I'm in the process of arranging a DONE4 ex-ICN that starts out ICN-HKG-SYD-CHC. The HKG-SYD flight I want has D0, so I've asked the AA RTW desk about ticketing with an alternate flight and waitlisting that one. I'd been told by RTW agents that an origin-Asia xONEx didn't permit any changes to the first intercontinental flight or any preceding flights. The agent told me that this was new. When I pointed her to the section of the rules that seem to clearly permit doing this [section 16(a)(1)(b)(1)] she read them and said "Oh my! They've made a mistake. They left that part out. I'll call them first thing tomorrow morning [it's current Sunday in the U.S.] and point this out so they can fix the rules."

I don't know if she's correct that the intention is to prohibit changing HKG-SYD on an ICN-HKG-SYD-... itinerary, or if the rules will change, but I'm going to try and get this ticketed tonight in case she's right.

Sounds like the phone agent is talking cr@p. I'd hang up and try again!

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8900/4.6.1.114 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

Wouldn't this affect all OneWorld partners? From my other thread it seems that AA wants to ignore the rules because they have a system issue.

There is the issue from the other thread about changes to the first flight. Then there is this issue, which is about changes to a flight that isn't the first, and isn't even the first international flight. This agent is saying that there is a new rule that prohibits changes to the first intercontinental flight.

As a separate, but related issue, there's the question of what happens if this flight is permitted to be changed. My TA is saying the ticket would need to be re-issued, which triggers a fee and maybe a re-price. But the OW rules, to me, say this is a free change.

I would assume that most AA booking agents (and most USA based TA's), generally only see ex North American itineraries so assume what applies to those, also applies to itineraries commencing from other parts of the world.

- Hey, it works for them 99.9% of the time, so you must be the problem.

That's why I find dealing with AA on Oz these days so much better. They handle non USA originating PNR's all the time so are far more au fait with nuances such as TC2/3 itineraries having somewhat different rules from those of TC1 and what these are.

[aside]Note that they still have a policy of re-issuing for any change to an xONEx itinerary, even what should be a simple revalidation. Still no charge for this however.[/aside]

Changing the first international flight will result in a reissue against current conditions. This is not a xONEx rule but an IATA rule (as I understand it). The need to cancel the old ticket and reissue a brand new ticket which they cannot do against the old conditions.

So it is and so it will remain. Outside the control of AA, BA or any other.

First international flight? There used to be a rule in the OW fares about this. And several here have discussed how the first flight can't be changed. But first intercontinental flight? I'd not heard of this before.

So which is it that causes the problem: the first flight, the first international flight or the first inter-continental flight? And if it's anything other than the first flight then why is there a problem?

So if my *ONE* itinerary starts PER-SYD-AKL-SCL, which of these flights causes a problem? or do they all?

I don't dispute their internal systems issues or whether a ticket needs to be reissued.

I DO dispute their legal obligation / cost. The rules say that changes to the first flight are not allowed for xUSA, but are allowed out of xASIA.

Legally AA should /has to re-issue tickets at not cost to the passenger.

Where does it say this?

All I can find in the rules is:
So with <7 days to the first flight you cannot change exUSA, but earlier than that you can

Um, it's all spelled out in post #1. I'm not sure if you read it and didn't understand something or if you didn't see it.

OK, I'l shut up now. Had seen the first post - back on March 23rd, but had forgotten about it when I posted today. Apologies.