saucesee

Does anyone have experience with the IB op-up process out of JFK?

I'm traveling to europe in late July, flying out on the Iberia JFK-MAD flight, onward to BCN. I am ticketed, however, on the AA codeshare flight number to MAD, sitting in coach (ouch).

Expertflyer is showing the flight completely sold out in Y and below on both IB and AA flight numbers, with a handful of open seats in J/D on each flight number. Also, both the 6PM flight (which I'm on) and 9PM flight seem to be full in coach. I believe the flight has the new IB business class seats that I'd like to try.

Is an op-up even possible on IB flights for someone ticketed on an AA codeshare flight number? If so, how high in the order, if at all, does AA Plat come? I know that certain oneworld partners (e.g., CX) tend to op-up their own elites traveling on their flight numbers before getting to those of us ticketed on the AA codeshare, and am curious about IB's policy.

[obligatory statement that search results yielded no useful guidance]

JonNYC

Last time I flew IB J out of JFK, numerous people were being op-up'd at check-in.

However, my personal observation was that it was extremely random-- many kids and "obvious" infrequent fliers.

For all I know, maybe all elites had already been accommodated-- but, frankly, I really doubt it.

The codeshare issue is not an issue, IMHO.

number_6

The codeshare agreement varies between airlines, but in general the codeshare can never be oversold (e.g. IB gives AA 50 seats on the flight, AA can only sell 50 and any oversells are on the IB flight number, not on the AA flight number). Some airlines process the flight as 2 separate planes, and all the op-ups are on their own flight; however OW status is a consideration. I suppose this is fair as the revenue is going to the other airline for the codeshare, and something to keep in mind about op-ups. Often Emeralds are treated differently (e.g. IB may process all Emeralds, even for the codeshare, and then its own flight number only). IB has surprisingly few pax with status (very hard to earn status on the IB FF plan, their EXP equiv. is an order of magnitude scarcer than on AA), and in the past experienced flyers avoided IB. Thus lots of op-ups for non-status pax. This is obviously changing fast as the word spreads about IB's new J service. However IB ground operations are still chaotic so don't expect much consistency in what they do for op-ups, they generally do whatever is most convenient for the ground staff.

dankyone

I have never flown transatlantic on IB but I have received a number of op-ups on IB on short routes within Spain based on my AA status, so they do recognize OW status in some fashion.

ihdihd

On a MAD-JFK flight the overbooking actually led to both me and my wife being almost bumped off the flight. Somehow the other 276 non-platinum/sapphire pax in coach got to the airport more than 3 hours before the flight AND/OR were of higher oneworld status than us. The kicker was that there were plenty of J seats open, and they were actually considering grounding us.

We booked the flight thorugh orbitz, not IB, and that was the last time that I do it. I was impossible to get my AA number on the res before departure, and in this case the OW status wasn't recognized at all.

ambato

Yesterday on IB code share 7631, Mad/SJU I received an op-upgrade out of the blue. Coach full, I am Plat. and before boarding I was named and given the news. On AA I have NEVER had such luck. Moreover, my experience with AA for requested up-grades since 2005 is ZERO. It was interesting to notice that the boarding and in plane service with IB was far superior to AA. I have flown IB in Europe and find that it is now far superior to comparable AA services. Furthermore, IB planes in which I have flown are cleaner than AA. My guess is that IB may appreciate regular AA Plats.

rrgg

Hey so did you like IB? I can't tell. :-)

If you're platinum, then maybe they recognized you as OneWorld Sapphire when giving upgrades on a full coach flight.

saucesee

Thanks for the data points. I fly friday night, so I'll arrive early at JFK and see what happens--I'll report back, hopefully with a J boarding pass in-hand.

spurg

i think you were recognized as a saphire

JonNYC

Ironically-- and very loosely based on my observations-- I think checking in not-so-early might be best. YMMV.

Viajero

I would say time of check-in, or codeshare, is not that relevant, only OW status is. If you do get an op-up it will most likely be upon boarding, not at check-in. This, of course, is not a hard rule, just my observations after many IB op-ips. Actually, it has been so good lately that next time, if I do not get an op-up I am going to write in to complain.

JonNYC

Two of the times I'm referencing the upgrades were all being done at check-in at JFK, but I'd imagine it happens both places. But, in any case, you obviously have much more applicable experience with same.