BA is clearly the better product. The lie flat seat and the service IMHO are better. However, if you don't have to be super fit in London and go straight to the most important meeting of your life, I personally would take the miles over a better seat.

Overnight flights from JFK to LHR are too short to make the best use of the BA beds. I would strongly endorse the morning AA flight, which not only is fine in comfort terms, but also allows sleeping in beds on both sides of the pond. I find the day flights really reduce jetlag too.

On a flight that short you should take AA and get the miles.

The AA J seat is fine, just not as good as the BA seat.

change of plan, a NEW DONE4 routing?
 

Hey chaps, can I instead fly this routing.

JNB-LHR-LAX-JFK-MCO-LAS-LAX-SYD-MEL-SYD-JNB?

Have you put it through mileage monkey?

if you would have used mileage monkey you would know it is not valid as you are not allowed 2 transcontinental flights.you are violating this by going LAX-JFK and MCO-LAS.
if you don't know how to find mileage monkey,here is the link http://slfft.allhyper.com/0.95/award.htm.
why do you open a new thread for this anyway?you could have posted your new routing in one of the threads you opened previously...

I recently had a chance to compare the two J products, flying SFO-JFK-LHR-JNB-LHR-JFK, with the transatlantic on AA and the flights to and from JNB on BA. BA's J seats are far superior and much more private, and the food, service and AVOD are better as well. But the transatlantic are relatively short interncontinental hops.

For me personally, the decision would hinge on whether I thought the AA EQMs would help me qualify for higher status on AA and whether I thought I'd be sleeping most of the way (since if I'm sleeping the seat quality actually means less to me). If one or both apply, I'd definitely pick AA. If not, I'd do BA, enjoy the better seat and other stuff, and start accruing some miles on its program.

Oops! Now that I've given you the full benefit (??) or my wisdom (?????), I just remembered that AA is offering double miles for travel to LHR booked and completed by Dec. 15 and a free companion ticket for JFK (and LAX) travel to and from LHR. Not sure if you'll be flying this soon or if these deals apply to LHR-JFK-LHR (as opposed to vice versa), but thought I'd mention them.

I have put the following routing through mileage monkey and it says it is acceptable yet BA told me it isn't. Please will you guys validate this for me.

JNB-LHR-LAX-JFK-MCO-DFW-LAS-LAX-MEL-SYD-JNB.

I am under the impression I am only allowed 1 non-stop transcon and the mco-dfw-las is acceptable as the flight is broken by the dfw stop.

Also BA have told me internally in the US I will fly in economy. I pointed out in SA, EU and AUS the flights are in J so what is the story?

The 2nd LA stop is only in transit.

Is MCO-DFW-LAS one flight number on the same day or 2 different flight numbers or different days ?

Should be First Class (A) if the flight has first class and has A availability on the flight you want

It's valid, and on a DONE4 you fly in A on 2-class flights within the USA if available.

You were clearly taling to someone at BA who has no clue. For ex-SA xONEn tickets, set them up through the AA RTW desk and then ticket either through Mindpearl in SA or an AA office in the EU or Canada, whichever is more convenient for you. There's no reason to talk to BA.

Also see the many replies in this thread.

British Airways and CX refuse to validate it, they evidently can't read. I phoned AA and they told me as well as CX and IB to email British Airways as that is the airline I start my first flight on.

Is Mind Pearl a travel agency and if so what is their name, person I must speak to, and number?

Mindpearl (one word) is AA's General Sales Agent (GSA) in South Africa (and also I believe in Australia too.)

Phone the AA RTW desk in the US at +1 800 247 3247 (use Skype or other VOIP) and have them book the itinerary for payment in South Africa. Then all you have to do is email Mindpearl with the PNR and your payment information, and they will issue the ticket.

To get the most cooperation out of AA, try to book one of your over-water segments on AA metal or using an AA codeshare no.

If you do (as recommended) purchase this ticket though AA, whatever you do, do not mention the issues with BA and CX nor mention that you have already tried to ticket it - that can only confuse what would be a very simple booking process.

I phoned AA in the US and they have helped me out, the ticket is booked and the routing is being sent to their office in Ireland to work out the fare, I will then be given the fare total and with that I can go to MindPearl and pay.

Thank you chaps for the help. BA are still rambling on about something or the other.

For a DONE4 JNB-LHR-LAX-JFK-MCO-DFW-LAS-LAX-MEL-SYD-JNB, it's ZAR48,000 + ZAR7,438 in taxes, according to the OW online booking tool. It'll be interesting to see what AA/Dublin comes up with in terms of taxes....

Airline Fuel Surcharge 4,262.00 ZAR
Tax description unavailable (WCTR) 120.00 ZAR
Immigration and Naturalization Service Fee 72.00 ZAR
U.S. International Transportation Tax - Departure 159.00 ZAR
Airline Insurance Surcharge 41.00 ZAR
U.S. Customs Fee 57.00 ZAR
U.S. Animal and Plant Inspection Service Users Fee 52.00 ZAR
Australian Passenger Service Charge 236.00 ZAR
Tax description unavailable (QREB) 31.00 ZAR
UK Air Passenger Duty 1,231.00 ZAR
Tax description unavailable (ZAEB) 126.00 ZAR
Passenger Facility Charges 47.00 ZAR
Tax description unavailable (WGSE) 15.00 ZAR
Tax description unavailable (QRAS) 13.00 ZAR
UK Passenger Service Charge 303.00 ZAR
Tax description unavailable (QRCA) 24.00 ZAR
Tax description unavailable (QREM) 31.00 ZAR
Tax description unavailable (QRCO) 24.00 ZAR
September 11th Security Fee 103.00 ZAR
Australia Passenger Movement Charge 322.00 ZAR
Tax description unavailable (EVAB) 10.00 ZAR
International Arrival Transportation Tax (USA) 159.00 ZAR
7,438.00 ZAR
x 1 Adult(s) = 7,438.00 ZAR
total taxes/surcharges = 7,438.00 ZAR

Is travel via the point of origin allowed if your are doing an immediate connection? In other words, you are only connecting in the next available flight and not flying to your point of origin.

Tks,

From the rules: "TRAVEL MAY NOT BE VIA THE POINT OF ORIGIN." Seems pretty clear.