Some things I picked up from the AA ATW desk:

- Segment limit will go down to 16, including surface segments - in prep for mandatory eticketing. [Yet some Amadeus people say that they can produce 20 segment etickets ]

- We'd be able to book RTW itineraries on oneworld.com. Hopefully this means we're still able to ring up the carrier of our choice and/or choose who to issue itineraries through, instead of the booking engine automatically defaulting to 'first outbound carrier.'

Not sure of the reliability of the source, but best to issue any itineraries asap.

How it currently (and has for some time) works with *A is the RTWMC tool provides a quote form which you can send off to any airline (or you can copy and paste to give to a TA). Pax still has the choice.

Quite the enhancements!

Given the already limiting 20 segment rule for xONE5 and xONE6 (ie too few segments to really use those tickets as a mileage/points generator), it'll just get more frustrating with the 16 segment limit. I hope they at least drop the prices if they make that change.

Drop the price ?? Not likely .
Many *ONE* tickets sold do use the maximum number of segments. It just that we FT'ers do
The 16 segment limit has been suggested before.

I agree with you - highly unlikely (even if justified)

Are you saing that many xONEx tickets don't use the maximum segments? I've never been on one yet, but am in the process of planning my first (second,...? could be addictive). I would hate to see the limit dropped.

I agree with Mwenenzi (or at least what I think he meant). The majority of all xONEx will be a single digit number of coupons. This change would hit us at FT but will not likely cause any reaction in the marketplace.

Yes, but don't forget the backpackers (no idea what percentage they contribute though)!

If the reasoning is to phase out paper tickets then there's nothing to stop the e-ticktes being initially issued with 16 sectors and then add the remaining sectors once a few have been flown, especially relevant given that airport changes within cities count as a coupon for the e-ticket 'issuance' limit (but not necessarily towards the overall 20 e-ticket limit - from comments I've read on FT, the jury seems to be out but on this one but in my experience it's fine). Plus, it would be additional income for the airlines when the e-ticket is reissued!

Why are e-tickets capped at 16 segments?

I'm assuming this is some form of restriction within the software so why cant the developers revise the software to allow for an update to be downloaded allowing 20 segments?

I know it won't be as simple as that - as I would like to think it would have already been done if this was the case!

Anyone able to provide an idiots insight?

My understanding is that the majority of xONEx tickets sold are LONExs.

My understanding is also that the 16 segment limitation is native to Sabre-based systems (AA); and of course in Oneworld, where different members use Sabre or Amadeus, it's the weakest link that controls. The GDSs are probably the biggest case of hideously outmoded mid-20th century software still in use. The systems have grown so "comprehensive" and invasive of all elements of global travel booking that tweaking one element runs the risk of the whole edifice coming apart. Even when, e.g., Sabre tries to move to more of a GUI system for travel agents ("My Sabre" for instance) the result is clunky beyond words. It needs a whole rebuild, but for the time being the GDSs are so profitable, each with its own priesthood and vestal virgins, and so competitive, and the airlines (and hotels and cruiselines) so dependent on them, that it would require a major capital risk to come up with a new system, not to mention a long period for breaking-in. The result is no motivation. I've always thought this could be ripe fruit for some cash-flush big Redmond-based software firm to exploit, but perhaps not.

In any event I suspect this is a happy confluence of technology- and profit-driven circumstance, and we should just get over it. Remember, these are the people that decided to save a million dollars a year by removing pillows from coach. However my view is that even at 16 segments xONExs will offer reduced but still good value; it will just make route planning that much more entertaining.

Why stop at 20? *A RTWs allow 24 coupons.

Can you imagine if Google entered this market? They would give the system to airlines and agents for free, but when the travel agent or customer rep searches for your itinerary it would serve up hotel ads on the side and they would have to read these ads to you before proceeding.

Sabre does that now in their GUI applications. Over to the right of the blue-screen gobbledygook you'll see a little flashing reminder that so-and-so rental car firm has a hot upgrade deal in Orlando for your customers. Their technology may be antique but their willingness to sell screen space to honored pals is fully up to date.

And only a max of 39K flight miles and you have to include the mileage for surface segments.

This restriction makes no sense at all to me. Maybe there is some marketing reason for it that escapes me but I find it just plain stupid.

Oh by the way, do I hear an echo echo echo?

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1705604

Said unperson now confirming this, FWIW.