Ask CO Insider: Star Alliance Announcements & Discussions

[toyotaboy95]

Originally Posted by transportbiz

Swiss flights, 50% late of the 4 I took, no weather delays. Swiss crews very nice, but the GA's are a bit Nazi like with bags...not allowing me to carry on the same bag I'd just flown from ATL-CDG on DL and CDG-HAM on AF.

Aside from lounge access, *A Gold pretty meaningless reallly. No special seat assignments, no special boarding process, no luggage priority, (with ST, NW, DL, CO, AF, KL all had "elite" boarding lines). LX is a total free-4-all process.

CO.com award calandar still not showing any availability for front cabin on flights LAX> MUC in January, February (not exactly peak season). Actually, I've looked forward for months and nothing is there. (I certainly, understand this may take time, and remain hopefully, this is not going to be the plan.

Booked my flight months ago on LX, before mileage chart was posted, not surpised but still disappointed with 50% milage credit.

Overall, right now I do feel there will be more options on *A, but at this moment I am missing some of the benefits from Elite Plus.

LX is very good, among the best in Europe. They are much better than LH, usually on-time and ..

I bet you haven't read the entire *G benefits list yet. You're supposed to get STAR ALLIANCE PRIORITY baggage tags (physical orange ones and encoded in the bag tag), F/J check-in, waitlist clearance, seat blocking on LH , priority boarding after F/J and much more.

[transportbiz]

Originally Posted by toyotaboy95

LX is very good, among the best in Europe. They are much better than LH, usually on-time and ..

I bet you haven't read the entire *G benefits list yet. You're supposed to get STAR ALLIANCE PRIORITY baggage tags (physical orange ones and encoded in the bag tag), F/J check-in, waitlist clearance, seat blocking on LH , priority boarding after F/J and much more.

My appologies, I fogot to say I didn't intend it as a gripe post. I've read the list, I am only writting about what I personally experienced. Just an observance post. I can only say, what I experienced, and there were certainly no Orange tags on my bags (yes I did provide my *A Gold card upon check in). Also, LX boards F/J last, or at least that was the way it was done on these 4 flights.

[apuruc]

Checking in today at CGK for a TG CGK-BKK-DEL flight, the agent insisted that CO was not a member of *A. They tried entering my OnePass# but their system wouldn't accept it. Then got the lecture again that CO was not a member of *A, only UA and, ummm, "Delta" were.

At BKK stepped into a Royal Silk Lounge to see if they could register my OnePass#. But no success. They of course say it is CO's responsibility for not yet having updated their systems with *A, that I should contact CO.

They did say I was welcome to use the lounge. Very pleasant of them. They at least recognized that CO was part of *A, and accepted my old CO Plat card for that (still with ST logo cuz I started this itinerary right before the new *G card was to arrive).

[Phil the Flyer]

CO Insider - I've searched high and low on the CO and UA FT forums for an answer to my query; without success. So if the answer has been staring me in the face please accept my apologies!

Over the past few years I've been, at various times, CO One Pass Gold Elite, UA Mileage Plus Premier Executive, and BA Exec Club Gold (to cover the 95% of my travel undertaken with, respectively, Sky Team, Star Alliance and One World).

Now that CO has joined Star Alliance I have two Star Alliance memberships and zero Sky Team. While I can easily enrol with a new Sky Team airline my query relates to my now two Star Alliance memberships - CO and UA.

In view of CO changing alliances is there any provision for people with both pre-existing CO and UA memberships to pool their CO and UA miles into one account or the other? Thanks in advance.

[transportbiz]

Originally Posted by Phil the Flyer

CO Insider - I've searched high and low on the CO and UA FT forums for an answer to my query; without success. So if the answer has been staring me in the face please accept my apologies!

Over the past few years I've been, at various times, CO One Pass Gold Elite, UA Mileage Plus Premier Executive, and BA Exec Club Gold (to cover the 95% of my travel undertaken with, respectively, Sky Team, Star Alliance and One World).

Now that CO has joined Star Alliance I have two Star Alliance memberships and zero Sky Team. While I can easily enrol with a new Sky Team airline my query relates to my now two Star Alliance memberships - CO and UA.

In view of CO changing alliances is there any provision for people with both pre-existing CO and UA memberships to pool their CO and UA miles into one account or the other? Thanks in advance.

While I won't pretend to have the most knowledge on this, it's been my understanding and experience that airlines rarely if ever, match or pool miles from one airline account to another. While many airlines will status-match, I don't think there are often situations where they mileage match. My own experince was that I was Platinum on NW and on CO, so prior to this I had 2 airlines within the ST alliance that I had status on.

[CO Insider]

Originally Posted by I_luv_Japan

I am *Gold and will be traveling internationally in Y with wife and two small kids, all three without status. I understand that I can bring one guest to any President's Club and designated *G lounge along the itinerary. The question is if the kids will count as extra guests, or, since they are <21yrs, they will be allowed to enter for free, while my wife is the designated guest. Could not find an answer to this anywhere on CO or *A website or on this forum.

The question actually extends to (1) President's Clubs, (2) LH lounge in FRA, (3) ANA lounge in NRT.

Hi I_luv_Japan, the definition of a guest is not something that's governed at the alliance level, therefore the interpretation of what is considered a guest may vary from one carrier to another. That said, you’ll typically find that guests under the age of 21 are still counted as guests. Infants under the age of two are about the only exception you might expect.

Originally Posted by UA Fan

Am I missing something or is this only 13 carriers?

Hi UA Fan, we have 14 carriers available for booking online. Don't forget to count Continental!

Originally Posted by UA Fan

CO Insider does CO have plans to add EK to its list on online partners?

The short answer is yes, our goal is to have all of our OnePass partners available for online reward booking. It'll take us years to get there, I'm sure, but we hope to make some healthy progress in the coming months I can't guarantee that Emirates (EK) will be ready in that timeframe, but they are a priority for us nonetheless.

Originally Posted by UA Fan

Also can I do this itin: IAD-KWI on UA and KWI-DXB-COK on EK?

Yes, UA Fan, you can for both revenue and reward travel. Specifically with respect to rewards, you can mix and match OnePass partners to create a reward itinerary, regardless of whether they're a Star Alliance member. The only exceptions are EVA Air and Qantas, whose rewards are treated as separate and have their own set of rules.

Originally Posted by mchon

Just had a horrible experience last night w/ Continental and trying to get a RTW ticket.

Apparently the fare rules for RTW hasn't been uploaded into the system and so they can't issue any RTW tickets!

Scott, can you confirm this?

I had an itinerary set to fly out fro JFK- SYD on 11/4 via ICN and on tuesday 10/27 the phone agent booked the itinerary and told me to call back in a few days so that they can calculate the taxes. Assumed that this trip would happen 99%, I began booking internal flights in Australia and NZ. Yesterday, the agent calls me and tells me that they made a mistake on the booking and that this RTW ticket can't be issued!

Now I have 3 nonrefundable flights within Australia but no flight TO Australia.

Help!

Thanks for bringing this to our attention, mchon, and sorry for the hassle. We've since updated our systems. I'm glad we were able to get everything sorted out in time, and hope you enjoy your trip.

Originally Posted by SoCal Flyer

Hi Scott

I can't seem to find this answered anywhere. I have purchased a RT (LAX-LIH) for early next year; Outbound is CO/HA, return on UA direct (CO codeshare). Itinerary was purchased through CO.

I was unable to advance purchase E+ on the UA return flight online so I called United. The agent said that I cannot purchase E+ in advance since I am on the flight as a codeshare, suggesting that I would have needed to purchase the flight from UA in order to have access to E+(even as a purchased add-on). Does purchasing UA flights as CO codeshares preclude us from even purchasing access to E+?

Thanks for clarifying this. (It will make me very hesitant to purchase a CO codeshare on UA if that is the case.)

Hi SoCal Flyer, while I can't readily confirm whether or not this is the case, I will bring this issue up with our colleagues at United.

Originally Posted by ual744777sta

Do *S have to pay for bags? UA and US are waiving the fee for CO's *S.

Hi ual744777sta, as a Star Alliance Silver you will be allowed up to two fee-waived checked bags weighing up to 50 pounds each when originating on Continental.

Originally Posted by SAT Lawyer

Scott: will UA elites be eligible for Y-ups at the time of booking, just like NW elites were?

Hi SAT Lawyer, as ijgordon mentioned, Elite upgrades of any kind on Continental are currently limited to our OnePass Elite members.

Originally Posted by Phil the Flyer

CO Insider - I've searched high and low on the CO and UA FT forums for an answer to my query; without success. So if the answer has been staring me in the face please accept my apologies!

Over the past few years I've been, at various times, CO One Pass Gold Elite, UA Mileage Plus Premier Executive, and BA Exec Club Gold (to cover the 95% of my travel undertaken with, respectively, Sky Team, Star Alliance and One World).
Now that CO has joined Star Alliance I have two Star Alliance memberships and zero Sky Team. While I can easily enrol with a new Sky Team airline my query relates to my now two Star Alliance memberships - CO and UA.

In view of CO changing alliances is there any provision for people with both pre-existing CO and UA memberships to pool their CO and UA miles into one account or the other? Thanks in advance.

Hi Phil the Flyer, the short answer is no, you cannot pool your miles between Continental and United, nor can you transfer them from one program to the other. You can, however, redeem your United miles for travel on Continental and vice versa.

[ual744777sta]

Thanks Scott!! Hope to be on a CO flight soon.

[UA Fan]

CO Insider does CO have any plans to add other partners specifically QR and awards on IT.

[snod08]

Originally Posted by UA Fan

CO Insider does CO have any plans to add other partners specifically QR?

Just wanted to add to UA Fan's question.
Does CO have plans to add Air India as a partner?

[kiwiandrew]

Originally Posted by snod08

Just wanted to add to UA Fan's question.
Does CO have plans to add Air India as a partner?

Assuming that AI do eventually enter *A ( of course that could be a big assumption given how far behind schedule they are on this ) then CO will have to add them as a partner - there is no way for one *A member to exclude another from partnership .

[supermasterphil]

Originally Posted by toyotaboy95

LX is very good, among the best in Europe. They are much better than LH, usually on-time and ..

I bet you haven't read the entire *G benefits list yet. You're supposed to get STAR ALLIANCE PRIORITY baggage tags (physical orange ones and encoded in the bag tag), F/J check-in, waitlist clearance, seat blocking on LH , priority boarding after F/J and much more.

Seat blocking (if that is a true perk out there) is just given to LH elites on LH but not to other elites on LH. If seat next to you is not occupied, it's pure luck!

[Spinky]

CO Insider - Can you tell me when CO will address the fact that when I'm a PC member and have to to pay $5-7 dollars for a wine beer or cocktail and UA RCC members don't at a PC? I sent a message to the PC EMAIL address and all I get is we are still working out things. I fly EWR - ORD - EWR every other weekend and this does not do anything for me. I can get a Plat AM EX and have access to your clubs and buy a DETLA club card without the first fee and not pay for a glass of wine or beer and dump the PC membership.

[andrew]

Hi - Joined PC 2 months ago and have looked thoroughly through flyer talk and co website for the ruling for those that are only PC members (most are silver/gold etc one pass as well.) Can only find

Presidents Club Members
Presidents Club members and two guests or family members (spouse and children under the age of 21) may visit any Presidents Clubs, United Red Carpet Clubs* and US etc ...

1./ Can a Pres C only member get domestic and international lounge use of those lounges listed as accepting pres members, i.e. Auckland says ok for Koru lounge but not for international, same for chc (Christchurch)
2./ Also if on a *A ticket do you have access to for example mel australia Singapore Kris.
3./ Does PC on its' own give any baggage allowance when flying any *A or any priority check-in ?
The *A website doesn't list CO as a partner for paid membership.

Paid Lounge Membership Customers: Eligible Paid Lounge Membership Customers have access to any Star Alliance member carriers' owned Business Class lounges.

Eligible Paid Lounge Membership Customers include United Airlines Red Carpet Club, US Airways Club - Star Alliance Upgrade and Air Canada Maple Leaf Club – Worldwide
Customer

so too embarrassed to try yet, should my pc card need a*A logo on ?

Sorry if these questions seem plainly dumb, but currently Qantas Club and we never received the great type of access that is outlined in CO.

Rgds Andrew

[Phil the Flyer]

Originally Posted by CO Insider

Hi Phil the Flyer, the short answer is no, you cannot pool your miles between Continental and United, nor can you transfer them from one program to the other. You can, however, redeem your United miles for travel on Continental and vice versa.

Thank you for your prompt reply. Of course I realise that under normal circumstances pooling or transferring of miles between airlines doesn't happen, however given my 'one airline per alliance membership' policy (something I know a lot of others also do) I thought this is something that CO might have considered as a 'one-off' (say within the first 60 days) reciprocal agreement with their new Star Alliance partners.

After all, unless one can use miles from the mileage accounts of two different airlines in the same alliance when booking a redemption flight, I don't see much point in having membership of two airlines in the same alliance - better to credit all miles flown with, say, Star Alliance airlines to one airline scheme only.

[UA Fan]

Is it possible to put an award on hold by calling CO and then ticketing them online? For e.g I am unable to get JFK-CAI-BOM on co.com, but can I call CO and set it up, then buy it online?