Ive read the faqs and stickys and am still a bit confused, so I have a few questions please

ex US, the current D prices are 3 - $7740, 4 - $8190, 5 - $9360, is the current 10% off promotion, included? or would it be 10% off these fares?

using the online tool, I am trying to route, LA - MANCHESTER - BANGkok - melbourne - NY

it wont let me fly BA in D from LA to MAN. only AA through 2 or 3 connects. I think this is because there is no D from London - manchester? any clue how to get round this?

it wont complete the routing, as to get from melbourne to NY it looks like I have to go thru LA. so it just shows errors. so how do I get to NY.

any advice much appreciated

thanks!

The prices you quote include the 10% discount. Taxes, fuel fines etc will be added on at the end.

To get the tool to route you on BA through LHR to MAN you will need to force it to do so by putting in the sectors separately. Likewise force a routing via SYD on the way out of OZ and choose the QF107 flight that is a one flight number flight to JFK (even though it goes via LAX). You could also fly MEL-SYD-SFO-JFK to avoid touching LAX again.

I just successfully got it to price up the following

LAX-LHR-MAN-BKK-MEL-SYD-JFK

The all in price was 9047.58 USD.

thanks very much for the info moomba ^

I have read the business class faqs,

I am trying to go BA CW as much as possible, for the flat bed

I couldnt find which other carriers had a flat bed in business, for this routing.

does the airbus380 business in quantas? does cathay pacific? [sorry Im not up on the abbreviations]

any advice much appreciated again

thanks!

You need to watch out for the OWE rule that prohibits transiting your point of origin, in your case LAX.

That means, for example, that if you go LAX-LHR....MEL/SYD-LAX (in order to get on the A380, which has the only horizontal beds in business class for Qantas - the other aircraft have angled-flat) you wouldn't be able to go on to NYC; your trip would be over in LA. There's even a good chance that while QF 107 is shown as SYD-JFK, it often turns up in the PNR as two sectors, SYD-LAX and LAX-JFK. That might be a problem, plus QF 107/108 is with 744 equipment, so no horizontal beds.

The solution might be to begin your trip in San Francisco or Phoenix, both of which have BA nonstops to London, which would allow you to transit LAX on the way back from Oz.

As for the flat beds, BA, Cathay and Qantas (A380) have them in business. Opinions vary on the comfort level of the Cathay seat - mine is powerfully negative (they're coffins). Also they're on most Lan longhaul planes, but that's of no interest to you for this route. I think you'd be best by going SF/PHX on BA to London, short shuttle run to MAN and back, then BA to Bangkok, then BA to Sydney and Qantas to Melbourne, then shoot for the A380 from MEL/SYD to LAX and AA to NYC to end.

thanks for the info ^

reading the faqs-- am I right in thinking that if I book online, I dont have the same flexibility to change flights as if I use a booking agent-- prob BA?

thanks

No you'll have the same flexibility.

I would definitely try booking online, as my (and others') experience with the N. American BA RTW desk is miserable. If your first segment is BA over the Atlantic, be prepared for a much higher final cost than if you used AA, as a ticket issued by BA will undoubtedly charge more for fuel surcharges than if AA was the issuer.

You might try a little experiment with this - go online and book with BA as your first segment (e.g. LAX/SFO/PHX - LHR) and see the bottom line, especially the taxes and fees breakout (but don't pay for it) then try the same thing using something like LAX/SFO/PHX - ORD - LHR with AA as the first segment, and price it that way, which would force an AA issuance of the ticket. Don't know for sure, but I expect the bottom line would be quite a lot less.

I just plugged the same routing as I had above with the exception that I routed LAX-DFW on AA and the DFW-LHR on BA. This forced the system to use AA as the ticketing carrier. As a result the fare was 450 USD less.

I just did it LAX AA LHR BA MAN BA LHR BA BKK BA SYD QF SYD QF MEL QF SYD QF JFK AA LAX (it accepted SYD-JFK without counting LAX as transiting the point of origin). Total taxes/fee/fuel charges came to US$384.10.

Then I substituted LAX BA LHR, resulting in BA as the ticketing source, and total taxes/fees/fuel charges came to US$1093.10, a difference of US$709. Serious money.

wow-- thanks all for doing that ^

so heres the $64 question

if I ticket on AA, then change flights, but not destination, to BA, do those surcharges come back?

I have flown first on AA, LAX-LHR and thought it was "pants" so AA business, would be worse than pants

thanks again

Changing the first sector before departure usually requires a rebooking of the whole shebang, so you might find it does trigger the BA fines. Don't know - not sure if anyone's done it since the on-line tool came available.

You could solve the problem easier by flying LAX-SFO-LHR, using AA for the LAX-SFO segment and thereby making AA issue the ticket. The point is, you can "experiment" with the online booking tool and see what works best for you on benefit:cost.

As for comparing BA J to AA Flagship Suites from LAX to LHR, we'll just have to disagree. Strongly, in fact.

thanks again for the info ^