Canadian fare exception not accepted by BA?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: New York
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Canadian fare exception not accepted by BA?
I have been on the phone with a Oneworld representative who very nicely helped me sort through an itinerary for a RTW for myself and two children. Lon-DME-surface-KWL-HKG-NRT-JFK-BDA-LON. In all honesty I am in the midst of pricing so I really don't know if the 21,000 mile available fare in economy is possible or this becomes a 26,000. Flush with the success of the Misner family I called the available telephone number found in Canada which connected me to the Oneworld office in USA. They said that they never price a Canadian purchased ticket with the benefit of the lower initial departing flight price. They have sent it off to be queried which will take they say at last 48 to 72 hours. I am flumoxed because my response seemed so weak and they seemed very disinterested with this anomaly in their traditional pricing. Any rules that pertain to this situation that I can find in writing. Thank You
I must say I am attempting this using BA Oneworld.
I must say I am attempting this using BA Oneworld.
Last edited by 3galsontour; May 2, 2008 at 9:04 am Reason: forgot to include some info
#2
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Madrid, Spain & Santiago, Chile
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I have been on the phone with a Oneworld representative who very nicely helped me sort through an itinerary for a RTW for myself and two children. Lon-DME-surface-KWL-HKG-NRT-JFK-BDA-LON. In all honesty I am in the midst of pricing so I really don't know if the 21,000 mile available fare in economy is possible or this becomes a 26,000. Flush with the success of the Misner family I called the available telephone number found in Canada which connected me to the Oneworld office in USA. They said that they never price a Canadian purchased ticket with the benefit of the lower initial departing flight price. They have sent it off to be queried which will take they say at last 48 to 72 hours. I am flumoxed because my response seemed so weak and they seemed very disinterested with this anomaly in their traditional pricing. Any rules that pertain to this situation that I can find in writing. Thank You
I must say I am attempting this using BA Oneworld.
I must say I am attempting this using BA Oneworld.
Originally Posted by oneworld.com
When travel originates in a country for which a specific local currency fares is published and the ticket is sold in another country, the fare will be that published for the country of origin converted to the currency of the country of sale at the bank selling rate. The resultant fare must not be lower than from the country of sale. Exception: Not applicable for sales made and/or travel originating in Canada
Last edited by Viajero; May 2, 2008 at 9:35 am Reason: Sorry, misread the post and saw the word 'award' where it wasn't.
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: New York
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Thank you for responding
I did read this response to them and it phased them not in the least. They were very nice about it but clearly felt that they were right . I am just a little miffed that the ensuing 48 hours will erode my opportunity to do alternative bookings. Regards
#4
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Things are looking up for Canada purchase ex Lon
After searching methodically on the one world site I found the oneworld_explorer_rule_sheet.pdf. Under the point #15 the exception that the oneworld representative referred to about Canada was there. I then called the BA people to debate and lo and behold the BA rep. had actually debated this same exception with his supervisors before. He has tried to speed up their response by pointing out this exception and hopefully I will be ticketed by this evening. Thank You flyertalk for this info. I hope this will help someone somewhere.
#5
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Toronto, Canada
Programs: AA, Aeroplan, CX Gold, MR PLat
Posts: 209
Keep fighting
After searching methodically on the one world site I found the oneworld_explorer_rule_sheet.pdf. Under the point #15 the exception that the oneworld representative referred to about Canada was there. I then called the BA people to debate and lo and behold the BA rep. had actually debated this same exception with his supervisors before. He has tried to speed up their response by pointing out this exception and hopefully I will be ticketed by this evening. Thank You flyertalk for this info. I hope this will help someone somewhere.
#6
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: MEL
Posts: 2,441
I have been on the phone with a Oneworld representative who very nicely helped me sort through an itinerary for a RTW for myself and two children. Lon-DME-surface-KWL-HKG-NRT-JFK-BDA-LON. In all honesty I am in the midst of pricing so I really don't know if the 21,000 mile available fare in economy is possible or this becomes a 26,000.
The only mileage-based RTW tickets that I'm aware of are Global Explorer, Circle Pacific and Circle SWP Asia tickets. Presumably, you're planning a Global Explorer? If so, they come in 26,000, 29,000, 34,000 and 39,000 variations (at least in Y) - no 21,000 mile version.
The 26,000 mile ticket ex-London is L1,179 (or L1,289 in high season). Ex-Canada, the same ticket is C$3,999 (or almost twice as much). I don't understand why you would have this issued in Canada when you are starting in London?
Now that I re-read your post, are you starting in London, Ontario (for which the airport code is YXU, not LON, which is the universal code for London, England)? Are you really going to KWL (which is Guilin in China) rather than KUL (which is Kuala Lumpur)?
Can you perhaps clarify the proposed itinerary?
#7
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The Canada exception allows one to purchase a UK departing xonex in Canada at the UK price so she would be able to purchase at the UK price. I have no clue about the itinerary or if the OP is actually doing something other than an xonex.
#8
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Madrid, Spain & Santiago, Chile
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Posts: 3,181
The OP has researched the oneworld explorer rules (pdf version) so it must be an OWE otherwise it would make no sense. Also, from posts in other forums the answer to the Guilin, China, question is yes, the OP actually wants to go there.
#9
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: MEL
Posts: 2,441
Not to digress but I've never understood the issue of having to have the ticket issued in the country of origin - is that an AA/OW imposed constraint or is it some sort of IATA requirement? When tickets are electronic, the "issuing button" can be pushed by anyone, anywhere so the concept of having it "issued" in a particular place seems irrelevant.
#10
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: MEL
Posts: 2,441
Good point ... I should have picked up on that .... though I'm now even more confused, given that xONEx tickets are continent-based and not mileage-based.
#11
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Madrid, Spain & Santiago, Chile
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 3,181
Last edited by Viajero; May 5, 2008 at 4:09 pm
#12
Join Date: Jun 2004
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#13
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Canberra, ACT, Australia
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Is this route able to be issued as an e-ticket? If so I'm wondering the same as tt7 (ignoring the AA/BA confusion), why not call BA in the UK and have them issue the ticket? Yes, it's an international phone call, but for a few dollars (or less if you use VoIP) you avoid the hassle of having to educate the airline reps.
#14
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The main benifit in getting the ticket issued in Canada is the exclusion of the "higher fare" rules.
i.e. Get a JNB priced in originating DONE5 issued in Canada for the ZAR45,600 base price (~USD6000).
Certainly not such a benefit for an ex UK fare, but it is there. (GBP5169 or ~USD10,200 against CAD11,400 or ~USD11,500)
i.e. Get a JNB priced in originating DONE5 issued in Canada for the ZAR45,600 base price (~USD6000).
Certainly not such a benefit for an ex UK fare, but it is there. (GBP5169 or ~USD10,200 against CAD11,400 or ~USD11,500)
#15
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: MEL
Posts: 2,441
Viajero, I assume that what you're saying is that it is simply a OW-imposed constraint (not IATA or any similar legal constraint)? That is, we will charge you (because we make the rules and therefore we can) the higher of the price where you originate or the price where the person-who-presses-the-ticketing-button is sitting? In an era of electronic ticketing, that makes no sense (other than giving the airlines greater revenue and/or causing additional effort on the part of the customer). If they're willing to sell a DONE4 ex-NRT cheaper than a DONE4 ex-US, that's great - but why make me go through the hassle of calling AA in Tokyo when AA-US has done all the work to set up the ticket for me and could (presumably) push the button just as easily as the people in AA's office in Tokyo?