I'm merging this with the existing sticky thread regarding the online booking tool.

Gardyloo
Oneworld moderator

First Encounter: how AA codeshares ex-JNB?
 

Ah, the infamous Booking Tool! My first encounter has me running to the 'bugs' thread, although I can't tell a bug from an inexperienced user at this point. Either way, I did read this thread, apologize if I missed key answers, and offer thanks for hints.

I'm planning ex-JNB AONE4 starting mid-July and will be happy entering a straw-man trip that I can amend for $125 after flying a couple of segments.

So I selected JNB-LAX-HKG-LHR-JNB, expected to pick AA codeshares JNB-LHR-LAX to get AA pricing, but was offered only BA flight numbers to LHR, followed by only BA non-stops to LAX. The tool did offer LHR-LAX via DFW, MIA, or ORD that included AA segments.

ITA offers AA codeshares JNB-LHR-LAX, and the date I was using showed A7 on EF.

What say the wise ones?

Secondary user training: my understanding is that if I can cajole the online tool into accepting my input, it'll personally collect my payment at the proper ex-JNB price and inform AA to please issue an e-ticket, after which all I'll need to do is watch my email anxiously. Correct?

Tertiary: anything special I need to know about doing business with Mindspring, if it comes to that? (I haven't searched...)

Oh, and finally (for now): I foolishly entered JNB-LHR-LAX to start, and HKG-LHR-JNB to end, and the tool slapped me around about the 'one entry' rule rather than politely reminding me to make sure one was a transit. But suppose I wanted the transit to be the second time, but wanted to route via LHR for whatever reason? Is there a way to get the tool to let me schedule the transit?

The tool will default to the operator of the first segment for ticketing purposes; in this case BA. If your assumption is that by ticketing through AA and specifying AA codes on BA metal, you'll manage to escape BA fuel surcharges on the first (and subsequent BA) segments, unfortunately it no longer appears that this will happen. The last time I ticketed through Mindpearl in CPT (and I believe others have subsequently corroborated this) they did pass through BA YQs on the ticket (again regardless of the flight number) but not on all flights, just BA metal. It's worth asking them, but don't get your hopes up. Notwithstanding that, Mindpearl is easy to work with. You can set up the itinerary with the AA RTW desk and have them queue it to Mindpearl; after pricing you'll have to transmit credit card information to Mindpearl and they'll issue the e-ticket.

As for the HKG-xLHR-JNB return, South Africa is not on the list of approved countries for 2nd entry via Europe, so you'll have to either return to SA from HKG, or else end up in one of the eligible countries, i.e. Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya or Uganda.

I believe that on a regular (i.e., not an xONEx) ticket you can force AA flight numbers on routes like JNB-LHR-LAX by printing out the ITA page showing the details (including fare calculation, the old fare "ladder") and giving it to your travel agent who can enter everything manually, assuming availability.

Not quite. The tool takes the marketing carrier of the first flight as the carrier it will send to for ticketing. This creates a bug, when AA tickets (eg, for JL, RJ and S7), and it is not the operating carrier of the first flight, the tool tends to fail when entering payment details.

So how do I get the tool to show AA codeshares?

Hi

I am trying to book a complex 13-sector LONE3, originating from HEL on Finnair.

I get as far as entering the traveller details, then get:

The following error(s) occured

We are unable to confirm the fare for the flights you have selected. Please choose a different fare or flights and resubmit your request. (15012 - 1009)

Route is:

HEL-HKG-SIN-NRT-(DFW)-ATL-(MIA)-POS-(MIA)-LHR-GYD/overland/AMM-VIE-HEL

(<24hr stop in VIE for the last leg).

There's a couple of codeshares in there if that makes any difference - AB codeshare for RJ on AMM-VIE, and FlyBe for AY on VIE-HEL

Any thoughts?

(EDIT - seems to be getting further in the process if I ditch the RJ/AB codeshare but then I get a ton of extra YQ fuel charge with the RJ code)

Help on Ticketing
 

Hey guys, I hope you can give me a hand. I've been trying to book a DONEX with the online tool with the following outcome:

1. SSH-AMM-BCN-MAD-SCL-BOG-SCL-IPC-SCL-SYD-BKK-NRT-KUL-DPS-KUL-CDG-AMM

Took me to AA's booking engine just to fail on the last step (first segment on RJ), after entering the credit card details saying the fare was no longer available. So I decided to make an itinerary with the first segment on AB:


2. HRG-TXL-BCN-MAD-SCL-BOG-SCL-IPC-SCL-SYD-BKK-NRT-KUL-DPS-KUL-CDG-AMM

I receive the following message: Sorry, there was an error. The booking engine could not be contacted: Input string was not in a correct format

I'm based ins SCL so ticketing in CAI on AA's office is not an alternative since I will arrive to Egypt just a couple days before starting the trip (mid july)

Any tips/help??

Why do you think you cannot ticket with the AA GSA in Cairo? Just contact them by email or phone and they have been very accomodating for a number of us in the past and have issued tickets without being physically present. You will need to send a fax of your credit card.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...liminated.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...ticketing.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...screpancy.html

Thanks for your help Jerry. I have sen an email to the GSA... I hope it will work smoothly.

SCLflyer

ow online tool no longer price xONEx ??
 

Completed a validated itin, and the message said, "Congratulations! Your round the world ....... and ready for you to book" Clicked on OK. Nothing happens! :mad:

Is this the new norm now ?? Hope not.

Try it in a different browser. Seemed to work better on IE than Firefox for me recently.

Thanks. Will give IE a try.

So I'm looking to book a LONE-4 ticket that would be AMM-ALG-MAD-EZE-LIM-BOG-SCL-AKL-BNE-NOU-SYD-NRT-DEL-KUL-SGN-HGG-AMM. I made sure everything was valid and got pricing with the online tool, but when I went to pay for it I ran into the apparently standard RJ-AA online booking bug. I'm not just starting and ending in Amman for the low price either, I have close friends and family there, and I'm trying to avoid the US because the whole point of this trip is to get out of the states for a while. So I do wan't this ticket, and I'm curious what's the best way to go about trying to book it? I've seen advice about trying to book through the Cairo office (would this require a Cairo issued credit card or not? I've read mixed things), and others saying to try to get a friendly AA US operator and see if you can't talk them into it, but I'm wondering if anyone had anything they new was working. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks guys!

I don't know if the Cairo agency will book ex-AMM at Jordanian rates, but if they do it's very likely they'll take a U.S. credit card. (Based on past history.)

I suppose people have tried and failed to find an agency in Jordan to issue the ticket?

My other too-oft-repeated suggestion is to try a very simple OW booking that includes the actual first leg you want to fly, then two or three more to finish the trip, and see if you can get that ticketed. It'll cost you $125 to subsequently make the trip what you really wanted, but sometimes is money well spent.