kboo

Flying JFK-LHR-TLV in business next month and I'm wondering whether it makes a difference (in miles, seat selection, or anything else) to book the flight (on BA metal) as an AA codeshare or as a BA flight? In particular I'm thinking of class of service and elite status bonuses. Thanks!

JDiver

Yes, it makes a difference: AFAIK you'll earn 25% Class of Service bonus miles as BA, 50% as AA. Otherwise, you should experience no major differences, though severe OSO / IRROPS could cause some yo-yo effect for rebooking (though I'd prefer dealing with AA on these issues than BA any time).

kboo

And what about seat selection? I think booking through AA I can't pick seats upon reserving (?)... I'm especially thinking of the 747 upper deck... (and NOT the middle seats on the lower deck!)

MSPeconomist

AFAIK anyone can pay about $100 each way to pick a business class seat in advance on BA. This is one reason I avoid flying BA.

JDiver

AA Platinums can, iirc, book seats on BA. Whether or not that includes time limitations or seats in the 747 SUD, I'd imagine that would be a BAEC forum question relating to all oneworld Sapphires.

kboo

Seriously?? Even if bought through BA?

Unfortunately, I'd probably rather have a poorly located BA Club World seat than a business class seat on AA or El Al metal.

kboo

Thanks - I'll take a look.

JDiver

My experiences, as I recall and as she reminded me, include Lady JDiver (lifetime Platinum), has had no trouble - or fees - selecting Business seats using BA Manage My Booking (which is pretty good at seat selection, on codeshares, etc.) in the main J cabin (we like the center aft-facing seat pairs for overnight flights) or in the Stretched Upper Deck.

kboo

So she was able to used the BA "manage my booking" even if booked on aa.com? This seems to me to be the only potential advantage to booking on ba.com.

I would love the aft facing seat pair if I were traveling for personal reasons and with Dr.Kboo, rather than on business and solo.

Arsey00

Depends how you mean 'able to use Manage My Booking'. I must admit, I'm a little confused about what you think you might/might not be able to do, so I hope this helps:

If you book directly with BA, you will use the MMB feature to select your seats on BA.com, and if there are codeshares you will be directed to the appropriate website (with aa, this is very smooth, with other carriers it may not be quite as seamless but you will have very thorough instructions). As an AA PLT, you will not need to pay to select your seat at booking.

If booked as a codeshare on aa.com, when you go to select seats, you are taken to a very BA MMB-looking page that understands your aa booking reference. In other words, you will be able to select your seat in exactly the same way you would if booked on BA, but you access it through aa.com. You'd almost never know you weren't in MMB.

MSPeconomist

Yes, although I forget the exact amount of the fee.

JDiver

We've been able to use MMB on prime and codeshare flights. My last were BA ticketed IB, BA marketed on AA and IB. BA seems to have figured this out reasonably; perhaps it's Amadeus.

Seriously? BA CW over the 77W? Wow! Definitely a case of de gustibus non est disputandum. I'm pretty picky about choosing BA 747 seats (we book middle-afts, I book SUD exit solo or those seats with a bit more pitch and some form of aisle access where it doesn't involve climbing over or being climbed over by another passenger). On AA 77W it's never a worry.

Andriyko

kboo, you will be able to select seats for free regardless how you book them - as AA*BA codeshare or as BA prime flight (exit row seats are excluded for OW SPH). If you book on aa.com you will be taken to ba.com to select the seats.