RTW Issuing rules
 

Hi Everyone,

I am looking at booking my first RTW but need to figure out a couple of things.

1. What are the rules for who may be the plating carrier?
2. Specifically, I want to plate with UA (I am under the impression that there are significant advantages in terms of YQ surcharges by doing so). Hence, what are the required numbers or types of flights that must be taken with UA. (eg can they be codeshares with UA codes operated by other carriers? Alternatively, could I just take a single transcon on UA and plate with them?)

Thanks in advance

Officially, you can plate on any carrier that is participating in the itinerary.
In real life, you'll often get the traditional Star staff pass the buck to someone else routine. Best option is to find an agent that has good overides or commissions with UA and is more than happy to use their plate and ensure you have at least one segment on the trip with them.

Thanks for the quick reply Al.

So basically as long as I fly say LAX/SFO-YYZ with UA then it is a question of finding the right agent to ticket it.

A couple of extra questions. 1, does it have to be operated by UA or can it be a UA Codeshare with AC? Also, Am I actually right in my belief that there are Fuel surcharge benefits to plating on a UA/16 Plate?

Thanks again

Maybe. When I booked our CPAC, every airline I called said they would only ticket if they operated the first transoceanic segment. Even though the rules say otherwise, they were all consistent in this.

What is meant by 'plate?'

Essentially the "plating carrier" is the carrier on whose ticket stock the ticket is issued on. This is harking back to the days when there were real paper tickets. Nowadays it is more of a reference to whose system it is booked through.

I second the experience with carriers insisting that the first segment carrier issues the tix. SQ and NZ have been quite adament.

Mrs 999 and I are now in the middle of a *A RTW. The booking was initially made with, and all the fine-tuning hammered out through, the very helpful staff at the LH RTW Desk in Kassel. However, the tickets (paper) were issued by SAS in Finland. Moreover, the first flight was the first long-haul / trans-oceanic, and that was on NH ex-NRT.

cheers,

Henry