Popular Maldives to be included
 

ONEWORLD island destinations. Three of the world's most popular holiday islands are lining up to join the network served by Oneworld, the leading quality global airline alliance, with Iberia Regional Air Nostrum launching flights to Corfu and Funchal in Europe and British Airways opening service to the Maldives, in the Indian Ocean…. re: (AME Info)

When are these flights scheduled to begin?

The announcement did not say and because it is not AA specific I do not have a source to inquire. I have found it usually takes 4-6 months to get these things implemented considering the synchronization of the IT systems. Maldives is a big plus.

Information on MLE (Male, Maldives) here:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...pping-nyc.html

Thanks Serfty

Hopefully another OW carrier such as CX would fly scheduled flights to MLE so one can avoid backtracking to LGW on a RTW. Otherwise, MLE is indeed a nice addition to an OW carrier destination ^

Unless MLE is added to the select list of destinations where double-entry into/from a continent is okay, I don't see it being available on RTWs at all, save as one end of a surface segment to/from Asia. (And I'm assuming it's in TC3 and not TC2.) However as an AA miles junkie, it's an attractive redemption destination (60K mi in J from Europe).

Yup. MLE will require a surface segment. CMB or SIN being the simplest.

FWIW, I spoke with the AA RTW desk about this and you can't backtrack to LGW when traveling on a xONEx as MLE is in Asia.

Drats, just as I figured. I hope CX matches BA's new destination to MLE out of their BKK or SIN focus-cities so it could be utilized on a RTW :(

Actually, it will almost always require 2 surface segments as most people will arrive at LHR.

Very good point!