RTW Simple newbie questions
 

So here it goes, just to clarify i have read the stickies and over 50 threads on RTW issues, these still remain a bit.

I am looking at all different possibilities (Departing from LHR or CPH)

Some questions though, which RTW fares have Free date changes? (I MEAN FREE! no admin fee of 25$ or so)

I know Oneworld have "Open dates" anybody else offer this?
(Talked to a TA said this doesn't apply anymore?? just lost or?)

Which RTW fare is the cheapest to add routes on?

And is it possible to take seperate routes on any of the fares, example

Say routing is
LHR-NRT, NRT-KUL, KUL-SIN

Can i take LHR-NRT, and then KUL-SIN and do NRT-KUL later? or do they have to follow?

My case is that i am very uncertain about dates and destinations so i pretty much need the most flexible fare i can find (Y class)

As far as I know, all the OW RTW products allow "free" date/time changes; the add-on hidden charges occur when the ticket is actually handled by someone, i.e., you make an itinerary change and the ticket is re-issued - not only will the published re-issue fee (formerly USD75, now USD125?) be charged, but some, like QF or BA, will also make an additional $25 or $50 charge for ticketing or some other excuse.

RTWs require you to use the route of the alliance members, so if you want to go NRT-KUL on OW, for instance, you'd need to actually go NRT-HKG-KUL, because no OW carrier flies nonstop between NRT and KUL. So in Asia you'll end up transiting HKG most of the time, thereby using up your allowed Asia segments quickly. As for open-jaws (LHR-NRT//KUL-HKG for example), yes, you can do that on the Oneworld Explorer ticket. Mileage-limited RTWs, like the Global Explorer or the Star Alliance RTWs, will count open-jaw distances against the total allowed mileage.

If you're starting your RTW in LHR or CPH, quite frankly, and looking for an economy fare, and especially if you have no pre-existing loyalty to OW, you're probably better off looking at the Star Alliance RTW product, which is generally more affordable (and more restrictive) than OW's for trips originating in Europe.

Thx, not really talking about open jaws, i am talking about doing different segments of the trip individually, that a possibility?

I thought the whole point with "Open dates" is that there is only the destination printed on the BP but no date, just says X or?

No problem with breaking the RTW ticket and using the different segements at different times of the year - a lot (most?) of us do that. But remember, you do have to use the segements in the ticketed order, or there would be a ticket reissue (and associated costs) involved.

You have to use the coupons in order. Otherwise you would essentially simply be able to buy 20 one-way tickets for a fraction of the price. Open dated does simply have the destination without a date, but you still have to use them in the correct sequence.

With paper tickets it has reportedly been known for check-in agents to overlook out of sequence coupons. But as OW ticketing becomes increasingly electronic this will be impossible.

Ok newbie sets in again.

Say the beginning of the trip looks like this (Don't bother if OW doesn't do it, just example)


1. LHR-NRT
2. NRT-BKK
3. BKK-SIN
4. SIN-SYD

I do the first flight on a selected date as the rules say, the other 3 is open date tickets, can i then fly BKK-SIN on the 11th of October say and NRT-BKK on the 21st of Oct?

Also say i had the above schedule, but needed to skip the SIN-SYD flight and make it a openjaw from AKL instead, would this be possible (Would there only be a re-issue fee?)

No. You will have up to 20 sequential paper tickets. Any change in the order of the flights or the city pairs, no matter if they're open dated or not, will result in a re-issue fee.

While I don't fully understand the second half of your question re SYD and AKL, any change to the routing or flight order will result in a re-issue.

Ok thanks.

So now only 1 question remain unanswered :)

Which RTW fare carries the lowest Re-issue fee?

And you've whom have done RTW do you find yourself re-issuing tickets in the end or do you just take seperate flights?

Also doesn't really most the airlines issue E-tickets today? (If they do will there be the issue of making it a e-ticket instead of paper)

All the fare classes require a change fee to be reissued, which was $75 but is now $125. There has been some talk about QF and BA adding on additional fees on top of it but I haven't experienced it first hand.

If you're asking do you use the RTW ticket if you've found a routing change or book an entirely new ticket, it depends on your schedule. I've reissued tickets a number of times but have also bought a separate ticket too. $125 within the US can often get you a shorthaul RT fare.

Finally, anything more than a 16 segment ticket currently has to be handwritten so it is automatically a paper ticket. Anything less they will try to E-ticket.

AKAIK

OW One World Explorer:125 USD
OW Global Explorer: 150 USD
OW Circle Pacific: 100 USD
OW Circle Trip(aka Circle Indian Ocean): 125 USD

Star Alliance RTW : 125 USD
Star Alliance Circle Pacific: 75 USD

Skyteam RTW: 100 USD, date change also charged (100USD)

What has not been mentioned here is that, aside from the first segment, you can change the date and time of any other segment without penalty.

This is as long as:
• The segments are still flown in order, &
• No changes to origin and detination ports would occur.

For example you may have the following itinery:
.
Seg3: AKL-SYD Jan 10 QF120
Seg4: SYD-LHR Jan 20 QF31
Seg5: LHR-LAX Feb 10 BA279
.
You can change Seg4 without reticketing as long as it is 1) flown after Seg3 and before Seg5, & 2) Stays as SYD-LHR.

i.e.
-You can't fly it Jan 5th (unless you also change Seg3 to be before then.).
-You can't change Seg4 to go, say MEL-LHR or SYD-SIN, BKK-LHR.
-You can't change SYD-SIN (QF5), SIN-LHR (QF31)
Any of these require reticketing.

Note, You can change to QF1 (via BKK intead of SIN) or QF29 (via HKG) or QF5 (earlier) as these routings would all be designated SYD-LHR.

Thx everyone.

Gardyloo you say Star Alliance might be a better choice, how come?
They seem to be more expensive, doesn't operate so well in south america as OW does. I have only BA Blue in OW, and SK Gold in *Alliance

But from what i understand they might have a better option of E-ticket which would mean easy date change (I know i might have to open a thread in the *alliance forum instead)

Depending on your itinerary, economy *A RTWs ex-Sweden are well priced, as are economy RTWs ex-UK in both the *A and OW programs. It's important to add the cost of getting to the start point into any price calculations; i.e., an ex-CAI ticket may carry an attractive price, but you have to get to CAI in the first place, which costs something. You said CPH or LON were good start points (assuming CPH could extend across the bridge.)

There is probably some debate out there regarding *A v. OW in S. America. I don't think you've mentioned SA in your previous posts as a main destination; however I don't think I'd get a lot of argument that *A has better Asia coverage, arguably better NA coverage, and with SAA joining, soon much better Africa coverage.

Thx, i don't really have any main destinations, asia, NA and SA is the one's i will visit. unfourtunatley there is no partnership for being able to purchase a RTW in sweden and depart from CPH disappeared in 2001 i think.

No you purchase and depart from the same country. I was just saying you could start your RTW in Sweden, close by.

You mean doing a openjaw from say MMX (Malmo very close) to CPH?

Just thought i would continue here.

There is no way of doing a OWE3 for Europe/Asia/SA right? i have to use either NA or SWP?

Cause from what i understand even transiting through other continent will count.

Also is a transit considered a segment? if not does that mean you can do 4 segments, and do unlimited transits as long as your within the 20 flight limit?

Yes, you need xOWE4 to visit South America.

20 flights limit means 20 flight coupons, 20 boading passes, or 20 flight numbers for whole your trip.
Even your flight contains some stops, one flight number means one segment.

For example, QF1 SYD/LHR 1stop at BKK.
If your itinerary is SYD-LHR and one flight coupon, it is one segment.
If you go SYD-BKK-LHR and two flight coupons, it is two segment even you just transit at BKK.

As well as the overall limit of 20 segments, there's also a limit of 4 within each continent (6 for north america).

Not until there is a flight from Asia to SA (none at present), and transoceanic surface is not allowed except for Australia origin OWE. Both are unlikely to change soon, so you are limited to xONE4 when including SA, SWP or Africa.