bil

Hi everyone,

I am traveling LHR-DBX with two friends in October. By that time I will be Bronze. I was wondering what if any benefits do they get from my status. The situation being that two of us are in the same PNR but the other isn't. I already called BA to try to join the bookings but all they can do is to write a note letting the check in agent know that we are traveling together. Will the person out from the PNR get the benefits?

Thank you for your thoughts,

Bil

flyingmonkie

The only relevant benefits are the seat selection and Business Class check in as the Avios bonus will only accrue to the member in question.

If the passengers are not on the same booking then seat selection will not be available.

As for Business Class check in I have never had an issue walking up with the person I'm travelling with and just checking in. I suppose in the most strict of circumstances they might tell your friends to go to the other check in desks but it's never happened with me. Admittedly I have only ever done it with one other person rather than two.

madfish

Welcome to FT.

Although linking bookings is possible (see above) you must be gold in order to be able 'to complete party'. This would then allow you to book seats for all members of your group when travelling together in the same cabin across separate bookings.

Bar booking seats at 7 days, bronze does not offer a great deal.

Soupey202

The biggest benefit I've found is checking in at outstations when we could use the short queue at business check in rather than join the horrendous economy queue. I guess it would be up to the agent at the time whether or not they allowed all three of you to do this.

KARFA

Welcome to FT.

Just to add some information on TCP/free seat selection, linking bookings (called TCP - To Complete Party) is available to any status, it is not a gold specific benefit. All TCP'ing two bookings does though is add a note on one referencing the other. This can be done by the BA agent on the phone. It is in not any kind of merging of bookings, and does not add any protection for connecting between separate bookings.

However, what is a gold/OWE benefit and not available for other tiers is free seat selection for the non-gold/silver booking passenger. If you are a GCH/OWE and there is someone travelling on the same flight and in the same cabin on a separate booking, you can request free seat selection for the other person so that you can sit together. This second step, after doing the TCP, is usually sent off to the infamous back office to process and takes a few days to do.

jackcarr

I was going to ask this myself at some point. I'm a bronze member (or will be after my next flight I should say) but my girlfriend is not - I assumed that the bonus avoid would not accrue to her - but it sounds like I will be able to choose seats for both of us 7 days out - even though she is blue? We're on the same PNR.

Secondly, presumably the 25% Avios will accrue to me even on future bookings on my BAEC that were added when I was blue? Specifically we booked a BA flight to South Africa for next year and it's sitting in my future bookings. I will be bronze by then but am currently blue - will the Avios earned on that be at the blue rate (booked) or the bronze rate (flown)?

Thanks,
Jack

UKtravelbear

bonus avios accrue according to the individuals status not yours.

and they are earned based on the date flown not booked.