Finnair to enter the transatlantic joint business with AA, BA, IB
Aug 21, 2013, 2:32 am
#48
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: HEL
Programs: SPG LTP, hotels, OWE, STE+, *G, Octopus
Posts: 5,785
AA: 1 r/t = 30k extra AAmiles F or J, 15k in BA WT+ (Y+)
AY: 1 r/t to JFK = minimum 15k AY+ points, best value with cheapest ticket
BA: 1 r/t = 30k extra Avios in F or J, 15k in WT+ (Y+)
IB: ??
AY: 1 r/t to JFK = minimum 15k AY+ points, best value with cheapest ticket
BA: 1 r/t = 30k extra Avios in F or J, 15k in WT+ (Y+)
IB: ??
Aug 24, 2013, 7:48 am
#49
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA, VS, HH, IHG, MB, MR
Posts: 26,871
Aug 25, 2013, 1:50 am
#50
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Helsinki
Programs: BA EC Gold
Posts: 329
I just experienced this with a transatlantic flight were I had AA tickets on BA and finnair planes (due to the creative travel agent).
The odd thing was inability to check in to the last leg of the trip (LHR -> HEL on AY) at the time I checked into the transatlantic BA flight.
The BA on line check in said not possible. The AA on line check in diverted me to the BA site, as did the Finnair web page. The BA check in desk at the airport could print a boarding card, but couldnt change the seat from the pre allocated middle seat. The BA lounge customer service desk at LHR couldnt do anything and said I had to go to the finnair desk in flight connections, but that is only open 3 hours before the flight (I had a 5 hour layover in LHR).
Eventually I changed the seat myself as the AY on line check in started to let me check in, presumably because the transatlantic sector was now flown and not valid for check in. I managed to move myself to an aisle and download a new boarding card using the lounge wifi.
A small inconvenience, but I wouldnt have been that happy sitting in a middle seat for the last 2.5 hours of a 17 hour trip.
The odd thing was inability to check in to the last leg of the trip (LHR -> HEL on AY) at the time I checked into the transatlantic BA flight.
The BA on line check in said not possible. The AA on line check in diverted me to the BA site, as did the Finnair web page. The BA check in desk at the airport could print a boarding card, but couldnt change the seat from the pre allocated middle seat. The BA lounge customer service desk at LHR couldnt do anything and said I had to go to the finnair desk in flight connections, but that is only open 3 hours before the flight (I had a 5 hour layover in LHR).
Eventually I changed the seat myself as the AY on line check in started to let me check in, presumably because the transatlantic sector was now flown and not valid for check in. I managed to move myself to an aisle and download a new boarding card using the lounge wifi.
A small inconvenience, but I wouldnt have been that happy sitting in a middle seat for the last 2.5 hours of a 17 hour trip.
Sep 4, 2013, 2:57 pm
#51
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: HEL
Programs: HH Gold, SPG Gold, BW Plt, AY, M&M, FB G, CX Gold, AX Plat, CC gold, Le Club plt, Scandic 2nd floor
Posts: 126
https://www.finnair.com/INT/GB/ajb-plus-benefits
Has anybody tried to book these award tickets with fewer points to North America?
It says: Reduced award prices are valid when flying between Europe and North America on flights operated by Finnair, American Airlines, British Airways or Iberia.
But when looking for the booking engine, I can only find reduced award flights only to JFK (80 000/150 000). When trying to check other cities (MIA, DTW, LAX, SFO, ORD....... ) it says that you need to have 124 000 / 198 000 points, so as normal.
Is it really only flights to JFK, am I doing something wrong, or have they forgotten to change the amount of points needed for award ticket....
Has anybody tried to book these award tickets with fewer points to North America?
It says: Reduced award prices are valid when flying between Europe and North America on flights operated by Finnair, American Airlines, British Airways or Iberia.
But when looking for the booking engine, I can only find reduced award flights only to JFK (80 000/150 000). When trying to check other cities (MIA, DTW, LAX, SFO, ORD....... ) it says that you need to have 124 000 / 198 000 points, so as normal.
Is it really only flights to JFK, am I doing something wrong, or have they forgotten to change the amount of points needed for award ticket....
Oct 8, 2013, 6:12 am
#53
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 536
Oct 8, 2013, 8:39 am
#54
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Helsinki-Vantaa APT, Finland
Programs: AY LUMO
Posts: 6,059
Yep, I know those rules for 15000 Plus points campaign but I was hunting some nice and cheap MR for spring 2014. 
So, maybe I take that Value ticket to some Asian destination cause they messed up reservation systems to US.
So, maybe I take that Value ticket to some Asian destination cause they messed up reservation systems to US.
Oct 8, 2013, 9:01 am
#55
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Asia/Europe
Programs: CX, OZ, MU (+AY, DL), Shangri-La, Hilton
Posts: 7,236
Intuition already calculated it not to be that exceptional but maybe worthwhile looking at?
Oct 9, 2013, 1:14 am
#56
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: HEL
Programs: BA Gold, OZ Diamond, LH Silver
Posts: 553
https://www.finnair.com/INT/GB/ajb-plus-benefits
Has anybody tried to book these award tickets with fewer points to North America?
Has anybody tried to book these award tickets with fewer points to North America?
More on the topic: After the Atlantic joint venture youth tickets to Americas on Finnair are no more available either. I used some ok-priced oneway youth tickets many times but not possible anymore.
Oct 9, 2013, 2:17 pm
#57
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Helsinki-Vantaa APT, Finland
Programs: AY LUMO
Posts: 6,059
AY's J with 200% + extra 25% sounds more attractive .
Jan 24, 2015, 7:55 am
#58
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY, SK, TK
Posts: 7,600
Now that this has been in place for almost 2 years, it is perhaps time to wrap-up a bit here. What do you experts think this has brought about to us as customers?
I haven't experienced much other benefits for us than more destination options perhaps. Well okay, then perhaps also the FFP game side-effects, such as booking AA codeshare sometimes cheaper than directly on AY and getting more points to AY or viceversa
Benefits for customers of the four airlines include:
•Coordinated schedules on joint business routes, providing customers with more flight choices and more convenient times
•Members of the four airlines' frequent flyer programs – Iberia Plus, American Airlines AAdvantage®, British Airways Executive Club and Finnair Plus – will be able to earn points or miles on the new codeshare flights
•Dedicated support teams for customers transferring at seven of the airlines' hubs: New York JFK, London Heathrow, Madrid, Chicago, Miami, Dallas and Los Angeles.
•Online check-in and boarding pass printing with either the airline operating the flight, or the website of the airline used to book travel
I haven't experienced much other benefits for us than more destination options perhaps. Well okay, then perhaps also the FFP game side-effects, such as booking AA codeshare sometimes cheaper than directly on AY and getting more points to AY or viceversa
Benefits for customers of the four airlines include:
•Coordinated schedules on joint business routes, providing customers with more flight choices and more convenient times
•Members of the four airlines' frequent flyer programs – Iberia Plus, American Airlines AAdvantage®, British Airways Executive Club and Finnair Plus – will be able to earn points or miles on the new codeshare flights
•Dedicated support teams for customers transferring at seven of the airlines' hubs: New York JFK, London Heathrow, Madrid, Chicago, Miami, Dallas and Los Angeles.
•Online check-in and boarding pass printing with either the airline operating the flight, or the website of the airline used to book travel