I've been using *A RTWSTAR-tickets for a few years as they fitted my need quite well. With SK becoming an overpriced EasyJet and I'm already having travel to Africa on BA I figured it would be a natural thing to try and extend it into my first xONE5, either a DONE5 or AONE5 depending on pricing or how the segments pan out. I am currently a blueish colour wiht BAEC and will try to showhorn as much as possible of this into getting status wiht BAEC.

The current needs for this trip is to start in NBO, get through LHR, add the abvious DXB-segments and then a stopover in the north west US, possibly New York, and if segments permit, add SXM to the list, as well as getting through either SIN or BKK, and SYD. Apart from that, the obvious hunt for BA tier points.

From reading the rules, and old memory of having done this execise a few years back, my head concocted this trip:

NBO-LHR-DXB-LHR-IST-LHR-NRT-HKG-SIN-SYD-BKK-HKG-JFK-SXM-JFK-LAX-LHR-JNB-NBO

But this is giving me grief because I need to get from North America to Africa. Is this possible?

-A

Not possible, because there is no direct OW service between North America and Africa, and the rules don't allow you to enter/transit Europe a second time, on the way back to JNB.

In practical terms, if you start in NBO and your next continent is Europe you have to continue westbound to North America. Your other option from NBO is to go eastbound to Asia/SWP and do Europe on the way back.

ex-NBO RTW travel has got much more complicated since BA dropped regional routes such as JNB-NBO. Since you have to leave then later re-enter Africa from different continents (with the exception of Nigeria or Ghana originations) I see no way around having to add a seperately purhased JNB-NBO or vice versa ticket to complete the loop, or simply start in NBO but finish in JNB.

To validate possible RTW itineries, go to this great link:

http://jph.bytestacker.com/award.htm

hi, i'm planning a DONE4 myself, so i feel your pain.

you're limited to 2 LHR-middle east segments.

So your LHR-DXB-LHR-IST-LHR is 4 segments right there. You may need to use HEL or MAD as an alternative.

Good news: IST is -not- in the restricted list, so LHR-DXB-LHR-IST-LHR is perfectly ok.

The reviced and tweaked route:

jnb-hkg-bkk-syd-mel-sin-hkg-nrt-hkg-yvr-jfk-sxm-jfk-dfw-sfo-lhr-dxb-lhr-ist-lhr-jnb

It seems I'm getting away with a lot here. Any suggestions for getting away with more is welcome. I had a peek at the prices for ANOE5 from NBO and it wasn't too prohibitive. THen wrap it in a nice and cozy OSL-LHR-NBO and back in D class and it should be good fun.

Now next question is what of these segments have true F class?

ph-ndr-
May I ask what channel you used to book this ticket?

You can not reenter Asian continent unless rule permits.
So, jnb-bkk-syd-mel-sin-... is not permitted.

By the way, probably, JNB is the most expensive start point for XONEX fare.
You should avoid JNB for starting point.

There are obviously a few typo's. The outbound from Afrika to Europe should be NBO-LHR, no JNB-LHR, to get the right pricing.

Also I havent ticketed yet, but been in touch with BA in NBO and they said they had no issues with ticketing me when I'm passing through for work. Hope this clears the confusion.

Also, the route in it's last inception above passes the OW-validator on the bytestack site, so it has no issue with reentering Asia. As I read the rules on reentering, and attempted to put into the route, as long as the HKG-NRT-HKG is only a series of transits it should pass. The text on the issue:

"Any of these transit without stopover benefits can be taken in either direction (eg. Europe-SWP or SWP-Europe) and either before or after you wish to enter the continent for the second time to use your stopovers there. You can only leave and re-enter the continent of origin once, except for North America where you may have an additional transit without stopover."

I.e., I should be able to to the HKG-NRT-HKG, as long as it's a continous transit. Awkward, but fun.

You have me confused. Your "revised" intinerary starts JNB-HKG so going into Asia first, but above you talk about beginning NBO-LHR, which means your whole itinerary has to be reversed to do Europe first...

Maybe you could post your revised-revised itinerary here and we can take another look at mileage and how much actual first class flying you would be doing.