Surface Segments
 

Hi all

I am currently trying to arrange a xONE4 originating in Japan. The agent I am dealing with is receiving differing rule interpretations regarding the surface segment ruling. Of 5 oneworld carriers he has spoken to 3 have said surface sectors are OK and 2 are saying no go and 1 of these is saying that there has been a recent rule change. Please does anyone have any concrete evidence of any recent rule changes regarding surface segments. I have looked at the latest starfiles posted in this forum and they still indicate surface sectors are permissable. Any advice appreciated.

Colly

Show the star file to the rep or agent that's raising the issue. Note not all surface segments (transoceanic for example) are kosher.

Surface sectors in general are absolutely fine. There are a few specific restrcitions so we'd need to know you exact proposed routing to be sure.

Why are you dealing with an agent (and why is the agent talking to 5 airlines)? Why don't you just deal direct with CX in NRT as many in this forum have reported doing with no trouble?

Hi all

Thanks for info so far. I am using an agent in Japan as I am getting paper tickets via friend in Japan and I didnt want the issue of not having my tickets before departure from Australia. I believe the agent is talking to the 5 airlines because he is getting conflicting information and was trying to get the correct interpretation.Interestingly QF, BA,CX agree that it dousnt count as a sector whilst JL and AA are telling the agent it does. I have run the itinerary through mileage monkey and all appears valid. itineray as follows for any comments please

nrt-xhkg-pek-xhkg-sin//hkg-lhr-fco-xlhr-dxb-xlhr-phx//tus-xord-sea-ord-las//lax-mco//jfk-syd-cns-syd-per-nrt

That looks fine to me too.

I wonder if the difficulty they are having is not surface sectors per se but the "stopover in the continent of origin" rule. They may be counting three (PEK, SIN, HKG) but in fact a surface segment is only one stopover not two.

All the versions of the rules I know now say explicitly that a maximum of 20 flight segments are permitted, so the surface segments taking it over 20 in total isn't be a problem.

The other difficulty they will be having is that the ticketing system may require an extra coupon for the surface segments which means this is going to require 6 packs of coupons (I believe they still come in fours even with ATB tickets). This may be more than some system somewhere can cope with.

But in any case, persevere - this is a perfectly valid itinerary.

I agree, but also know that it would not be the first time surface sectors in the continent of origin are counted as two stops per surface sector. There are a few posts in the archive in this regard (and also others where this was not a problem, of course).

It seems to me also that a dubious interpretation of the continent of origin limit might be the problem. Could you consider a direct NRT-PEK flight on JL instead of transiting through HKG if that would solve the problem?

If the problem is that the airline is counting 3 stops, NRT-PEK would not solve it.

I've had 24 coupons on a *A RTW (and more in the past when limit was higher).

My experience with CX issued xONEx paper tickets from BKK is not that it comes in 6 x 4 packs, rather it is 20 pieces of cardboard together with 4 or 5 receipt cards and all stapled together and shoved in a folder. Total thickness about 1 cm. I have yet to see CX use a stapler that can handle that thickness of paper / cardboard.