How do I change a RTW?
 

Please answer this as though you are teaching RTW 101 for dummies. That would be me.

I’ve in the midst of an AONE5 RTW. This ticket was issued by AA in Cairo. Earlier RTWs were easy to reissue, as I simply used the US TA who had issued them initially. This time I don’t have a TA, and really don’t want to return the ticket to Cairo.

The ticket is issued with all but the originating segments open. I’ve subsequently made separate PNRs for each continent. Thus, the originating record does not show what flights I have taken and which remain unused.

CX has removed the 1’st class cabin on HKG-AKL, so I am now going to change my ticket. All of my remaining flights are on CX or BA, with the majority on CX. Ideally, I want CX to reticket this when I am in HKG in July. I would need it done within a 24 hour window when I am there. How do I do this? How is CX able to see my originally priced itinerary, and know what taxes I have been charged, so that it can calculate if I owe any additional fee? Is there a ticket counter within the Wing?

Maybe I am thinking this is much harder than it really is. Since I’ve never done it before, I am unsure at how to initiate this.

You original routing and taxes are shown on your paper ticket - even though you have used some coupons, a "carbon copy" remains in the ticket booklet (unless you have thrown the first booklet out once finished with it and only retained the booklets with the unused coupons).

Presumably you are re-issuing because you want to change your routing? If there is already a PNR for some or all of the segments you need change, change the reservation on that PNR so that it is ready for when re-issue happens - speeds it up.

No reason why you can't reissue in HKG - you will most likely have to go to the ticketing desk (although Wing/Pier may assist with this). It may be advisable to call ahead and warn them that you will be wanting to do this. Others who have actually done this in HKG can elaborate.....

alect, that is a very helpful response. Thank you. So I don't have to contact CX before I reach HKG? I'll be in transit there enroute to Bali, then have a day there on my return. Perhaps I can speak to the ticket folks during my transit, and then get them to reissue the ticket on my return?

The boogie man in my mind is that I need to call CX on the phone while in the States, and have some computer record of my RTW available for them so that they can do the tax and airport fees recalculation before i ever reach HKG. I'd love for this not to be the case, particularly since I have no idea how to give them a computer record of the taxes. (AA Cairo has given me a very complete printout of the taxes and fees I have paid and I would be able to give them in a paper copy on arrival in HKG.)

It is very helpful to contact CX ahead of time in the US and indicate the changes you want. CX can see your ticket image if it is on AA stock (and it should be if issued by AA in CAI), all they need is your ticket number. Another option is when you fly US-HKG during check-in ask CX to fax HKG your changes and ticket info and prepare for a re-issue. They will research it while you sleep and be ready to re-issue, having settled all the questions. I've done this several times, and CX is very efficient at this if you give them a little advance notice. Then the reissue at the airport in HKG goes very quickly, typically 15 minutes (instead of the 3 hours that it usually takes with AA). Note that CX is very good at this (and will catch any rule infringements, so if you have a rules problem better use BA who never get the rules right, but will charge you an extra fee). For compliant tickets I have concluded that CX is the best (and I have had re-issues done by AA, BA, QF and CX). AA is also good but sabre just can't handle any aspect of these kind of tickets, so it winds up being a big challenge for the agent (for example the tax calculation software typically can't handle this many taxes on a single ticket; somehow CX can, and they have been 100% accurate in the tax calculation).

I second the recommendation of CX at HKG airport - they have now done three reissues for me, taking between 15 & 45 mins depending on complexity. But for me at least (as a Diamond) I have been able to proceed through to The Wing (on a temporary boarding pass if I needed the ticket for the flight I was about to take) and someone has brought the ticket through for me there. (This of course requires you to trust the ticket counter to get it right, but they have always done so for me.)

I would not recommend the CX City ticket office, at least not the AA desk there who recently took over 90 mins to do a reissue for me.

(Most of the tickets I have had reissued by CX have been from AA/Emeco in Cairo; one was from CX Paris.)

The biggest problem to this is that AA in CAI has issued the ticket on hand written stock. The fares/routing/taxes are NOT on the ticket but they would have printed a seperate fare calculation on a piece of paper and attached to your ticket jacket. You must somehow show this piece to anyone who is issuing the ticket before they can reissue the ticket.

By calling the CX office in the USA is pointless unless they have all the necessary documentation. CX will NOT be able to see the image on AA ticket stock unless it is an e-ticket which is not in this case.

CX can reissue RTWs within a day. Just bring the ticket either to the airport counter or the Peninsula ticket office.

Who says?

Me!

I had a DONE4 issued in Feb and it was eventually issued by hand.

SanDiego1K has issued an AONE5. Chances are it's handwritten especially if she quotes . Because if it's a computer generated ticket, AA wouldn't attach a computer printout of the ticket. They did with mine.

They have been issuing computer generated tickets since late '03 for everyone I sent to them-- since they have the equipment. Any reason yours had to be hand-written? Maybe it was the 16 coupons vs. 20 thing?

Jon,
Mine was handwritten - nothing special about my ticket.
jerry

Yes. It is the maximum 16 segment limitation that usually prohibits AA in CAI from issuing machine printed tickets. But that is sometimes not the case. If the taxes are in excess of the allowable space permitted on the ticket, the ticket must be handwritten and the taxes printed out seperately and attached to the passenger coupon. AA's ticketing system does not permit the issuance of a ticket if all the taxes do not fit in the fare calculation box. Nor will it print if you are one decimel out of place!

The 'old' paper ticket with carbon coupons permitted the ticket to be issued without the fare or tax calculations. Not the newer ATB-2 types which is similar to the ones used in the USA.

JonNYC,

I used them, per your great recommendation, in March '04 and also got a hand written ticket. ;)