Curious - the new language turns up in rules (on EF) generated by QF and LA, but not in BA's, AA's, IB's, MA's or CX's versions.

Maybe we should just take a pill and chill for a few days.

Meanwhile, I presume the issue-date prevailing segment-count rules will apply throughout the life of a ticket, just as they do re eligible carriers.

Nobody has spoken to the star AA agent at the ATW desk yet?

The BA RTW (usa) desk don't know anything about it. But then again, they're not always the swiftest on the xONEx rules.

Looks like the change is universal. CX's and AA's rules on EF have just been updated to include the new rule.

The Explorer rule sheet (3015owrulev38_pm mark ups.pdf) on the OneWorld site is now dated 29 Jun. The new pdf file was created 30/06/07 10:31, so its very new.

12 hrs ago the 17 May version was downloadable.
Will print out both versions and compare line by line

From 3015owrulev38
A minimum of 3 and a maximum of 20 segments, including surface segments, are permitted for the entire journey.

The including surface segments is new

So assuming that this is true (i'm surprised such a fundamental change was not reported here earlier) what benefit does it bring to the airlines?

What about for routings where there is no OneWorld service? i.e. -HKG-DEL,BOM-SYD- why should I be penalised because the OWA doesn't have a partner I can travel on for that trip?

This sucks.

We would appear to be in the minority here in looking to get a few extra miles here and there / doing a RTW solely for a MR - which would mean that the majority use point-to-point trips anyway.

A trip I am planning would now take me to 29 segments including surface segments. The surface segments comprise of 7 deliberate overland trips with the other 2 not wanting to waste segments on short trips (i.e. LAX-DFW and SFO-YVR) that can be picked up very cheaply.

There goes another of my options for linking Oz cities: surface to/from Canberra.

It's on the official oneworld website and on most OW airlines computers, so there doesn't seem to be much doubt about it.

You're not alone...
Rules PER out completely for me unless I want to waste a short ADL-MEL or CBR-MEL segment, or proceed to SIN after getting into ADL.

a) More $$$ per *ONE* as more short segments.
b) Could be due ticketing going all e-ticket in the future. My understanding is e-ticket is limited to 16 coupons at this time

We are penalised in the same with many others cities in the world that don't have a OW service. Your -HKG-DEL,BOM-SYD- route is/was a good way to experience India and get best value out of the total ticket. Many others have done same for similar places. That strategy well in South America also

We all agree.

Probably true. We are the 1% who use all the rules and all segments. I have seen a QF DONE4 SYD-LAX-LHR-SYD. It was the cheapest way to get that routing.

I have done similar. This was one of features on the *ONE* that made it very good value.

So it sounds like surface segments do not count against the continent limits, only against the total 20? The key phrase being "free flight segments".

And I'm guessing that as with most rule changes, it only applies to new tickets, not to reissues. But I suppose I'll head out to the airport to reticket this afternoon just in case.

I'm not happy about it, but the product is evolving, and frankly this is a (slightly) more tolerable change than some that have been mooted, such as the famous "16 segment maximum" typo on the AA website. As it is, we have more and better carriers, and many more destinations on the list than we had a year ago.

IIRC the 20-segment limitation is not that old itself, and the unlimited mileage of the OWE still makes it infinitely preferable to the *A or other mileage-based products.

I do wonder, though, how rule and fare revisions work with OW. The Vancouver operation is pretty opaque - does some airline nominate a new rule and the others validate it? Do OW core staff drop a bill in the hopper followed by debate? It'd be interesting to know how they evaluate or road test new rules or fare restrictions. (Although it's probably like making sausage - you don't want to know.)

Too PC, IMO. I usually agree with you but this is hardly the time to view the evolutionary aspects of the fare, on the day it suffers a major devaluation that virtually wrecks not a few itineraries.

Ouch.

Well I did hold my breath and turn blue first. And my congressman is on his summer hols (pending indictment) so that avenue of recourse is temporarily closed.

I sent off a (nice) protest email to OW if that counts - http://www.oneworld.com/ow/contact/form