Do stops on "direct" service increase the continent count?
 

I'm considering QF9, which is marketed as MEL-LHR. In reality, the flight stops in SIN before continuing on to LHR. Assuming I don't otherwise hit Asia, does the stop in SIN "count" as a continent?

I remember reading somewhere that for segment purposes this should only be one segment. Can someone please confirm that as well?

The flight will count as one sector only of the 16 allowed in the rules.

The rules also state that this would count as including Asia as a continent though. That is why it is impossible to buy a 3 continent xONEx ticket from Australia.

The complete rules can be found in the rule sheet link in the fare estimate section of this page on the one world website.

QF7 MEL-LHR direct flight is treated as one segment for couting maximum 16 segments.
It touch Asia continents, so for example,
you need xONE4 for MEL-LHR-LAX-SYD-MEL.

In fact OWE rules count a continent even if you do not touch it but merely overfly it. For example ORD-DEL counts as having "touched" Europe even though there is no landing in Europe (and the flight does not go through European air space). This was to prevent having an xONE2 routing, or being able to include Australia on an xONE3.

Okay, I missed rule 4(j) there... makes it quite clear. Thanks!

The same applies for JAL NRT-JFK-GRU it counts as one flight segment but 3 continents.

The limit of 16 flight segments also applies when you buy additional "regional" segments? For example, if I buy 2 additional segments in South America (ie increase my regional limit from 4 to 6) would my overall limit be automatically increased to 18 or would I need to remain within the overall 16 flight segment limits?

Thanks,

The 16 segment limit is set in concrete and cannot be exceeded no matter what (even vol reroute due to flight being taken out of the schedule if you are open dated). Only invol reroute can result in more than 16 segments on OWE ticket. So if you buy additional sectors it reduces the free sectors in another continent.

Thanks for the clarification.

Another question, is there a limit for flying a specific airport/destination? For example, could I use my segments in a specific region flying the same route more than once: 1) SCL-GRU 2) GRU-SCL 3) SCL-GRU 4) GRU-SCL?

Thanks,

No problem, unless there are explicit route restrictions, e.g. one transcon in N. America, one DFW-ANC-DFW, or if you try to transit your origin point, etc.

No problem. Star Alliance has a rule for something like this but on OW you can fly a route as often as your segments allow.

Just to be clear, the Oneworld Explorer has no such restriction. However, the Global Explorer (mileage-based like the Star tickets) does have the rule: "The same city pairs/sectors cannot be flown more than once in the same direction.".

Indeed, SkyTeam has such as rule as well. Thanks for the clarification.

When counting flight segments does one need to take into account connections and / or stop-overs as well? For example, QF LHR-SIN-SYD counts as 1 or 2 flight segments? (note the flight has a stop-over in SIN and not a connection).

Tks,

If it's ticketed LHR-SYD as one flight on one coupon then it counts as one segment. But if you break the flight in SIN (i.e. either you get a different flight number SIN-SYD, or the same flight number but a day or more later) then it's two coupons (and in the second case that is then your entire allowed visit to Asia.

Essentially the restriction is on 16 ticket coupons in the paper ticket sense.

Thanks. This is my first OW RTW, my previous one was with SkyTeam hence the questions!

I am now organising my DONE4 itinerary and need to know whether Papeete (PPT) and Eastern Island (IPC) are part of South America or South West Pacific region. Both are shown on LAN's routemap as belonging to its South American network.

Tks,

Search is your friend.

Type in PPT and get this thread.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...nt-tahiti.html

IPC is South America (100% sure of that). The PPT question has come up and I recall that there was a big problem with PPT (other than no service westward from PPT). Perhaps IPC-PPT was considered an ocean crossing; or it may have been the "no surface crossing of the pacific or atlantic ocean" rule (which meant you could not buy a separate non-oneworld ticket to "cross" the pacific), requiring return to SCL. Definitely some rule that made PPT very unattractive (but rules have changed so you'll have to research the current situation further, just be wary of initial findings).

Unfortunately PPT can not be visited when on a DONE4. You would need a Global Explorer for that which allows you to use certain QF codeshares on other airlines metal.
Visiting IPC on the other hand is just two South America segments. Great place by the way, we were there last year.

PPT is unattractive because it is classed as SWP not South America. As the only OW flight from PPT is PPT-IPC-SCL and you cannot backtrack between continents then you are forced to have a surface segment PPT-somewhere in SWP or vv, on a xONEx. On Global Explorer (the OW mileage based RTW) the problem does not arise because TN is one of the allowed non-OW airlines on that fare. TN flies PPT-SYD or AKL.

Ooh, thanks for mentioning that. I didn't have PPT on my list for this trip but I do have a bunch of codeshares... looked at the rules for the xONEx again and it's pretty clear:

Thanks for all the information. It is interesting because LA includes PPT on its South American network. They should include PPT in South America to facilitate matters the same way they also include the Middle East in Europe.

One way out to visit PPT would be to fly 2 segments SCL-IPC-SCL (Eastern Island) and buy a separate LA ticket IPC-PPT-IPC. It is funny because the same flight makes both routes as LA operates the B767 SCL-IPC-PPT-IPC-SCL.

Thanks for the information!

Rgs,

There are many ways to visit PPT, with the Global Explorer being one of them. We had NZ flights to PPT and then a paid LA ticket to IPC which we upgraded with points to business class (after taking LA to a tribunal).

The most practical way is to go to IPC on LA with your One World Explorer and then get a mileage ticket from IPC to PPT, also on LA. I've done this twice, and it does work out ok. Just now there is a lot of LA availability for AAdvantage mileage.