How's IB for ticketing OWE?
 

Everyone heads toward the BA office in CAI, but IB flies there too. Anyone had any dealings with them?

No. But I think their office is in the same building as BA's.

Not everyone.

There are other OneWorld airlines there too and it's not just BA & IB.

Staff at AA's RTW desk suggest using the AA general sales agent instead of IB if you do not use the BA office. The AA staff believe that IB is not experienced with OWE tickets in general and Cairo in particular. The consensus is that AA/BA/CX/QF are best for OWE tickets, though all OW should be able to handle a OWE.

BA and IB both have offices in CAI in the Tahrir Square area, although I do not think they are in the same building. This is the same area as the Hilton and the Egyptian Museum.

AA, AY and CX are represented in CAI by different sales agents.

I do not think that EI, LA or QF have offices or agents in CAI.

Thanks, Clouds. I agree with your concensus, though presumably not in that order - at least from North American phones, CX seems a head above the other three. Last year I got a QF rate agent who didn't understand the OWE rules at all, BA depends on where your call gets routed, and I've never used AA. People used to rave about them, but recent postings seem more reserved.

I'd have guessed airline agents - who at least from afar seem like travel agencies with an AA hat they can put on if a customer walks in with an AA question - would be far down the ladder of the wise and motivated. But I've never used one.

I think what I'm hearing from this thread so far is "join the queue at BA" and I appreciate that input.

BA in CAI is OK but for anything out of the ordinary they will ask London for approval. That takes time when the London contact is unavailable. I waited three days while London thought about open tickets with transits indicated to comply with the rules regarding stopovers. They never did respond but the CAI agent finally took the initiative and wrote the ticket the way I requested -- the day before I was scheduled to arrive in CAI. Give yourself plenty of time to work out any conflicts.