It is allowed I think?? But anyway, at worse it is 125 USD change fee

Edit: I looked into this a bit more. It seems etickets do support open segments, but the validating airline might choose to turn off this feature.

http://www.amadeus.com/au/documents/aco/au/en/faq2.pdf

Since group, infant an unaccompanied minors can all be e-ticketed by major airlines nowadays, hopefully the open segment support was also fixed!

Mmm, interesting; thanks for posting

The above document is from 2008. Prior to that, as you know, RTW tickets could have 15 open segments, and even longer ago an unlimited number of segments. I have booked c. 30 AONEs in the last seven years and have never been able to have an e-ticket issued without specifying dates. The last example was issued directly by BA who insisted on them.

If anyone has recently been able to obtain one without providing dummy dates, I would love to hear from you.

I just noticed the RWT Explorer ticket tool on the AA site, seems interesting, is this tool new on aa.com?

I can't see a link to it on aa.com, but I'm guessing it's the same as the one on qantas.com - just the same tool as on the oneworld website with QF branding.

And still not working for QF flights operated by Jetconnect :(

Yes it's just the Oneworld on-line tool
On aa.com you get to it by:
- Plan Travel
-- Flights
--- Multi-City
And the link to the tool is just above the columns for specifying Dates

It carries no AA branding, unlike the QF branding when accessing the tool through Qantas.com

I set up a 16 segment DONE4 with CX. The first two dates were "real" (including first international segment) and all subsequent dates were "dummy." They could not issue the e-ticket with any open dates.

A few days after the ticket was issues I changed the last 14 dates to "open".
I have yet to fly the first segment.

I spoke to my reliable contact at the BA/IB/QR ticket desk in AMS [you probably know who he is] about open sectors. He seemed to think there would be no problems in issuing an SO sector but is looking into it. ^

I have to say the BA contact desks often tell me things that are simply nonsense. And I mean, really, one of them didn't even know BA can issue prime AA flights on their stock when I was trying to modify an itinerary that included AA flights already. One of them in NYC tried to tell me my 125- ticket had been issued by AA. I don't really trust what any of them say any more. I think if they don't know how to do something they just make stuff up.

The Newcastle Gold line has been pretty reliable and to be honest it is worth renewing gold for me just to have access to a competent help line, even if it isn't 24 hours (which is why I had to talk to other desks instead).

According to the T & C on the AA site (same as the oneworld site), open-dated tickets are possible, just not online:

From AA T & C:

Aug 1, 2015

Reservations
Your reservations and ticketing can be handled by any oneworld member airline.
Following your first international flight, all subsequent flights can be left open-dated, allowing you to schedule your trip as you go.

All remaining flights may be left open (i.e. without confirmed flight numbers and dates), as long as each flight is reserved prior to departure. Tickets can be booked or issued up to one hour before departure in some countries. Local service fees may apply. (Open-dated tickets are not available for online booking.)

Just completed a rtw trip:

CHS
PHL
AMS
MUC
HEL
NRT
SYD
AKL
SYD
LAX

All went without a hitch except for the SYD-LAX bit which only earned 50% mileage in L which I'm kinda pissed about. The whole process is ridiculously convoluted, but for the most part it worked out pretty well. Happy to answer any questions...

Was this the QF flight number? If you had changed to the AA codeshare flight number would have earned 100% to AA. This is normally a no cost change if done via AA.

So, for all of you guys, what are the cheapest but also feasible and convenient bookings for a RWT award these days?

ex-CAI with BA? (but surcharges?)
ex-S.Africa with ?
ex-TYO w American?

What is the best combination of affordability and convenience in booking and with whom from the above three? I don't mind originating in any of the three, but convenience would include not having to be physically present in location to book.

How many AA EQMs and EQPs could a reasonably well designed 16-segment DONE4/5 RWT (in business) produce? I assume these could be spread into two calendar years (say you start in the summer) and count towards two different years' elite qualification periods, right?

Sadly, I just assumed they would all credit to AA at 100%. Didn't know that an L fare was considered deep discount/discount economy considering the outrageous price I paid for it :eek: Oops.