Hi All:

Following the lead of Garyloo, NoWindowSeat, hfly, spotwelder and others, I have planned an ex-IST DONE4 for next April. I am Boston based, but the plan is to use a MFU from WT+ to Club to get to and from IST. The choice of IST as a starting point has several advantages

1. Lower price (4150 Eur or about $5200 ex-IST vs $7700 ex-US)
2. It enables me interrupt the RTW in Boston and continue on eight months later (really get two long vacations for the price of one).
3. Setting it up this way also gets me Silver on BA for two membership years.

The plan is:

April 2006:
BOS-LHR-IST (on the MFU ticket)
side trip to TLV paid separately

Begin DONE4:
IST-LHR-FCO (stop)-HKG-BKK(stop)-SIN(stop)-PER(stop)-SYD-AKL(stop)-MEL(stop)-LAX-BOS(stop)

Nov 2006: BOS-SJU-BOS
Dec 2006: BOS-AUA-BOS

Feb 2007: BOS-LHR-IST (end of DONE4)

Then IST-LHR -BOS using back-end of the MFU ticket


Although accumulating BAEC tier points is not my primary objective, I have tweaked the itinerary a bit to get 2000 mi segments (eg. PER-SYD-AKL-MEL rather than PER-MEL-AKL to get the 2000+ mile PER-SYD segment; the BOS-AUA is also 2000+). I also realize that I could go MEL-SYD-JFK-BOS (rather than MEL-LAX-BOS) to save a transcon, but I'd give up 120 tier points (and I have no need for the transcon anyway).


A few questions:

1. Am I doing anything obviously stupid or illegal? I only have 5 segments in NA and only one transcon so that part is legal, but I am unsure if I can pass through BOS so many times. The mileage monkey OW tool seems to approve, but I haven't tried to book it yet.

2. Can someone post the e-mail address of the BA office in IST (suitably disguised so they don't get spammed)?

3. I can buy and upgrade to club on the BOS-IST round-trip for $892 + 32,5000 miles. Availability of departure dates is wide open. Of course, my return date is in 2007 and thus well outside the booking window. One-way MFUs are too expensive. So my plan is to buy the MFU with a meaningless return date and then change the date when the return date I want becomes bookable (just before using the first leg). I believe I can do this for a $75 change fee and any difference from the original "T" fare. Does this sound right?

Thanks in advance for any help!

Hey Newbie - to answer the first two of your questions..

1) 5 NA segments with many BOS stopovers are fine. I just booked my itin below with 3 JFK pass so's.

2) Just call the RTW DESK ex.IST (BA IST website) and ask for their email addy.

IST-LHR-SYD-CNS-(stop)-SYD-HKG-JFK-(stop)-CUN-(stop)-JFK-(stop)-AUA-JFK-(stop)-PLS-JFK-(stop)-LHR-ATH-IST

Essentially two big trips and 3 small trips.

I just sent you a pm, happy planning!

Why not head back to LHR from FCO for another 40 tier points and additional miles? You have four Euro segments to use.

If Miles and Tier points are a primary driver I suggest you do a LHR-DXD/MCT/AUH run instead of a flight to FCO. You could pick up a cheap LHR-FCO flight on ba.com for less than GBP90 if you have exact travel dates.

You will need to check this out VERY carefully. Some T fares are non-changeable. I am sure I have read somewhere that T fares upgraded with Miles become non-refundable. If I was you I'd post this specific question on the BA Board.

Thanks. There may be different flavors of T so I tried to book it. The fare rules are as follows:

CHANGES ANY TIME CHARGE USD 100.00 FOR REISSUE/REVALIDATION. NOTE - THE USD100 FEE APPLIES TO ADULTS AND CHILDREN. CHANGES ARE PERMITTED PRIOR TO THE TICKETED DEPARTURE TIME OF EACH FLIGHT. CHANGES ARE NOT PERMITTED AFTER THE FLIGHT/S SCHEDULED DEPARTURE TIME AND THE TICKET HAS NO VALUE TOWARDS FURTHER TRANSPORTATION.

A. CHANGES BEFORE DEPARTURE OF THE OUTBOUND TRANSATLANTICK FLIGHT- THE ITINERARY MUST BE RE-PRICED USING FARES IN EFFECT ON THE DATE THE TICKET IS REISSUED. THE NEW ITINERARY MUST MEET ALL RULE PROVISIONS OF THE NEWLY TICKETED FARE I.E. ADVANCE RESERVATIONS/TICKETING DEADLINE/MINIMUM/MAXIMUM STAY/BOOKING CLASS/SEASONALITY ETC.

B. CHANGES AFTER DEPARTURE OF THE OUTBOUND TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHT- FARES IN EFFECT ON THE DATE OF ORIGINAL TICKET ISSUE MUST BE APPLIED. THE NEW ITINERARY MUST MEET ALL THE RULE PROVISIONS OF THE NEWLY TICKETED FARES SUCH THAT THE RECALCULATED FARE COULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR THE NEW ITINERARY IF PURCHASED ON THE ORIGINAL TICKET ISSUED DATE.

IN BOTH CASES THE ORIGINAL CANCELLATION CHARGE WILL BE CARRIED FORWARD TO ANY REISSUED TICKET. ---- WHEN THE ITINERARY RESULTS IN A HIGHER FARE THE DIFFERENCE WILL BE COLLECTED - AND- THE USD100 FEE WILL BE APPLIED. --- WHEN THE NEW ITINERAY RESULTS IN A LOWER FARE THE USD100 CHANGE FEE WILL BE APPLIED AND NO REFUND WILL BE MADE.

My reading is that the T fare used for this particular MFU is changeable for a fee of $100 and any difference between the price of a round-trip at the time of issue and reissue. Of course I run the risk T fare will rise or be dropped, but that is a risk I will be willing to take.

BTW, any idea if the charge is $100 per ticket or $100 for an itinerary that contains two tickets?

Interesting. However, the rules on Miles tickets are quite clear. Changes cannot be made to a return leg of a Miles booking after departure. Did you try to book it as a MFU or just as a T class fare?

As I said in my original reply, post the question on the BA Board. There is lots of experience of MFU's there.

If there is a change fee it is per ticket, not per itinerary.