danboy767

Hi there,


I'm off next weekend to Dallas having recently dropped to silver. I'm in economy and have to say it's the first time in years I haven't flown on BA metal.

I was wondering if anyone had any tips or recent experiences on AA. No idea even what the lounge at LHR is like or if I'll even get comp drinks on board etc.

Either way I guess\hope the new experience will at least make the 10 hours pass a little bit faster

jcm9000

Did you get mce as silvers can select those seats if available as i assume it is the 77w, so grab mce. Be warned a few dfw flights have been downgraded recently to older planes and the 772 doesn't have it, 763 does. Aa lounge won't blow you away, although I far prefer their j lounge over their f lounge if it is still an explosion of beige (it has been a while now since i was through t3 so all may have changed), i recall the j lounge being far more modern in feel. i'd wander the other OW lounges at t3, cx for noodles, ba because it is ba etc. You should get priority boarding, don't expect anything extra on board from status, same as ba really. If you are taking carry on aa's sizes are slightly smaller than BA and i have seen reports that some t3 staff can be very strict about it, although no one cared on my last flight to MIA from one of the nicer gates at the far end of the terminal. As for service have a wee read of http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...l-economy.html.

danboy767

Thanks that's useful, I've used the Cathay lounge before so might again actually. I recall that was a nice change.

With regard to way out no MCE was available unfortunately it's been full there ever since I booked a few weeks back, the flight is next weekend so will check again a few times this week. I have it on the way back even though it's a middle seat not an aisle or window I hope it will be better.

Guess hoping for an op up is out of the question too.

jcm9000

You never know but i guarantee all j seats wil be taken by explats and their system wide upgrades plus a lot of people pay for 77w j as it is so good so a very low chance indeed! Middle seat in mce, eh, it is still an economy seat, not as good as (new) wtp, i think it is an inch wider than aa y which is nothing between friends! Exit aisle normal y may be better unless legroom (i meant width since exit gives legroom!! Doh...) is really what you want (5 inches more i think normal y and mce) since service is the same, or keep checking the seat map daily. At least you will have a choice of neighbour for escaping! Check out the aa threads (premerger) on the 77w as it is well covered there and i could be well off base on the exit row suggestion... Oh for entertainment the 77w system is good, decent selection and screen quality.

Slotski

I am now BA Gold. But was BA silver last November when I flew AA econ to St Maartens via JFK. I was prebooked MCE on the LHR-JFK-LHR sectors I was offered upgrade to J during online check-in both ways: �325 outbound and �275 return. I took up the offers and they were well worth it. Only catch I earned econ tier points 35 each way rather than 140.

Arsey00

Credit on AA is always the class of service purchased, but this business of selling upgrades at the gate or even POUG is (speculatively) new. Current thread on the AA forum is still trying to work out whether they've sneaked an enhancement in on us. There may come a time they realise that if one has paid for an upgrade, perhaps they should be credited for that upgrade, but until now all upgrades were free or near free so no one has had to think about it.

Which flight number do you have? AA 51 is in general still the 77W (occasional exceptions) but 79 is a 772 and AA 81 has been a 763. Again, if you can grab MCE that would make your life more pleasant, only available on the 763 and 77W. Because the 763 IFE is a shared screen above every few rows, you're really hoping for flight 51...

Drinks and meals are free on TATLs on AA. Not so on domestic connections, but if you're flying direct that won't matter. Some FAs make a fuss over elites, some don't. You'll show up on their screens as an AA Platinum, they won't see you have status on BA rather than AA. At most, you might get an extra miniature during the drinks pass-thru.

On your return, your silver status will get you into the Admirals Club in whichever terminal you depart from, plus one guest. All the DFW lounges are decent (showers in A are fab!) but you'll still need to pay for food as only international and flagship lounges provide freebies. You should get 'chits' at the entrance to cover premium drinks as you've got an international flight. If they're not offered, ask. When you've used up your chits, house wines, beers and well drinks are free.

You'll get the usual oneworld priority check in, boarding and baggage allowance as well.

haasha

Drinks were complimentary and not bad, food was borderline edible in October.

I don't remember it anymore but we either did not get complimentary headphones or they were so bad that I used mine from Blackberry (probably the latter), movie selection on B773 was okay.

If you lucky enough to grab MCE seat than it's way better than BA.

You can use CX, AA, BA lounges at LHR and I would rate them in that order. Lounges at DFW as Arsey00 says.

danboy767

Thanks this helps Im on the 79 going out and 78 coming back so guess I haven't picked well there :-(

That said it appears to be a 2-5-2, 9 across!!!! config there and back so hopefully all will be ok.

Ill ask for a chit?!? in the lounge as I always like a few strong drinks before a red eye;-)

Cheers

headingwest

I flew to and from DFW last week on AA and US domestic flights. No special treatment for a BA Silver in my case, but to be honest I wasn't expecting it. Of course it's only complimentary drinks for US domestic flights in economy, but the transatlantic flights are much the same as with BA in my opinion...only the service can be a bit curt.

You'll get given the chits at the reception, I think they usually give you 2, although the very nice English lady (Chris) at the AA lounge at LAX gave me 5 of them, so I guess I look like a boozer!

I was extremely unimpressed with the AA lounges, I never want to see another bagel or cookie in my life! I can't imagine why anybody would want status just to gain access to them, but I suppose it's the other benefits that most get status for.

pauleeepaul

If the yanks don't give a chit () then ask. You should get as many as you want as long as you don't appear intoxicated (albeit in dribs and drabs of 1-2 at a time.)

Arsey00

If you can get one, there are sometimes 4 seats (2 rows of 2) next to the galley, maybe 17 and 18A and B? 19 and 20?, which are slightly more comfortable and feel like your own little minicabin. They are the crew rest seats, so I don't know on which flights they are available. I've only had them coming from JFK.

I generally avoid 78/79 if possible so I'm not as familiar with those as the other numbers. I've probably used them twice in the last three years. It's not intolerable, the Y seats are slightly older and therefore have the extra inch of shoulder space and a thicker cushion under the bum.

Lots of Americans love to hear British accents. Ham it up when you check into the lounges at DFW, you might get an extra chit or two. With my yank accent, I only ever get one, despite travelling with my family of emeralds and sapphires. But I've lived in Britain long enough I don't put up much of a fight

Gshumway

I just came back IND-PHX-OAK on US, flight was slightly late and so I got to see the gate door for OAK close in front of me. Next flight had no First (I paid for it), and only seat available was 18F, it was miserable. And they didn't care that I a.) paid for First nor b.) OWE. I.e. no drink or snack beside soda/water.

Arsey00

At the risk of going off topic, I hold my emerald status with The New American and got about the same treatment in January. BA is supposedly resolving it (been promised a refund for the downgrade and purchased food, still waiting).

windowontheAside

I got downgraded on US due to a last minute aircraft sub, and was rather miffed since I'd paid for F. I asked all the others in the cabin what we should do to claim the refund and discovered all of them (about 8?) were status related upgrades, so none of them could claim anything. Of course I knew that over the pond, many FFs routinely get upgrades but I was surprised to find I was the only paying customer.

I submitted a claim through US, and got a refund pretty quickly. Still got the F TPs though!

Arsey00

Just to be clear, these problem downgrade issues are on US. AA is generally proactive, and where possible will get you in the class you paid for or better. They aren't perfect, and there are times when they can't do that, but US and AA are still very different airlines until October-ish.

What happens after that under the new management, I can't say. Obviously I'm hoping for a fair bit of the old AA to prevail.