Best deal for LONE5 from SWP?
Apr 26, 2008 | 10:47 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2008
Programs: CX
Posts: 6
Best deal for LONE5 from SWP?
I am rushing to get a LONE5 before the new 16-segment rule takes effect on 1 June. Since I will be in MEL and AKL in the coming month, which would be a cheaper place to get a ticket?
The oneworld website lists ex-New Zealand as being cheaper than ex-Australia, but this is before taxes and surcharges. Although most postings in this forum recommend getting it ticketed from AA, I understand that the AKL office has closed (I actually prefer buying in NZ). Is there an AA office in MEL or anywhere else in Australia? If this is not possible or convenient, which airline, from your experience, charges the least surcharges for LONEx: QF or CX?
Thanks in advance.
The oneworld website lists ex-New Zealand as being cheaper than ex-Australia, but this is before taxes and surcharges. Although most postings in this forum recommend getting it ticketed from AA, I understand that the AKL office has closed (I actually prefer buying in NZ). Is there an AA office in MEL or anywhere else in Australia? If this is not possible or convenient, which airline, from your experience, charges the least surcharges for LONEx: QF or CX?
Thanks in advance.
Apr 26, 2008 | 11:49 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 22,932
eukaryx Welcome to FT ^
No AA office in Mebourne. There is an AA offfice in Sydney, but no public access. Have a look at this thread on AFF. Patience is needed so it cannot be rushed,
A Melbourne FTer booked a DONE4 with a local TA on AA ticket stock (low surcharges) as in this thread Look at post 16
No AA office in Mebourne. There is an AA offfice in Sydney, but no public access. Have a look at this thread on AFF. Patience is needed so it cannot be rushed,
A Melbourne FTer booked a DONE4 with a local TA on AA ticket stock (low surcharges) as in this thread Look at post 16
Last edited by Mwenenzi; Apr 26, 2008 at 11:55 pm
Apr 27, 2008 | 12:15 am
#3
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: SYD
Posts: 3,045
<deleted>
edited: eek sorry failed to realise that u don't actually reside here...
Try trailfinders (website: trailfinders.com.au) - they're most willing to plate tickets on AA stock but do insist on your first flight being on AA (out of Oz that'd be codeshares operated by QF - they even exist solely as transtasman, I was able to book QF25 as AA7315 with stopover). Other than that they're generally quite clued up about the rules of an xONEx.
If you're wanting to book via the airline directly, I believe CX charges less fuel fines than QF does.
edited: eek sorry failed to realise that u don't actually reside here...
Try trailfinders (website: trailfinders.com.au) - they're most willing to plate tickets on AA stock but do insist on your first flight being on AA (out of Oz that'd be codeshares operated by QF - they even exist solely as transtasman, I was able to book QF25 as AA7315 with stopover). Other than that they're generally quite clued up about the rules of an xONEx.
If you're wanting to book via the airline directly, I believe CX charges less fuel fines than QF does.
Apr 28, 2008 | 12:54 am
#5
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: QF Gold LTG (ow Saph), HHon Silver, Marriot Gold
Posts: 3,011
My magic 8-ball (ie my hacked version of Weary's spreadsheet)
shows the following prices for LONEs
(see http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showp...82&postcount=7 for SWP DONEs)
In US Dollars. Per OW website at 24-Apr, Currency at 28-Apr
shows the following prices for LONEs
(see http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showp...82&postcount=7 for SWP DONEs)
Code:
LONE3 LONE4 LONE5 LONE6 New Zealand Bc na 2,835 3,093 3,554 New Zealand Pk na 2,960 3,210 3,671 Australia Basic na 3,068 3,591 4,188 Pakistan 2,580 3,098 3,563 4,096 Hong Kong 2,770 3,176 3,797 4,446 Zimbabwe na 3,200 3,600 4,200 Australia Peak na 3,245 3,805 4,439 Sri Lanka 2,777 3,313 3,813 4,395 Philippines 2,766 3,320 3,819 4,391 Indonesia 2,808 3,370 3,876 4,457 Korea 2,918 3,502 4,027 4,732 Taiwan 2,938 3,525 4,054 4,663 Thailand 2,935 3,526 4,055 4,764 China 3,285 3,754 4,316 4,962 Singapore 3,473 3,939 4,530 5,492 Malaysia 3,420 3,983 4,543 5,225
Apr 29, 2008 | 11:05 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2008
Programs: CX
Posts: 6
Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I think I will have ticketing done in New Zealand by CX or QF. CX may charge higher surcharges but the base fare (peak period) for LONE5 is about AUD750 cheaper in NZ. It might work out all the same if I tried ticketing with AA in Australia. I am still waiting for a quote by CX.
Plus I wanted to go to New Zealand anyway.
Plus I wanted to go to New Zealand anyway.
Apr 30, 2008 | 7:21 am
#7
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Portland OR Double Emerald (QF and AA), DL PM/MM, Starwood Plat
Posts: 19,593
I bought several OWE tickets from http://www.travel.co.nz a few years ago and they did an excellent job. No recent experience with them, and they may not be able to issue on AA stock. I used CX stock as that was advantageous at that time (no longer true). Office is conveniently located a short walk from AKL CBD.
Jun 19, 2008 | 10:28 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2008
Programs: CX
Posts: 6
I am about 2 weeks into my first xONEx trip and finally have time to post my booking experience here. I am doing a LHONE5 with the following routing:
AKL-xSCL-IPC-SCL-LIM-EZE-LAX-JFK-CUN-xDFW-PTY-MAD-CAI-AMM-FRA-HKG-SIN-NRT-SIN-xHKG-AKL
A total of 57881 miles and all 20 segments flown...lots of carbon offsets to buy
.
I wanted to start from New Zealand but the problem was that I wanted ticketing done before 1st June but won't actually be in New Zealand until mid-June. And I don't live in New Zealand.
At first I wanted to purchase directly from a Oneworld carrier in New Zealand. Qantas and British Airways were out of the question because of their high fuel surcharges, LAN doesn't seem to have a contact in Auckland, American Airlines shut down its office, so I approached Cathay. After some emails back and forth, the agent politely informed me that they were not going to do the booking because it did not have enough CX segments in it (for a earlier itinerary different from the above).
So my next alternative was to approach a travel agent. So I contacted the good ol' STA in Auckland and asked them to see if it was possible to get tickets on American Airlines stock. Their in-house ticketing office managed to do so, and this AA-issued ticket works out to:
NZD4790 (about US$3645)
base fare NZD4109 + taxes NZD573 + the rest as fuel surcharges and whatever commission and fees of STA
The bottom line is that it is possible to get AA-issued tickets in NZ without having step foot on NZ or actually living there ^. Would like to see if any Kiwis can buy direct from AA in NZ. Maybe the ticket will be mailed over from the AA office in Sydney?
AKL-xSCL-IPC-SCL-LIM-EZE-LAX-JFK-CUN-xDFW-PTY-MAD-CAI-AMM-FRA-HKG-SIN-NRT-SIN-xHKG-AKL
A total of 57881 miles and all 20 segments flown...lots of carbon offsets to buy
.I wanted to start from New Zealand but the problem was that I wanted ticketing done before 1st June but won't actually be in New Zealand until mid-June. And I don't live in New Zealand.
At first I wanted to purchase directly from a Oneworld carrier in New Zealand. Qantas and British Airways were out of the question because of their high fuel surcharges, LAN doesn't seem to have a contact in Auckland, American Airlines shut down its office, so I approached Cathay. After some emails back and forth, the agent politely informed me that they were not going to do the booking because it did not have enough CX segments in it (for a earlier itinerary different from the above).
So my next alternative was to approach a travel agent. So I contacted the good ol' STA in Auckland and asked them to see if it was possible to get tickets on American Airlines stock. Their in-house ticketing office managed to do so, and this AA-issued ticket works out to:
NZD4790 (about US$3645)
base fare NZD4109 + taxes NZD573 + the rest as fuel surcharges and whatever commission and fees of STA
The bottom line is that it is possible to get AA-issued tickets in NZ without having step foot on NZ or actually living there ^. Would like to see if any Kiwis can buy direct from AA in NZ. Maybe the ticket will be mailed over from the AA office in Sydney?
Jun 20, 2008 | 12:27 am
#9
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: MEL
Posts: 2,441
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...=802404&page=2
You should report this to oneworld4u, the resident "oneworld representative".