Gardyloo

As always, thanks and two big ^ ^ to Kanebear, Darren, WBT and all who devote their skill and time to keeping us up-to-date on RTW fares and rules.

Kiwi Flyer

Thanks wearybiztrvlr ^^

JohnAx

I guess I have no clue what a "star file" is if it's not the final authority that everyone is supposed to use regarding rules and prices. Is there a industry-inside-secret file that the various rate desks use instead? Since the revenue from an rtw ticket presumably gets shared, there must be some uniform set of values that everyone uses???

Viajero

Everyone tha uses Sabre, that is, and therefore more an AA document than an industry wide "Bible".

Guy Betsy

The EUR vs USD are not typos. But rather BA taking advantage of the situation and deciding to issue the tickets in EUR instead of USD which is what is supposed to be. If AA is to issue the ticket, it would be in USD.

headinclouds

And if you can find a TA in those countries that uses Sabre, they would use the AA rates which are USD. Lots of luck.

Gardyloo

TAL Aviation, which serves as AA's and CX's GSA in numerous locations (WAW. TLV, HEL, etc.) is opening a Romania office "soon" according to their website.

Now if some intrepid FTer who happened, in this busy travel season, to be visiting a city with significant TAL presence, were to pop in and make a convincing argument (using the "this will make you a lot of money" approach) that TAL should take along their AA plates when they open their new store, well, wouldn't that be worthy of praise and gifts of great value to said FTer?

A friend of ours is returning to Bulgaria in September to finish her Fulbright year, and I am now coaching her on how to find TAs in Bulgaria that speak Sabre. Probably futile, but who's to say?

Guy Betsy

It doesn't matter if they do or not... they still have to issue the ticket on whoever prices the ticket. And in the case of many parts of former 'eastern' europe, that responsibility lies with BA and not AA as most TAs in Europe do not have any ticketing rights with AA.

There is a very convuloted way in which one can get AA involved in pricing the ticket and forcing BA to honor the fare quoted by AA in USD instead of EUR to issue the ticket as is, but it would involve AA in the US, Dublin, Thailand and whatever EU country you want the ticket issued from..

I'll try it later in the year.. and if I succeed, I'll share it. But in the meantime..

number_6

Amazing if this is true ... a Oneworld published fare which varies based on the airline doing the ticketing for the same fare basis? That really doesn't seem plausible, but then the wonders of Oneworld never cease to amaze at times. Presumably when MA joins Oneworld there is a window of opportunity to ticket this by MA (with 50-50 chance of AA vs. BA fares).

Darren

Wasn't this the case on the *A RTW fares for a long time? I seem to recall ex-Egypt fares issued by TG were less than those issued by LH and the others.

FWAAA

Crap.

There goes my plan for beginning a new AONE4 from NBO.

Oh, well - CMB is still reasonable (although somewhat expensive to get to in comfort the first time).

Guy Betsy

Chances are that MA will be using AMADEUS = Hence using BA's pricing instead of AA's.

Gardyloo

Interesting point. If the rules/fares are different according to the CRS used by the various airlines, is there a "source point" for the rules that is then modified/interepreted etc. before it ends up on agents' screens? I know there are QF, CX, and AA versions of the OWE rules (all similar but in different layout/format) but is that the result of them translating from some original material, or just using their editorial license based on an outline, or what? Does the OW HQ staff (in YVR) get into the game somehow, or is it even OW's role to synchronize or interpret one member's interpretation of a common product's rules to the others? Or is all "coordination" of services or products bilateral between the members with on OW "corporate" involvement? Does anyone in the FT community have access to Amadeus to see if there's a BA/Amadeus equivalent to the Sabre star files?

So many questions...

Viajero

I don't have any answers, but I do know you can add BA to the list above.

I suspect that even if a master doc does exist, for each ow airline what really counts is their own "internal manual". One day, when arguing the toss with a BA agent, I read to him verbatim from AA's starfile, thinking I was quoting the "bible", but he dismissed it (albeit in a most british way) by quoting from his bible, the BA manual.

number_6

Interesting, my own experience is that whenever there was a discrepancy between airlines it was a mistake and rectified when pointed out -- your experience suggests a deliberate difference and no attempt to reconcile it. Too bad if oneworld is starting to fall apart -- how ironic to have a Oneworld branded product that is inconsistent between members!