Help with booking ex MNL
 

I am in desperate need of some help to finalise a DONE4 booking ex MNL. I have had the route validated, and confirmation of the cost and taxes. My first segments are with CX, thus I need to arrange payment and ticketing through them. My problem is to actually make contact with them. I have phone numbers and fax numbers, and have sent 4 faxes without any reply, and made approximately 10 calls - each time hearing a recorded message saying the "all the operators are busy - call again later", and then it hangs up!

It would seem totally impossible to actually buy a ticket from CX in Manila. I have been trying now for three weeks.

I know that some have had experience with the CX Manila office, and have reported that it seems rather disorganised.

So, what are my options? My DONE4 was tantalisingly close. I could arrange payment in Australia, and pay the higher price I guess. Or buy from somewhere else in Asia, as I would like to vist the continents in the order Asia - South-west Pacific - Europe - North America.

As always I welcome any suggestions from the combined wealth of experience on FT..

Apart from recent issues where CX suspended flights to and from CMB, I would suggest Sri Lanka. My experience with the CX agency there was extremely smooth.

Reasonably straight forward to get there to collect TIX as well

Just a quick note, It is impossible to fly your desired ASIA-SWP-EU-NA continent order. You will have to change it to ASIA-SWP-NA-EU as there are no direct flights SWP-EU.

Ignore the above. There are, of course, many direct flights SWP-EU. There are no non-stop flights, but the second entry into Asia is allowed under this exemption:

You may call up CX Tokyo/Narita ticketing office.
Because of ex-JPN DONE4 fare is cheaper than ex-MNL fare,
you can get ex-MNL DONE4 fare from a ticketing office in Japan.

Recently, I purchased ex-ARN AONE3 from CX Tokyo ticketing office.

Thanks for the suggestion Wasabi Tofu. One of my thoughts was to book the DONE4 ex NRT instead of ex MNL. The challenge is how to pick up the tickets if they're issued in Japan. Especially since I wish to start the DONE4 in a couple of weeks.

Thanks to all for their suggestions. I am confident that my routing is OK - it's been validated by both QF and CX - it's just a matter of payment and ticketing...

I am surprised that CX isn't more responsive - surely they're one of the world's leading airlines?

If they are e-tickets and CX NRT is happy to accept credit card details remotely then surely this isn't an issue? Alternatively, CX NRT might be able to issue a paper ticket for collection on departure from MNL?

Postscript
 

Just to complete this story, in the end CX MNL did issue the DONE4 and it was available for me to pick up at the airport, which proceeded without a hitch. Then I had to turn around and cancel the whole trip due to health reasons! I was quite concerned at how long it was going to take to get a refund, but once the tickets were couriered to CX MNL they organised the refund and it appeared on my CC statement within a couple of weeks.

Subsequently I have been in touch with them via email to organise an ACIR22 ex MNL, and that has happened quite expediently. This may be the start of a long-standing relationship...

I'm now getting close to wanting to issue a couple of AONE3s ex-MNL and contemplating the tax / fuel fine situation I thought I should at least ask if anyone has ever tried issuing through AA's GSA in Manila (Airesources in Makati)? Ideally I'd want to issue the full 17 segments as paper tickets first time round rather than having to deal with reissues.

As an aside, I'd also like to use AA since they are holding confirmed reservations for me on AA6124 on the date I want to travel, booked by the AA RTW deak after CX was unable to confirm me on the same flight (CX888)! This whole POS stuff has got way out of hand.

Has anyone tried issuing oneworld fares out of MNL recently? I am looking at starting at a new DONE4 when my current one ends in NRT this July - the NRT pricing seems to have dramatically increased since I last ticketed mine (even taking into account fare increases).

Specifically I'd like more info on the AA GSA in MNL, in relation to:
1) Whether they'd accept credit card payment over the phone, or if not - any other forms of remote payment like wire transfers.

2) Whether they will issue paper tickets in advance without my physical presence as I'd like to lock in all 20 segments immediately since no one knows what's going to happen to reissues after mandatory eticketing.

3) Any special local fees, taxes etc I should be aware of?

I should hasten to add that my other option is the AA GSA in SGN but MNL seems to be more 'well trodden' on FT. The difference is only about A$100 anyway.

And I do need it to be ticketed on AA stock because that's the only way i can apply upgrades to the AA segments. I have no shortage of overwater segments on AA.

Thanks in advanced! :)

It was hard reaching the Philippines for some reason but I finally got through:

AA MNL:

http://www.aa.com/aa/i18nForward.do?...hilippines.jsp

1) Does not take credit card payment over the phone BUT
2) Accepts wire transfers
3) Willing to issue paper ticket in advance once payment is received without the pax's physical presence
4) Indicated a preference for holding the ticket and passing it to me on arrival; it didn't occur to me to ask if they'd be willing to mail it overseas if I organise and pay for courier. EDIT: They are willing to mail paper tix overseas - simply chuck in the courier fee with the wire transfer. ^^

Sorry I forgot to ask if they'd issue it without AA segments as that's not normally an issue for me given that I do want AA segments for the bonuses.

And according to others there's a special Philippines local fee but it isn't much. (A$43 when i last checked)

Looks like the Philippines is next in my list of places to visit. :D

Excellent news - thanks for reporting back here with the update - very useful ^

I've just initiated the payment/ticketing etc process of my DONE4 with AA MNL (aka Airesources). The total worked out to be USD7779.70 which includes +++ of USD753.70, contains one dose of the UK APD. Final itinerary as follows:

July 2008:
MNL
xHKG
DPS
xHKG
MEL

Jan/Feb 2009:
MEL
CNS
MEL
xLHR
MCT
xLHR
IST
LHR

Open dated (for June-July 2009):
LHR
LAX
SJU
xORD
AUS
SEA
xDFW
JFK
NRT
MNL

Not fully optimized for the Asian bit as I was trying to avoid the unnecessary flying on JO for MNL-DPS, I don't need the excess EQPs, and the CX flights actually gain more award miles as JO doesn't attract the status bonus. The rest of the itinerary is a balance between retaining status in the 2009 membership year and getting to places I want to be.

FedEx charges USD30 to courier, and it'd take 3 days to send the ticket to Australia.

Will be wiring money across tomorrow.

Let the waiting begin...:eek:

Thanks for the update - seems pretty straight forward.

I would be interested to know why QF009 dealt with AA in MNL via their agent. I thought that in purchasing an XONEX you needed to deal with the airline flying the first sector of your trip. I have done two circle pacific trips our of Manila, the first with QF where I had to wire the money and it took forever to arrive, causing a few days of worry. But, arrive it did, then I had some hassles having the ticket issued as they needed proof that I was in the Philippines, and I wasn't near the ticket office. So a scanned copy of my passport page was provided, and that worked. All in all, a bit complex for my liking.

The second was with CX who accepted credit cards, and once they began to reply to my emails, which took a couple of weeks, the ticket was booked, paid for and issued without much trouble at all.

Keep us posted on progress...