oneworld - Paid A and flew in J: how do I get BA tier points for A?

I flew LAX-LHR yesterday. I had a paid A-class ticket. I got to the airport early, I was told my late flight was going the 1hr late. First was full on the earlier flight. I waitlisted for first but said I would travel in Club if a first seat did not come up.

All the first passengers showed up and flew back in club. Only J class tier and miles posted this morning on my account. BA ground crew at LAX promised that my paid A class ticket would be what I would get credit for otherwise I would have just waited in the lounge.

This seems total reasonable and would be very unfair it BA punished me for traveling in a lower class to avoid a delay. Is it easy to sort out ? I need those 60 tier points this month to get Gold card.

You tried calling BA and having them fix it? Can't speak for BA but the only time I had a problem with miles posting on JAL, a quick phone call took care of it.

A similar (but not same) thing happened to me in April. I was due to fly F (full fare) to TLV but BA decided to changed planes to one without FIRST and put me in J (full fare). I got no refund of the £200 odd difference, and the TPs / BA Miles showed as 120; 4432 respectively.

BA has consistently ignored my emails. When I call up the BAEC they seem to pass me from pillar to post without resolution. One the one occasion where they said they'd refund the difference, I was then advised that the computer system was down, and to call back. So it never happened. If I was a cynic, I'd say the CSA was trying to pass the problem on to someone else...

I like BA and wouldn't really consider another airline. But they don't half piss me off on occasions..! Would it really cost you that much EBITDA to treat your customers equitably? That would engender real customer loyalty...

To me these two cases are different. In Dermot's case, if I understand correctly, you took a voluntary downgrade to get you home earlier. The flight on which you had a confirmed reservation was not cancelled. I wouldn't be too optimistic about getting F miles in this case. In MHL's case it was an involuntary downgrade, and in that case I would expect to get a refund of the difference and F miles.

At least that is how CX would do it. They'd probably also give additional compensation for the involuntary downgrade and make very sure you were well looked after in Club.

To me these two cases are different. In Dermot's case, if I understand correctly, you took a voluntary downgrade to get you home earlier. The flight on which you had a confirmed reservation was not cancelled. I wouldn't be too optimistic about getting F miles in this case. In MHL's case it was an involuntary downgrade, and in that case I would expect to get a refund of the difference and F miles.

At least that is how CX would do it. They'd probably also give additional compensation for the involuntary downgrade and make very sure you were well looked after in Club.

I agree MHL's case is hard and fast, I had a involuntary downgrade once when they could not staff the First cabin. It show (F/J) on my account and I got full F miles and tier points and compensation.

I agree I took a voluntary downgrade. However my response to that would be:

1. I was phoned by BA to inform me that my later confirmed flight in F was running 1hr late.

2. I specifically asked about my tier points when traveling in J, both to the First check-in agents and to the BA special services rep in the lounge. Both confimed that I would get F credit, saying it that the money that counted.

3. Had they told me that it would not work like that I would have just stayed in the lounge and waited. I need 60 points and I don't think I can fly any more before my membership year is up.

4. Finally, I appear to have been punished by traveling in a lower class cabin.


On the technical point, my exec account shows a separate PNR for just that leg, showing (J/J) thus the 120 pts. Special services agent mentioned something about having to "rect'ed" (spelling ?) my booking, does that mean anything ?

I hope I don't sound too harsh but if I knew the segment was that vital to my elite qualifying I would not have risked it for a wait of 1 hr., and all on the say so of a check-in or lounge agent. I sincerely hope you get the points but I would also understand if BA said no.

The lounge agents are not (iirc) in a position to determine how BAEC will award TPs . Given that it was a voluntary downgrade, I would be surprised if you did get the First TPs.

For a 1 hour delay , was it worth (a) risking the TPs and (b) travelling in business class rather than 1st?

I wouldn't see this as much different to having , say, a 1st ticket LAX-LHR-LCA and only getting J TPs for the LHR-LCA flight which has no First cabin

I would suggest reading the T&Cs of the BAEC very carefully and seeing exactly what is said about TP earning in it

Dave