16 segments total...
 

I had heard the rumor months ago-- and now it is leaking out with more frequency, that "soon" ONE tickets will be limited to 16 flight segments-- in order to go electronic, etc.

No idea how soon-- but it's definitely a "when" not an "if".

In AKL currently on my way to PER on one of the last, great "unlimited"-segment AONE6's... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

That would be really disappointing http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif.

Does anyone know the reason why printed tickets are limited to 16 segments? I mean why does the underlying technology impose such a limit? Technically speaking, printing 16 segments should be no different than printing, say, 20 or 30 segments.

Printed tickets are not limited to 16 segments. AA's Sabre printed tickets are so limited but Amadeus is not and I believe generic Sabre (i.e. not AA's version) can print up to 20 segments.

My t/a can print 20 segments with no problems at all.

Perhaps the 16 segment rule is to crack down further in OWE mileage running...

What I am talking about is a change to the ONE rules that would provide for 16 total flight segments-- same as the recent reduction to 20-- so as to ease the transition to all electronic tickets.

But an e-ticket should not have a segment limitation other than the number of segments that the airline is able to price. The airlines are able to price more than 16 (and 20) segments, so they should be able to e-ticket them as well. Sounds like an excuse to me.

The 20 segment limitation is, imo, easily the worst change that Oneworld has made in the rules in the past four years. I can see it now, "in order to conserve the number of bytes required to book the ticket, we are limiting the number of flights to three...unless you are going from/through/via Ghana or Nigeria where you get five."

Me too! But I expect it will happen before too long. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

Uhhhh.... Maybe they're just doing it because they want to give you less for the price paid?

The real loser in this is going to be American, at least for those of us in the United States.

If I had to cut four segments from my itinerary (and yes, I realize that this will not apply retroactively), I would cut four of my domestic segments as I already live here, and that travel is the most discretionary. I suspect others would make the same choice.

This would be a really bad move and would represent a serious devaluation of the product. I am wondering if this move makes the Global Explorer a better option.

I have heard the same rumor (probably from the same source as JonNYC). I agree it would seriously devalue the product. The change from unlimited to 20 segments has made 5 and 6 continent trips less attractive. As they limited Global Explorer to 20 segments when they limited OWE, I expect they would apply the limitation across the board -- if, in fact, the rumor is accurate.

I don't buy it, however. The way it was expressed to me was in conjunction with AA's Sabre limitation on 16 segments. As the rest of the OW group's systems are not so constrained, there may not be much support for this change.

In reality, I think this would make AA a "winner" not a "looser." (And of course, I will do the same when the 16 coupon limit is instituted.) I think the amount of $$ AA makes from it's share of these tix-- in F especially-- is so minimal I don't even think it's a net plus for them if you think about it...