DONE4 June 07

[v8Statesman]

Starting early this year (Have not even completed the last DONE4)

Just because I can, I want to maximise QFF SC's on this run. As such I will be crediting to QFF.

There is only one must for this trip and that is 25-28th June in MCO.

I _really_ want to fly D on a A380 on this trip, I also want to do QF107 all the way to JFK. (I think they are going to be incompatible wishes unless there is a LHR-SIN OW partner with an A380)

I know I will be burning 2 sectors to get from JFK-MCO

2 options I have are

Flight 1 of 2: FlightAmerican Airlines 4133FromNew York (JFK) NY US (JFK) Terminal 9Departure Time3:12 PM ToChicago (O'Hare) IL US (ORD) Terminal 3Arrival Time4:40 PM Duration2h28mMealF Aircraft TypeER4 Owned By:AA EAGLE Flight 2 of 2: FlightAmerican Airlines 1967FromChicago (O'Hare) IL US (ORD) Terminal 3Departure Time7:30 PM ToOrlando FL US (MCO) Terminal Arrival Time11:05PM Duration2h35mMeal Aircraft TypeM80
or

Flight 1 of 2: FlightAmerican Airlines 903FromNew York (JFK) NY US (JFK) Terminal 8Departure Time12:05PM ToMiami FL US (MIA) Terminal Arrival Time3:05 PM Duration3h00mMealF Aircraft TypeAB6 Flight 2 of 2: FlightAmerican Airlines 1120FromMiami FL US (MIA) Terminal Departure Time4:25 PM ToOrlando FL US (MCO) Terminal Arrival Time5:25 PM Duration1h00mMeal Aircraft Type738

I think the first will earn more SC's if I AA Eagle has "A" seats.

Have not worked out the rest of it. But I just want to travel as far as I can for the sake of it

What are peoples thoughts? Am I insane?

[bammac]

I have been toying with doing the same thing next year. Trying to maximise SC & points with Qantas.

Not really interested in AA Challenge, which probably does makes me crazy considering the obvious positive following of the challenge here.

Would be very interested to the response to your question as well!

[serfty]

Originally Posted by v8Statesman

... Have not worked out the rest of it. But I just want to travel as far as I can for the sake of it

What are peoples thoughts? Am I insane?

I reckon you are in pretty good company here, and, IMO you are not insane (then again, I don't believe I am either)

I don't believe thare are any A (or indeed, F) seats on American Eagle.

You can probably get some better info from the locals who 'inhabit' the FT OneWorld forum.

[garyjohn951]

Remember you can do 6 sectors in North America, so a side trip to Barbados with AA in F will get a good number of scs.

[v8Statesman]

Good idea,
Will look at that. I only did five this year and 1 was a 3 class plane

[Kiwi Flyer]

Originally Posted by garyjohn951

Remember you can do 6 sectors in North America, so a side trip to Barbados with AA in F will get a good number of scs.

AFAIK the caribbean flights only have coach (economy) and business, no first.

Given Airbus delays with A380 I wouldn't be planning a RTW for 2007 to include an A380 sector.

Going via DFW will get better QFF SCs and will be F since AA mainline. 120 for NYC-DFW and 90 for DFW-MCO. Also saves using up the north america trans-continental so still have that long flight for more SCs.

[NM]

I would route JFK-DFW-MCO as each sector will be 2-class AA aircraft (all AE flights are Y only, but DONEx will book into Y class so at least will earn full economy SCs and not discount SCs are L).

However, ORD does have a Flagship Lounge which is nicer than the standard Admirals Club lounge. But its near the gates used for their 777 international departures (the end of the K concourse) and can be a long walk from the gates used for many domestic flights.

I would not be planning on QF having A380 operating by June. They certainly hope they will be and quite possibly will be, but no guarantees. I really doubt QF will have them operating the Kangaroo route by then as they will be starting trans-Pacific. No other OneWorld partner will be operating A380 by then.

Remember that you can make as many flight/date/time changes to the DONE4 as you like for no penalty. The only penalty comes if you change the routing. So why not do something like make original reservation for QF107 SYD-LAX followed by QF107 LAX-JFK. You may need to include an overnight stopover at LAX for the agent to book it that way, but you can then change the LAX-JFK departure date to the same as the SYD-LAX arrival date later for no cost. Then you can change to an A380 flight if and when it comes on line.

Of course I am assuming that the reason you want to do SYD-JFK on QF107 is to maximise the SCs earned on that flight and to get you to the USA east coast without using a NA continent sector or trans-continental segment, and my suggestion above breaks that process. So its a trade-off only you can decide.

[v8Statesman]

Originally Posted by NM

The only penalty comes if you change the routing.

Hmmm, Thankyou for all your advice there NM.

I have made a routing change to my 001 issued paper DONE4 that I have in suspention at the moment. It is now a 001 E-ticket. I was not charged a thing.

WAS SIN-HKG-AKL//ZQN-BNE-MEL-ADL-PER it is now SIN-HKG-NRT-BNE-MEL-ADL-PER

[simongr]

Just in relation to the DONE4 - am I correct in assuming that I can add a few sectors within Australia. Is there a restriction on this - for example if I say do a SYD-LAX-JFK-LHR-HKG-SYD can I add say SYD-PER-SYD? Is there a time restiction on this? could I also book a couple of DONE4s for different trips. I have potentially a SYD-JFK-SYD trip before Xmas and a SYD-Orlando-SYD in March and potentially a SYD-Amsterdam-SYD next July.

I would most likely do all of those as DONE4s as its cheaper than a Business class return - I am just wondering if this will then give me a stock pile of J class flights around Oz that I could take in the next 12 months? It would mean that I could in theory fly on business in business domestically or even take a flight to Uluru with mrs sim in J - and save on the award points I would have to use

[Kiwi Flyer]

Yes intra-australia sectors are restricted.

1) Only 4 in total (at start or end or mixture).
2) Only 1 trans-continental (basically east coast to PER, BME or DRW is trans-continental), unless using the south africa exception.
3) Last flight must be within 12 months of start of the RTW.

Also once you return to Australia (country of origin) you cannot leave it again (so no trips to NZ at the end - can solve this by starting in NZ instead).

Yup you can have multiple xONEx's live at any one point. Just make sure to finish them off within the 12 month validity, and keep track of rule changes (since each one will be subject to the rules as at the time of issuing).