Can you end a OWE in a different country than you started, as long as it is in the same geographical region? What I want to do is combine an open jaw BA award with a OWE.

USA-CAI (BA First Award ticket)
CAI-LHR-XXX-LHR-DXB (OWE)
DXB-USA (BA First Award ticket return)

Is this possible? Does BA still allow open jaws on awards?

[This message has been edited by hauteboy (edited 05-19-2003).]

No

Can you not use BA Award miles for flights on Emirates?

If so then perhaps you could do add in a CAI-DXB segment on Emirates making the award ticket a roundtrip to DXB with a stopover in CAI on the way out. This is probably a slightly more expensive award ticket but might work.

USA-CAI (BA award)
CAI-LHR-XXX-LHR-CAI (OWE)
CAI-DXB-USA (BA First Award ticket)

[This message has been edited by christep (edited 05-20-2003).]

I believe the OWE rules say that you must end up in Egypt,if you started there. Exceptions are USA/Canada which are treated as one country, probably to the great consternation of the Canadians. If you fail to do so and get chosen as an example you get to pay point-to-point fares for the places you visited. Most of the experienced FT'ers don't seem overly concerned about this, though, based on past comments on the matter, probably because no one knows anyone who's been dinged by the rule.

if you start in egypt you must end in egypt so your only hope is to ticket:

CAI-LHR-XXX-LHR-DXB//(open jaw) BCN - CAI

the BCN - CAI ticket will be one of your 4 segs in Europe as you cannot buy any others in your continent of origin.


There is no mention of open jaw in the current rules for NA EC. However, I have had an open jaw done flying into AMS and out of MAD. Under the post Jul 1 rules you can have open jaws as all free travel can be 1 way awards for the half the miles.

rich


[This message has been edited by RichLond (edited 05-20-2003).]

I'll probably end up doing:

AUS-CAI (joint BA/AA award)
CAI-LHR-XXX-LHR-CAI (OWE)
CAI-DXB (Emirates ticket)
DXB-AUS (award)

Probably the cheapest option as the CAI-DXB ticket is only $200. Not sure if I could get that segment on Emirates as part of the award since I'd already be using a joint AA/BA award.

I was just rereading the rules and it does look like you can end in a different country than your origin in a few cases:

122N . 4. ORIGIN-DESTINATION SURFACE PERMITTED:
123N . -WITHIN COUNTRY OF ORIGIN.
124N . NOTE: U.S./CANADA ARE CONSIDERED THE SAME
125N . COUNTRY.
126N . -WITHIN AFRICA
127N . -WITHIN THE MIDDLE EAST
128N . -BETWEEN HKG-CHINA
129N . -BETWEEN BANGLADESH AND BKK/SIN
130N . -WITHIN SOUTH AMERICA
131N . -BETWEEN MAYLAYSIA AND SIN

... so according to the middle east rule it looks like you could start in CAI and end in DXB.

Kind of moot now since I've already booked the award ticket.. but something to keep in mind.

[This message has been edited by hauteboy (edited 06-27-2003).]

I wouldn't count on it unless one of the experts here pontificats on the subject. CAI is Europe and so is the middle east, but CAI isn't also the middle east. I think.

The rule says Egypt is included in Middle East.


154N ------------------------------------------------------
155N I EUROPE/MIDDL I ALL OF EUROPE /INCLUDING ALGERIA, I
156N I E EAST I MOROCCO, TUNISIA/ I
157N I I ALL OF MIDDLE EAST /INCLUDING I
158N I I EGYPT, SUDAN/ I
159N ------------------------------------------------------

In terms of IATA's definition, Egypt is included in Middle East, not Africa, not Europe.

Update. BA let me ticket CAI-LHR-XXX-LHR-DXB on my AONE5.. unfortunately already had booked the AUS-CAI-AUS award on BA (and now too late to change.. since it requires a redeposit to return from DXB).

It's odd that the Sudan is considered part of Europe.. considering the only way to get there on oneworld is from NBO... just another one of those dead-end flight places like PPT and the five -stans.


[This message has been edited by hauteboy (edited 06-30-2003).]

Made slightly better by the fact that they let you open jaw fairly freely.