dml105

I'm ticketed to fly to Paris this winter through LHR. I bought the PHL-LHR and return flights on US Airways so I could take advantage of a CP cert, there being no available upgrades to Paris. I then I ticketed a hop LHR-ORY and return on BA timed to connect with the US flights. BA has now canceled the ORY-LHR flight and put me on a flight that will land many hours after the LHR-PHL return flight on US.

Normally, I would just call BA up and ask them to put me on an earlier flight to get me to LHR in time for my next flight, but I wanted to ask the brain trust here if there was a advantageous way to deal with this. The BEST outcome would be being put on the flight from CDG directly to PHL, retaining my J ticket, but I think that is complicated by holding separate tickets, and the US reservations becoming AA.

What would you do in this situation? Is getting US, AA, or BA to consolidate my tickets even a possibility?

JDiver

This is an interesting time for this to occur. By the time you fly, there will be no US coded flights, and AA policies will apply. IME, AA will seek to preserve SWU upgrades, to the point of even maintaining them on at least some partner airlines (BA). IMO, we don't know if AA will treat a CP certificates, but if they extend consistency and equal policy they'd try to accommodate you.

Of course, we're not there yet; we are in the "drain down" of CRS/PSS/sales merger, and both airlines maintain separate policies for the interim. aA might decline to do anything for you at this time, and we have uncertainty how they'll treat your cert going forward.

I might try for reaccommodation from BA if that's possible (given BA didn't issue your ticket), possibly by contacting US and requesting they change or request the change via their BA Liaison if necessary.

Because an upgrade in the hand is worth two in the bush and I prefer greater certainty, myself.

N.B. As the AA - US applicable systems and policy haven't merged yet, this is a US ticket and members frequenting the legacy US forum are more likely to provide the best insight, I've moved this query.

/Moderator

Often1

BA's sole obligation will be to rebook you to the final destination of your ticket, e.g., LHR. The auto-rebook simply chooses what some coder thought was the best way to rebook. BA will rebook a better LHR for you if you want.

The US ticket, even though operated by AA is still a US ticket and getting either AA as the ticketing carrier or BA as the operating carrier of a separate ticket to reissue one or both as a non-stop is a pretty heavy lift.

Calling both now won't hurt and calling again after the full single operating certificate in October won't hurt either.

It's a new world out there in October so there is no way of predicting who might be helpful or trained.

Dave Noble

BA is obligated to rebook you to London. the separately ticketed itinerary is of no concern to BA ( nor is the BA one to US ). If you had a through booking, the airline who cancelled the flight would be obligated to get you to your destination and you may have had more luck

Your situation is a risk with buying separate tickets - the best chance would be to ask BA to rebook you onto an earlier flight

dml105

Generally, I understand that, but I also am aware that AA (and perhaps unpublishedly other oneworld airlines) treat end-to-end tickets within the alliance as through tickets. It's why I felt comfortable making an end-to-end reservation, so I was wondering if anyone had any experience in a situation such as this. Does the oneworld policy affect my situation?

fordan

I would think this involves things like interlining baggage and maybe dealing with irrops and not pre-depature ticket changes because another airline changes a flight you booked directly with that airline.

It can’t hurt to see if there’s upgrade availability on the CDG-PHL flight and call up and ask, but I’d expect if they’re willing to make the change and let you keep the CP upgrade you’ll still be paying the change fee and any fare difference. Most likely outcome is you’ll need to talk to BA and get an earlier flight (or one on the previous day).

RogerD408

I had a situation similar to yours, but not the advance warning. I was flying DFW - MIA - LIM (AA) - SCL (LA). The AA flights were upgraded using a SWU and the LA flight was a separate ticket. The flight out of DFW went MX and the delay would cause a missed connection to LIM. I stepped off the plan and explained my situation to the GA. I knew there was a DFW - SCL on AA leaving in a little bit. She asked me to hold on while she took care of a few urgent situations. Once she got to me, I was rebooked on the direct flight and maintained my SWU in F!

Given you have time to work up a new schedule that will work, I'd suggest making the call and asking what they are willing/able to do.

dml105

I decided for now to just call BA. Since they had put me on the earliest flight ORY-CDG after canceling the morning flight, I asked that they put me on a new flight from CDG, giving us four hours at LHR to kill. At least we'll be in the J lounge.

However, this was the third time BA changed the schedule for my itinerary, so I have a feeling that this story might not be over yet, especially if US/AA changes the schedule during the drain down.