complaints from either QF or BA. I've just added dates to some of my open dated segments with no problems.

I was told that I could not open date dated segments. All I did was move them to another date which I KNOW WILL change.

Yes, open dated tickets are easier to change than those with specific dates/times/flights. For example, two weeks ago I was traveling on a OWE ticket from UIO to EZE via SCL on specified flights. I wanted to take an earlier flight out of SCL. I tried calling two LA reservation offices and both [incorrectly] refused to change the reservation as it had been made and ticketed by BA. With an open ticket there would not have been an issue. Fortunately, I was able to change the flight at the airport.

If you try to reissue your ticket you may end up paying the $100 fee. You don't say whether your ticket was issued by AA or CX. You might try calling them and seeing if they will waive the fee as you have not yet commenced to travel. Normally, you could just turn the ticket in for a full refund and have it reissued but you would now lose the advantages of the pre-April 15 rules.

I have always dated my DONE4 and always changed the dates/flights - even the airline for a pre-booked routing (eg. BA v. QF). I have never had a problem. When calling AA you need to ask for the RTW desk. When calling QF anyone will do (may be bc it is QF issued). The only disadvantage with dated v. open-dated is that if dated you need to remember to change the date before it comes up.

I asked my TA this, and I didn't get a satisfactory answer. What happens if you miss the date on a segment? Would they see that as having missed the plane, would you lose the segment and have to buy another, could you go overland to your next stop...??

You don't lose it. You need to rebuild reservations for the remaining sectors again. You would probably have to call the issuing carrier and tell your ticket number. AA has a smart computer and they can tell how far you have 'consumed' your tickets.

If you have a dated ticket and have the issuing agent/carrier make reservations with proper notations, then I think you will have no problem even when you change dates.

Open-dated tickets are hassle-free, for sure.

OTOH, in these troubled times dated segments appear to make the airline more specifically responsible for getting you somewhere on a schedule you can live with. I suppose it's the luck of the draw, but so far I've never had any trouble with any OW carriers when I call to make a change. Before beginning a trip once res reminded me that the TA still "owned" the reservation, though.

This is a good point considering the current state of affairs. I once had a HKG-CMB open segment on a CX OWE ticket. When CX temporarily suspended service to CMB they said the destination was no longer valid and would have to be changed or lost. They did say however, if I had been holding a confirmed reservation then they would have protected me on another carrier and got me to my destination.

Airlines are reluctant to change bookings made by other airlines. This wouldn't be a problem if you have a travel agent who knows what they are doing. And they would effectively make 2 bookings for you. 1 to issue the ticket, and another with just your reservations.

Airlines also have a tendency to place "NVB/NVA" dates on the tickets and even making date changes will be problematic. (NVB-Not Valid Before/ NVA-Not Valid After)

Am I right to think that the correct approach is the following:

1. Issue RTW ticket with as few dated segments as possible? (Just through the date of the first international segment, as required per fare rules (lines 65 to 71 in http://members.shaw.ca/fewmiles/oneworld/owe.html ).

2. Keep remaining segments OPEN.

3. Make reservations promptly for the OPEN segments, for some protection in case of unfavorable schedule changes.

Is it preferable to do step 3 through the issuing travel agent (for those of us using travel agents, as when advance-purchasing a ticket from a country other than where we reside)? Or directly with the airline?

Any travel agent/airline willing to make a reservation for you would be fine. (RTW reservations do not have to be made by an issuing agent. Airlines, however, may refer you to the head carrier.)

If you have a confirmed reservation, I don't think it matters whether it is open-dated or dated.

CX, for instance, will reaccommodate you on another airline if there is any service disruption.

If you are holding an open-dated segment without a reservation, then it will be a totally different story. I don't see in such an instance why an airline has to reaccommodate you on another carrier.

[This message has been edited by Chiangi (edited 05-09-2003).]

Agree to the last post:
As soon as you have a reservation you are protected. The ticket itself has not to be dated.
So the best strategy for me is:
- open date all coupons in the ticket
- have the ticket issued in first class (even if there is no F on a specific sector because then it is easier to change - assuming you get an F ticket)

- Have my TA book all the flights (not necessarily in one single reservation).
- email or call the TA when i need to make changes to the reservation.