onobond

Absolutely spot on. My TA had no issues making the reservation ALG-MAD-LHR-LAX-JFK-LAX//LAX-LHR-MAD-ALG, but was slightly surprised at the price

cgtechuk

What price did you get this for in the end @onobond

onobond

€1269 for the ticket + €40 TA fee. A good deal, IMHO.

GetSetJetSet

Flew the first half of this, in LA now. I flew AF CDG-ALG, during online check in at CDG had to enter my visa info before I could print my ticket. No one checked the visa during boarding. In ALG there was no line for transit and no one to speak to about transiting. I was stamped into the country, then had to wait in departures for a while, as the IB desks don't open until 3hrs before the flight and you need a paper ticket. Be advised if you want a coffee or something, you can't pay with credit card anywhere, you will need to take Dinar out of an ATM.

Going back through passport control took forever as the line moves slow and the agents constantly take breaks to clown around with each other and chat like they're in the coffee room. The lounge is sad and poorly maintained. The toilets everywhere in the airport (landside and in the lounge) were broken and leaking.

That being said, the fare is great, I got a night in Madrid, then a brutal MAD-JFK flight leaving me just enough time to run home and repack my bags before heading back to the airport and flying JFK-LAX landing at 1am. Enjoying the sunshine until Sunday.

FlyingFrZ

Thanks for posting this, I'm considering finally flying this fare after connecting from CDG on AF. Do you think a three hour connection is doable without checked luggage?

jmail1

"Be advised if you want a coffee or something, you can't pay with credit card anywhere, you will need to take Dinar out of an ATM."

This must have changed, we paid for beer and food with our CC last march.

Did anyone else score a Hawaii layover on this one? I was able to ticket ALG-MAD-DFW (3 month layover) DFW-OGG-DFW (4 month layover) DFW-MAD-ALG for $1,700. Fully changeable and refundable.

stephem

GetSetJetSet

Three hours is more than enough time if your inbound from CDG arrives on time. I'm flying another one of these in May, coming in from Rome and overnighting before departing. Algiers is worth a look. On the back end of the last MR, I spent a day touring the city, and if you've ever seen The Battle of Algiers, it's really neat because the city basically looks the same.

onobond

There has been discussions in this thread about various possible obstacles to taint the implementation of this, IMHO, very nice fare. I'd like to share my experiences from last month, also giving recent views on the topics where different opinions have been expressed. (sorry for the length of the post, though)

Positioning flights were :
A. ORY-ALG AH1009 07.40-09.50. Economy seat, exit row aisle. Impressive service with hot items on the breakfast tray. Refills offered at least three times on both coffee, water and OJ
B. ALG-CDG AH1012 1640-1910. The same seat, skipped hot meal as I was meeting a friend at the Hilton CDG for dinner. No alcoholic beverages (at least in coach). Friendly and attentive service again.

My main flight route was:
ALG-MAD-LHR-LAX-JFK-LAX//LAX-LHR-MAD-ALG
The first day ending with a pleasant overnight in London, departing in UD 62K (favourite seat) of the IB codeshared BA B747 the next day at 14.30. I also had a hotel night at JFK, arriving 01.02, but after a sleep-in, went for some quality lounge time in FL before my LAX departure at 14.30. Planning for the nested trips, I enjoyed food in the FL, but only had drinks on this transcon, despite being op-upped to F. Doing drinks and mail catch-up in the LAX FL, time for dinner at QF F lounge in TBIT, and after catching up the UK news from same day UK papers over l'espresso double et un digestif, it was time to board the first of the nested flights. (I had two nested reservations: LAX-HKG-SIN-NRT-DFW-LAX and SIN-KUL-KCH r/t).

Allowing myself a days rest in LA, before returning back on the main ticket, it was pouring down the next day, so no beach or pool experience. A rental car took me shopping for presents before returning to the airport. Again an IB codeshared BA back to LHR, UD 50J on the A380, (might be a new favourite, only traveled F with BA on this ac), and after dinner and a fairly good night's sleep, skipping onboard bf, as I opted for lunch in CCR during the 3h layover at LHR. Finishing that day at the Hilton MAD, it was bedtime already at 22.40 (!). After a long hotel bf with mail-catch-up and online favourite newspaper the next day, it was time for the IB lounge again, before the last segment of the main ticket.

Reflections:
1. TWOV - is it possible at all? Despite some posters describing this as a possible way of avoiding the hassle/time/passport cluttering/unnecessary expense, others have frankly declared it impossible. What measures to take to make this possible?
a/ Have enough transfer time available. My first AH flight was slightly delayed, but still leaving 3+ hours layover, which was with secure margins to do the TWOV procedure and still have time for something to drink and check the mails. On the outbound, waiting time for BP to be printed and all the formalities to be checked was 30+ minutes, inbound some 15 min more, as many more ppl were engaged. A B2B would, in my view be a distinct risk of not making it to the departure gate..
b/ Bring printouts of all itineraries, I would have saved time also having my ESTA approval printed for the outbound, but had it easily reachable in my laptop
c/ Don't have bags checked in, you need to go landside* to pick them up and recheck. Also consider the size of carry-ons, ALG-MAD-ALG is, although IB code-shared, operated by Air Nostrum with a Canadair RJ1000. My carry-on and two other, from the four first boarded, were put in the small cupboard replacing the two seats in row 1 on the left side. All other not-so-large carry-ons were gate checked.. If I do this another time I'll have a considerably smaller carry-on. As I was traveling for 2 weeks, my main bag was stored at Left Luggage LHR T5.
d/ As soon as you enter the Immigration area, notify any of the officers that you are in transfer, and he will take you on a side entrance to a sitting area, formally behind immigration booths. After showing all papers described above and handing over your passport, the officer will leave you sitting while he pulls strings elsewhere and returns with your passport and BP with the appropriate stamp. Bring some reading material to occupy yourself during this wait as no WiFi available in this part of the terminal

2. Lounge available? CC? Dinars from ATM? Obviously not done my homework properly, I was under the impression there wasn't, even PP didn't list anything. The cafeteria didn't take CC, but willingly exchanged $/Ł/€ to Dinars, at a rate just slightly over what XE.com says. For Dinar coins, you can buy WiFi access in a small vending machine just outside the cafeteria. Having finished my coffee and water, and also the WiFi time, I went for a walk. The tax-free shop to the right showed almost empty shelves, so went to the other side, after some 50m I found a 3rd party lounge displaying (among others) the Iberia logo. This was probably the darkest, and most gloomy airport lounge I've set foot into. It would even make the CAI T2 lounge shine as utter luxury. The semi-enclosed cafeteria sitting area had good views out to the run- and taxiways. On the inbound my upcoming flight in AH Y, didn't entitle me to any lounge entrance, but I happily settled down in the cafeteria again.

3. French only in ALG? There was no problems in communicating in English. The first officer I met in Immigration on the outbound, called for a collegue, when realizing I spoke neither Arabic or French [OK, I actually do speak some French, but not good enough for conversation ] The two attendants at the cafeteria counter had better competence in English than the two Lounge Dragons guarding the "Dark Side".

4. In-flight service OK? To my surprise, the short Air Nostrum flights provided very attentive service, and although only a cold meal was served, it had a better presentation and taste than the IB to/from LHR. BA in-flight service may be inconsistent at times but both flights LHR-LAX and back were just as good as they can be. When BA shines, AA is only slightly behind, but I had nothing to complain about on my two transcons with AA

Will I fly this route (with this fare) again: Absolutely, I'm presently working on an itinerary for early next year

amiras

Question: if you credited all flights to AA, can you confirm the IB codeshares posted as 2x EQMs and 25% EQDs for distance flown?
Thanks!

3544quebec

Thanks for your comprehensive post onobond.
Just one point (the proof-reader in me demands it), Where you write "you need to go airside to pick them up and recheck" I think you mean landside

onobond

Thank you, both for the credit and the proof-reading. Of course you are right, landside it is. Will correct after finishing this post.

AA EXP DFW-LON

Yes. Confirmed.

kyushuman

onobond

Didn't know this run was available also as an AA fare. The one I did two months ago, and the one I plan for in November, are both IB fares.

I actively tried to get the first one as a BA fare, couldn't fix that