All,

Thanks for all the assistance.

We've booked MEL-HKG-NRT-SIN-NRT-HKG-LHR-CAI-xLHR-IST-xLHR-SFO-DFW-BWI-DFW-SEA-JFK-xSYD-DRW-xBNE-MEL and have been ticketed this week.

Our TA (local suburban TA in Melbourne) had no trouble with the booking and ticketing with AA (no AA longhaul in the ticket) and if anyone is looking for a TA I'd recommend her heartily. (PM me for details.)

Total taxes came to $690 per ticket which is very impressive.

Interestingly, the ticket is printed in Melbourne on IATA paper, coupons showing issuer AA. I was expecting a hand-written ticket so I'm disappointed! :+>

We shall of course nip home and back to work during the SYD stopover then resume our trip with a flying visit and dinner with my cousin in Darwin followed by attending a family wedding in BNE in Sep 2009.

All up, we'll have 116 hours in the air, and earn a hair over 105,000 points in QFF.

Thanks again, all, for your assistance, in this thread and elsewhere!

Audrey