Is this routing within the rules?
 

I've almost finalised my latest *A RTW. To stay within the 29,000 miles I hope to be able to do EDI-CPH-BKK. This means that I am transiting through my point of origin - CPH. The stopover is 4 hours. Am I allowed to do this or is it considered returning to the point of origin?

CPH PMI Stopover
PMI LHR Transit
LHR EDI Stopover
EDI CPH Transit
CPH BKK Stopover
BKK HKT Stopover
HKT SIN Stopover
SIN SYD Stopover
SYD CHC Stopover
CHC AKL Transit
AKL LAX Transit
LAX LHR Transit
LHR GLA Stopover
GLA LHR Transit
LHR CDG Stopover
CDG LHR Transit
LHR CPH

Sorry I think you'll be in trouble. Can't you do EDI-FRA-BKK instead? Or EDI-ARN-BKK?
Or EDI-LHR-BKK?

Of course if you get someone willing to ticket it, it's likely SK won't care.

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RichardMEL, UA 1K
A Star Alliance Member.

RichardMEL

EDI-LHR-BKK will bust the mileage. I am also keen to avoid TG. Their Biz product varies as some aircraft still only have 40 inch pitch. Also in-flight entertainment is limited.

Again EDI-FRA-BKK is a mileage buster.

EDI-ARN-BKK is out as there are no direct flights from EDI to ARN. I would have to transit through CPH!

What about starting the trip in ABZ and fly this way ABZ-SVG-OSL-ARN-BKK not sure if that would also put you over the limit.

It seems like Kempis' suggestion might work. The original EDI-CPH-BKK routing is 6000 miles.

ABZ-SVG-OSL-ARN-BKK is 5900 miles.

SAS have said "No" so it's back to planning. If I change the SYD-CHC-AKL to SYD-AKL then the saved mileage allows either EDI-LHR-BKK or EDI-FRA-BKK.

The CHC-AKL leg was due to be surface as we are hiring a Camper Van to tour the North and South Islands. We will probably redeem miles for a CHC-AKL flight.

Prices are low enough in NZ you likely could buy a one way tix on CHC-AKL (or v.v.) for not very much and still earn some mileage on NZ.

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RichardMEL, UA 1K
A Star Alliance Member.

Seems to me that your original routing is 28,658 miles. Going EDI-FRA-BKK instead of EDI-CPH-BKK makes the total 28,885, i.e., still less than 29k. Does * tell you something different? Also, you can save a few hundred miles if you have to by doing CDG-CPH rather than CDG-LHR-CPH.

Using the Singapore Airlines mileage calculator indicated mileage above 29,000. I had SAS check the itinerary and they confirmed that was the case. When I used the £Great Circle Mapper" the total came out bbelow 29,000. This was also the same when I checked a routing ex-AMS. Great Circle Mapper said it was <29,000. Singapore Airlines said it was above. My own calculation using SQ's web based calculator said the same. It seems Great Circle Mapper errs on the low side.

The reason I am returning to LHR instead of going direct to CPH is that I'm going back home to EDI. The *A rules don't allow 2 stopovers in the same destination I have to "stopover" in LHR. Sorry for the confusion, I made an error and put "Stopover" rather than "Transit". I'll take a cheap (or miles) flight from LHR to EDI. I may never use the LHR-CPH leg unless it is to start another RTW from CPH.

[This message has been edited by Gaza (edited 10-19-2001).]

Note that the GC mapper uses actual airport-airport mileage values, while the IATA mileages (which SQ and Star RTW fare desks use) is *CITY-CITY* mileage (eg: in theory, JFK-LAX would yield the same as EWR-LAX even though the airports are some miles apart as they go on NYC-LOS(Angeles) distance).

Used this argument with suceess on a RTW back in 1998 where the IATA mileages totalled 29,003. Agent and I said this is b/s and argued that as one segment was EWR-YYZ rather than from LGA or JFK based, that was about 30 miles less distance. The airlines involved (UA, AC and eventually TG) agreed to let it ride and they issued the tix with the 29,000 fare rather than the 34,000 fare. woohoo!

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RichardMEL, UA 1K
A Star Alliance Member.