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Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheetah_SA (Post 10199642)

Hey, it's only a 10-hour non-stop flight from LHR or MUC to WDH!

And only a little bit quicker from the airport into town. :D Seriously, I know that there's a lot of empty space there, but they must have left enough room for Windhoek to grow for the next fifty thousand years!

As for starting a RTW from Namibia, it's a really great location in its own right. One of very few places where I went for a short work trip & to which I should like to return as a tourist. I had occasion to visit the BA (Comair) office, which happened to be a few floors above the one in which I was working. Really nice staff, but I'm not sure if they had ever issued a ticket with the complexities of an xONEx. This might very well change with the new pricing.

Windhoek exhibits a minor cultural curiosity - German is as likely to be understood as English (or Afrikaans). This is in sharp contrast with another former German colony I've visited, Togo, where it's extremely hard to believe that the colonial past was anything other than French. Probably some Ph.D. student has already compared and contrasted them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by moa999 (Post 10193951)

Have manually updated Weary's spreadsheet for the moment (offered to email it to Weary to help in his updating).

That's really useful - thanks!

It's worth noting that the USD is getting rapidly stronger against many currencies. Even in just the last week it's gained ~2% the pound. It's gained 10% since Aug 1st against the South African Rand.

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoombee (Post 10210578)

It's gained 10% since Aug 1st against the South African Rand.

Interesting, -- thus making the CPT and JNB purchases of AONEx tix that much cheaper, yes?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. HFH (Post 10210804)

Interesting, -- thus making the CPT and JNB purchases of AONEx tix that much cheaper, yes?

Yes, if you're paying in US$. The exchange rate USD/ZAR had softened since April, making ex-SA tickets more expensive (in $) than they had been, ignoring any price increase for the ticket. However, the US$ exchange rate is now back where it was in April, so that element has been cancelled out.

OTOH, if your 'base' currency is, say, GBP or EUR, an ex-SA ticket is now a fair bit more expensive, on exchange rate alone, than it was even a month ago.

This is the wonderful world of Forex. If you didn't buy at the right time (or did buy at the wrong time), don't be too discouraged. Apparently, even major corporations get this wrong all the time.

The basic point is that currency rates are quite volatile at the moment, especially against the USD. So check up on them before assuming too much about relative and actual pricing.

Why the Big Difference in Pakistan between Business[D] and First[A]:confused:

Quote:

Originally Posted by satprof (Post 10202304)

I believe the issue is that the landcape around Windhoek is very hilly and WDH was the closest spot that didn't require major earthworks. There is a smaller airport, Windhoek Eros (:)), right in town but its runway can only accommodate small planes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by satprof (Post 10202304)

As for starting a RTW from Namibia, it's a really great location in its own right. One of very few places where I went for a short work trip & to which I should like to return as a tourist. I had occasion to visit the BA (Comair) office, which happened to be a few floors above the one in which I was working. Really nice staff, but I'm not sure if they had ever issued a ticket with the complexities of an xONEx. This might very well change with the new pricing.

Windhoek exhibits a minor cultural curiosity - German is as likely to be understood as English (or Afrikaans). This is in sharp contrast with another former German colony I've visited, Togo, where it's extremely hard to believe that the colonial past was anything other than French. Probably some Ph.D. student has already compared and contrasted them.

Windhoek is certainly an interesting place and well worth a visit. (Among the other German legacies is excellent beer!) And Namibia must count as one of the more enticing places to start a ONE ticket if you intend to spend any time at your departure point.

Quote:

Originally Posted by moa999 (Post 10193951)

Have manually updated Weary's spreadsheet for the moment (offered to email it to Weary to help in his updating).

Output as follows.

Have removed locations no longer shown on OW site (eg Malawi, Iran, Amernia, Georgia, Azerbaijin, Ethiopoa)

Code:

LONEs (sorted by LONE4) in USD



                          Economy

                      3     4     5     6   AA Office

Namibia                   2,473 2,828 3,335 

South Africa              2,522 2,906 3,405    Y

New Zealand Basic         2,650 2,859 3,348 

New Zealand Peak          2,650 2,859 3,348 

Pakistan            2,274 2,731 3,140 3,611    Y

Zambia                    2,800 3,200 3,800 

Zimbabwe                  2,800 3,200 3,800 

Mauritius                 2,850 2,990 3,870 

United Kingdom      2,569 2,949 3,635 4,092 

Vietnam             2,549 3,059 3,579 4,389    Y

Australia Basic           3,071 3,509 4,124 

Hong Kong           2,765 3,169 3,789 4,437    Y

Code:

DONEs (sorted by DONE4) in USD



                          Business

                       3      4      5      6    AA Office

Namibia               n/a   5,706  6,531  7,291   

South Africa          n/a   5,761  6,593  7,745    Y

Pakistan             5,139  5,786  6,655  7,653    Y

Zambia                n/a   6,100  7,100  8,300   

Zimbabwe              n/a   6,100  7,100  8,300 

Mauritius             n/a   6,192  7,106  8,373    

Korea                5,490  6,543  7,521  8,484    Y

Indonesia            5,928  6,779  7,725  8,630     

Saudi Arabia         5,941  6,820  7,699  8,579    Y

Vietnam              6,043  6,911  7,875  8,799    Y

Syrian Arab Republic 6,020  6,979  8,210  9,836 

Philippines          6,134  7,022  8,001  8,925    Y

Japan                5,966  7,095  7,750  8,893    Y

Code:

AONEs (sorted by AONE4) in USD



                           First        



                       3      4      5      6    AA Office

Namibia               n/a   8,433  9,701 10,398     

South Africa          n/a   8,513  9,793 11,521    Y

Mauritius             n/a   8,795 10,202 11,609     

Saudi Arabia         7,939  9,085 10,230 11,402    Y

Zambia                n/a   9,200 10,600 12,400    

Zimbabwe              n/a   9,200 10,600 12,400    

Indonesia            8,198  9,370 10,670 11,948     

Vietnam              8,356  9,553 10,878 12,180    Y

Syrian Arab Republic 8,484  9,715 11,358 12,589

Philippines          8,481  9,734 11,088 12,390    Y

Japan                8,686  9,749 11,297 12,945    Y

Korea                8,575  9,751 11,204 12,885    Y

Pakistan             8,781  9,788 11,258 12,565    Y

Jordan               8,709  9,973 11,659 12,923     

Israel               8,800 10,000 11,700 13,000    Y

Lebanon              8,800 10,000 11,700 13,000    Y

Qatar                8,917 10,220 11,489 12,793    Y

Many thanks to KiwiFlyer for the formatting help

Given that the prices ex-Namibia in Namibian dollars and ex-South Africa in Rand are exactly the same and the Namibian Dollar is kept on par 1:1 with the Rand the price differences listed above between SA and Namibia of up to $US1100 must represent some sort of input error. Interestingly ExpertFlyer comes up with about a 10% difference in US dollar prices between Namibia and SA on all the fares - so their input error must be even more significant (unless there is some way of getting 10% more Namibian dollars for your Rand that I am unaware of)

Two differences

1. The spreadsheet reports different currency values (source is Oanda)
from this page: http://www.oanda.com/convert/fxdaily...L&redirected=1
Today's prices
NAD/USD 7.8844
ZAR/USD 7.8322

2. Prices ex-Namibia and ex-SA are not exactly the same

Code:

xONE4

 Economy    NAD 19,500  ZAR 19,700 

 Business   NAD 45,000  ZAR 45,000 

 First      NAD 66,500  ZAR 66,500 

 

xONE5

 Economy    NAD 22,300  ZAR 22,700 

 Business   NAD 51,500  ZAR 51,500 

 First      NAD 76,500  ZAR 76,500 

 

xONE6

 Economy    NAD 26,300   ZAR 26,600 

 Business   NAD 57,500   ZAR 60,500 

 First      NAD 82,000   ZAR 90,000

Also latest prices in USD from a refresh I did this morning.
I have sent my spreadsheet to WearyBizTrvlr but like his name he is travelling so this will have to do in the meantime.

Code:

     First     

                   3         4        5        6    AA Office

Namibia                    8,434     9,703    10,400    

South Africa               8,491     9,767    11,491    Y

Mauritius                  8,621    10,000    11,379    

Saudi Arabia      7,935    9,080    10,225    11,396    Y

Zambia / Zimbabwe          9,200    10,600    12,400    

Indonesia         8,198    9,370    10,670    11,948    

Pakistan          8,500    9,475    10,897    12,163    Y

Vietnam           8,356    9,553    10,878    12,180    Y

Korea             8,501    9,667    11,108    12,774    Y

Japan             8,667    9,727    11,272    12,915    Y

Philippines       8,481    9,734    11,088    12,390    Y





    Business     

                   3         4        5        6    AA Office

Pakistan          4,974    5,601    6,442    7,408    Y

Namibia                    5,708    6,532    7,293    

South Africa               5,746    6,576    7,725    Y

Mauritius                  6,069    6,965    8,207    

Zambia / Zimbabwe          6,100    7,100    8,300    

Korea             5,443    6,487    7,456    8,411    Y

Indonesia         5,928    6,779    7,725    8,630    

Saudi Arabia      5,938    6,817    7,695    8,574    Y

Vietnam           6,043    6,911    7,875    8,799    Y

Syrian Arab Rep   6,048    7,011    8,247    9,881    

Philippines       6,134    7,022    8,001    8,925    Y

India             6,165    7,039    8,094    9,216    Y

Japan             5,953    7,078    7,732    8,872    Y

Angola/ Ghana/ Nigeria     7,100    8,100    9,100    

Sri Lanka         6,244    7,119    8,186    9,323    Y







     Economy     

                   3         4        5        6    AA Office

Namibia                    2,473    2,828    3,336    

South Africa               2,515    2,898    3,396    Y

Pakistan          2,202    2,643    3,040    3,495    Y

New Zealand                2,696    2,908    3,405    

Mauritius                  2,793    2,931    3,793    

Zambia / Zimbabwe          2,800    3,200    3,800    

United Kingdom    2,518    2,892    3,564    4,012    

Australia Basic            3,047    3,483    4,092    

Vietnam           2,549    3,059    3,579    4,389    Y

Tunisia           2,736    3,138    3,862    4,586    

Hong Kong         2,763    3,168    3,787    4,435    Y

Quote:

Originally Posted by moa999 (Post 10228405)

Code:

xONE4

 Economy    NAD 19,500  ZAR 19,700 

 Business   NAD 45,000  ZAR 45,000 

 First      NAD 66,500  ZAR 66,500 

 

xONE5

 Economy    NAD 22,300  ZAR 22,700 

 Business   NAD 51,500  ZAR 51,500 

 First      NAD 76,500  ZAR 76,500 

 

xONE6

 Economy    NAD 26,300   ZAR 26,600 

 Business   NAD 57,500   ZAR 60,500 

 First      NAD 82,000   ZAR 90,000

Thanks. Your absolutely right. I checkefd the prices on onrworld.com prior to posting but must have been going cross-eyed while switching between countries. I think I'm correct about the Expertflyer discrepancy though - but I'll go back and recheck!

It's a pity, really, that the Nam prices aren't pitched a little lower to encourage mad FTers to discover another unusual and little known destination.

OTOH with the new 16 coupon limit I guess few would want to use one just to get from WDH to JNB.