Help with rtw routing
 

Hi, planning my first rtw routing.

I only really have 1 problem, i need to do LHR-HKG first, however i need to go to dubai in a month or two, and stupidly enough dubai is calculated as europe so the validator says no to that, i wonder if there is anyway around that, cause i don't want to go to the states first and then dubai which i would guess would be doable. Any tips?

Dubai is not calculated as 'europe', it is, for OWE purposes, 'Middle East'.

If you must do LHR-HKG first then the only way to go to DXB on a OWE is on the way back, after crossing the Atlantic.

Edited to add: In fact not even then, because if you start in LHR you cannot do LHR-DXB later (only one international departure from country of origin).

Ok damn, even if i buy 6 continents it won't matter or?

It will not matter at all, your LHR-HKG first segment kills it.

If this OWE is actaully starting in LHR then after doing LHR-HKG I don't see any way of going to Dubai at all because the only OW routes to DXB are (I think) from LHR and HKG. The only way to do it would be to start somewhere else in Europe - e.g. get a cheap flight to CDG/FRA/AMS/FCO and start from there with the flight to HKG. Then you could do LHR-DXB-LHR-<wherever you started> at the end of the trip.

Alternatively, of course you could go LHR-DXB-HKG at the start of the trip, but starting a OWE in the UK is hugely expensive.

Correct (I had already edited my post).

I'm confused by the distinction you're making here (for practical purposes, in this particular question, anyway) DXB is, in fact, "counted as" one of your "European" stops, i.e. you can go to CDG, MAD, LIS, ARN, HEL, (many, many others..) and DXB is part of that list, correct? Again, talking practicalities here only. I sometimes go to DXB as one of my "European" stops since it's "far and has 3-class" (pathetic, I know.)

In any case, the OP can't accomplish what he's trying to. Although listing the whole itin. -might- help people come up with some creative idea.

The distinction is important, or can be, in certain circumstances. The "area", or "continent", if you will, is not formally called 'Europe', it is in fact 'Europe/Middle East'. If that were all it would be mere semantics, and for practical purposes, as you say, we might as well call it just 'Europe' and be done with it, but, since the OWE allows for start/end open jaw in some cases, the distinction becomes important, as one of the open jaws allowed is between 'Europe' and 'Middle East'.

Excellent point(s). I was just sayin' that as far as the OP's query goes only (and correct me if you think this is not accurate) the answer is:
"Once you have left 'Europe'-- an a xONE starting there-- there is no way of getting back to any destination in 'Europe' until the very end of the trip." Or something like that.

As in, I think the OP was solely concerned with "is there a way to get to DXB" on this ticket (ex-LHR) after I've done LHR-HKG (maybe thinking that one could go to the "Middle East" from another continent (outside of "Europe") i.e. if there was a system that lumped Indian sub-continent w/ middle east (which might even seem logical to someone unfamilair with thr rules)-- that type of thing-- so in that sense (and only in that sense) for xONE purposes, DXB is "part of Europe."

In any case-- I think we all agree-- the answer is "no."

Depending on the op's circumstances, he could go back to DXB from somewhere close that is in Asia. For instance, a ticket from Karachi is only about $200 so he could go LHR-HKG-KHI-HKG-.... and purchase a KHI-DXB-KHI seperately. Same from Bombay, Colombo, or Delhi though more expensive.