I can tell you from very recent personal experience that this is nonsense. They refuse to ticket you if you insist on LHR-JFK on BA instead of AA for instance but if there is no AA direct flight (like LHR-EZE) there is no problem whatsoever.

Recalculation of taxes may lead to a price difference though. US taxes are cheaper than South America I believe. Not a big deal though.

Say 'Hi' to Cindy from me.

That would be the problem. AA will, directly, sell an ATW with no AA componant whilst , if sold via a travel agent, then there will be a problem

I have even managed to get them to ticket a Circle Asia and SW Pacific fare for which AA is not a valid carrier to travel on

Dave

The last 2 AONE4 were issued Without AA segments by the AA GSA in CPT...
( Now I need them!!!)

A problem for One World is there are too many different rule interpretations by GSA's


It seems that the ICN AA GSA is insisting the FIRST segment to be on AA (code share is all there is via nrt) I do not know why some of these GSA's make up these silly rules on their own! The AA RTW desk says there is no such rule or AA practice of ticketing their flight first or first long haul. Star Axis does however have that practice that is similar their rule is:First overseas carrier should issue ticket. NOT OW.
I thik some of the GSA like ICN ticket on multiple carriers, do not know the rules and confuse on arlines rules for all airline rules.

It can be very frustrating. That is why I stick with AA in DFW to build the itin and CPT to issue it.

Star Axis has no such rule. The only requirement they officially have is that the ticketing carrier must also be a participating carrier in the itinerary. But of course various *A offices like OW will attempt to pass the buck by using the 'first carrier to issue' myth or, understandably, try to get a bigger slice of the pie by trying to book your major segments on to their own flights.

I'm curious about the known/perceived benefits of using AA GSAs to issue tickets.

I've yet to see the downside of using the TA based in Seoul....ticketed on AA (one flight out of 16 on AA), no problems with CC, no fees/surcharges, good english communication.

Are there post-purchase advantages of dealing with the GSAs that one should be considering?

Quite true.

The United company office in BKK insisted on first overseas segment on UA. SQ insisted on first overseas segment on SQ (ok by me)

The bottom line is almost every carrier and every GSA office interprets the rules in their own way. It is the customer that is stuck trying to do business with them.

Perhaps the most backward company office I have dealt with is the BKK EK office. They would not issue a routing that was advertised on the web site!

AA GSA in ICN still will not issue a non AA first segment, therefore no tickee...

I have found, in my limited experience that using an AA GSA makes minor changes to the itinerary somewhat easier for me. I call the DFW AA RTW desk (USA) to administer any changes to the ticket. Using an overseas TA, some airlines will not make any changes unless they are trough the travel agent. The GSA issued ticket is an AA ticket, and is administered through AA.

Perhaps more experience RTW travels have another opinion. Each of my 6 Aone 4 tickets has been purchased through AA CPT.

Perhaps you might e mail your agents e-mail contact , I will need some one to issue this ticket in the near future. If the ICN GSA is still insisting on AA first segment. (AA codeshare to NRT)