Codeshare HKG-NRT
 

Can you use the AA codeshare on the CX flights HKG-NRT-HKG? The agent I spoke to at the RTW desk said she wasn't able to book those segments. I've already issued using CX, but I should be able to change to the AA flights without a change fee?

I don't see why you shouldn't be able to book on AA codeshare. However, the codeshares do not appear on availability for the market (because they have no authority--just for connecting/stopover traffic) so that's why she was unable to find it. You need to ask to do a "long sell" and provide them with the AA flight number. You can get the latter from the downloadable timetable at www.aatimetable.com but only on the City/Airport Timetables screen (the blue airplane logo) (again, same issue here).

hauteboy this is not unusual and I'm beginning to wonder whether it's a problem unique to AA and the Sabre system it uses. Perserverance - and/or a call to the AA RTW desk Stateside (1-800 247 3247) - does pay off.

On my ONE5 I was trying to book a HKG-ICN segment using the BA designator on a flight op by CX. Both AA and BA frontline teams were baffled. AA said that although the flight was in its system, they couldn't book it. BA denied all existence of the flight, despite it appearing in the current version of its online timetable and, subsequently, re-verified with BA reservations.

I took the first route: perseverance. In the end my AA reservation agent tried booking the segment under the BA designator and, hey presto, he got it. He even called BA reservations to verify that the reservation had gained 'OK' status.

It's exhausting having to go down this route, but for some off us using the alternate flight number can make a huge difference for bonus mileage.

NB There are some exceptions whereby a codeshare service may only be used if you are connecting from that airline's service on to the codeshare (eg BA flight # from HKG-AKL may only be used if connecting off a BA flight originating from LON), you should find these restrictions listed in the full version timetable of each of the respective OW carriers.

Hope you and others find the info useful. It's a pain in the a**e to be on the receiving end, as it were :D

Update: I was able to get them to change to the AA-codeshare. So now I'll earn the status bonus on QF. Another thing, my CMB-HKG flight (via SIN) has an AA-codeshare on the SIN-HKG portion but not CMB-SIN. No way to split this without using another segment is there? :)

Get a load of this then... When trying to book AKL-SCL on the QF codeshare with LA, AA told me it wasn't possible (irrespective of availability) and that it could only be booked under the LA designator.

A challenge to the res agent met with a robust defence until I was able to reel off a long list of all the other bo**ocks AA's European tariffs dept comes out with.

I'm just a punter, why should it be down to me to know their job better than they do?