Ok, I'm getting ready to book my trip. Thank you all for the help ^

I'm sure someone has started their xONEx in Finland? Where did you book your itinerary? Because I just called Finnair Contact Center and also Business reservations and they mostly panicked when I started to talk about OneWorld Explorer ticket Big help they are, couldn't even tell me the base fare of the ticket. Maybe I should use BA? Would that work better?

Hi,
I am at the moment planning a DONE4 originating in HEL. I have very good experiences with AY, when providing them with a list of all the flights including route, timetable and flightnumbers. I recommend you to send the list to them by e-mail or visit to the finnair office personally.

Note that after the recent price changes Sweden originations are running around 6-10% less than comparable Finland originations. Might be negligible on some fares, significant on higher-priced ones (e.g. EUR 465 on a DONE4, EUR 665 on an AONE4.)

Your expectations are too high. Cathay is the only carrrier I know that you can say OneWorldExplorer to any agent and get an understanding reply, and that's probably only NAMRES, because the operation is (probably) too small to have an rtw desk.

The other big airlines - BA, AA, etc - immediately pass you to rtw or atw desk. It's a complicated specialty - don't hold it against them. I don't know how Finnair does it - if they don't have an rtw desk, ask to speak with a supervisor who knows that aspect of their business.

Yes I know I'm expecting sometimes too much about other people
Finnair does not have an rtw desk, but today we agreed with them that I'll send my itinerary to them by email and they'll get back to me when someone who knows the product is available (hopefully next week).

That will propably be a paper ticket? (20 segments)

If you're not positive you know the rules really well, run your itin through the validator software or the human validation machines that hang around here. It'll save extra trips through the two-week circuit.

Or if one of the other OW airlines has an office or GSA there (or you can find a TA in a country that's no more expensive than Finland) do business with them instead.

Also, if you plan to spread your trip over a long period and will probably re-route yourself somewhere along the way, at first have them issue only the segments you're sure about (plus some dummy ones to make it a complete trip.) 16 segments or less will get you a machine-printed ticket (is that true on Finnair?), their thanks, and will save you paying taxes and fees for segments that you'll eventually change.

(Iit 's not clear that money for changed segment fees ever gets credited. I think they're supposed to, but the fees data that's preserved with the ticket (they've never heard of computers) is often too cryptic for them to understand, so they just don't bother. What can the pax do? He doesn't understand it either.)

(Emeco in Cairo is "almost" a choice, except Egypt is USD250 more expensive for an AONE5. They ticket on AA stock, and you might save enough in fuel charges to make up the $250, but I doubt it. Blands in Gib was very responsive when Harry was there, and will end up with the Finnish price, but I don't know how knowledgeable harry's replacement is. Also they'll use BA, not a cheap or speedy choice.)

A year or two ago I asked Finnair a few questions about OWE and they did have someone who was very familiar with the product.

There are also several travel agencies that are familiar with the RTW tickets (Suomen matkatoimisto and Area, both owned by Finnair, and e.g. Mr Travel). In addition to the OWE and GE, they also offer Finnair-Qantas Excursion (Finnair, Qantas, Australian Airlines) and Discovery Fare (BA, Qantas, Air Pacific) -- not that they'd be very useful unless you want to go Australia. The pricing is also very similar to OWE.

The RTW matters are typically handled by the longhaul specialist people.

While I've not bought an OWE from Finnair, I have reissued one with them a couple of times, and the Helsinki town office was reasonably knowledgeable about them. (Although these days they are reluctant to do the work unless you have some AY flights on your ticket as well -- I guess the $125 isn't enough for an hour's work by an agent.)

I've been forced to reissue with AY as well and at that time they had their own 50 eur charge for the process...they said it's automatic for all non AY ticketing/reissue tasks. This was back when xONEx reissue charge was still $75, dunno if they have changed it since.