skiflyzander

Hello all. I have a few trips coming up in November/December that I need to start preparing for. A few of my friends (teammates) will be making this trip with me and do not currently hold status with a OneWorld airline. I'll be the only one with status and this gets me an extra bag, but the other guys won't be so lucky.

American has an exception to baggage fees for folks traveling on the same reservation:

-The following passengers will be allowed a 1st and 2nd checked bag at no additional charge (for tickets purchased on or after April 8, 2014) provided it falls within the size and weight limitations. These free checked bag allowances apply on flights marketed and operated by American Airlines, or on flights marketed by American Airlines and American Eagle service. American Eagle service is operated by Envoy Airlines Inc. On flights operated by other carriers, different baggage charges may apply. Be sure to check your itinerary and receipt to see which airlines’ charges apply.

Customers flying on the same reservation as an American Airlines AAdvantage Executive Platinum* or Platinum member or oneworld alliance Emerald* or Sapphire member regardless of frequent flyer status or fare type (not applicable to group bookings)-

http://www.aa.com/i18n/utility/baggageExceptions.jsp

So I have been doing some research for the airlines We'll be flying (Finnair, Air Berlin, S7) and I can't seem to find any info if these airlines have a similar policy. Would anyone happen to know if these airlines have the same standards as AA?

Thanks a bunch!

jerry a. laska

You don't say what your status is?

As a oneworld status benefit only oneworld emerald is provided an additional baggage benefit.
From oneworld.com:
If you aren't emerald (AA Executive Platinum) any additional benefit will be up to the individual airline, I would not expect them all (especially AB) to be as generous as AA. You may want to check the forums for the airlines here on FT and the individual airline websites.

Mwenenzi

As above, extra baggage allowance will be extremely unlikely. And carry on will not be as generous as USA based airlines. Be prepared to check in and pay for your baggage.

skiflyzander

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm gold preferred on US... so sapphire on OneWorld. I checked in with BA yesterday and didn't have a problem getting a second bag free... which has, so far, been my experience traveling internationally as a sapphire OW member on Iberia, BA and US. But maybe two free bags is the standard for those airlines when traveling international.

I've always found that a bit strange that OW offers no extra baggage for sapphire members. When you look at *a the equivalent status (*a gold) gets you an extra bag. You would think OW would try and match that to stay competitive with *a. Even more strange is that I've never had an issue checking a second bag for free with OW airlines. It seems they're not very strict with this rule.

jerry a. laska

Extra bags with *A is not as consistent as it used to be. See this thread among others:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/star-...estricted.html

alphaod

Actually what I have found is *A has generally more benefits geared toward lower tier fliers unless you're flying on your home carrier (the carrier that's offering your program). For example on UA there have like 3 levels of *G, which on UA have noticeably different benefits and to other programs they are all treated to the same benefits. I guess its doesn't help that *A only has basically two Elite levels of benefits to spread, so to speak. On my home carrier CA for Platinum level, they offer VIP car services, lenient award availability (so they can request award availability to be opened up to Platinum members and it's almost always approved), First class lounge access when flying any *A flight, lots of bonus miles, and recently I have found they do some of that US-airline benefits of upgrading Pt passengers to F or J in domestic flights if there is availability. However if I fly another *A carrier I'm only a Gold which seems to be getting devalued every day with decreasing baggage benefits, restricted lounge access in many airports, etc.

With OW, as a CXGO/OWS I really don't get much better benefits with other carriers until I move up a tier. The network doesn't seem to really benefit lower tier of flights. OWR doesn't offer much, except for home programs like CX may offer priority boarding and lounge access to their CXSL members. OWE as the highest tier seems to have defined better benefits across all members include F lounge access, 32 kg baggage, fast track benefits. It's definitely better for OWE members and the benefits seem more consistent. In fact I feel CX treats other OWE members like their own (well not as much) with very good service better than what I seem to get with GO. I'm not saving my service is bad, but I don't really get any recognition and having extra baggage when flying partners would be quite benefitial. I may not need 32 kg, but maybe if I had 25 kg, it be slightly better. Some things I just can't lighten up like ski bags and such.

nux

BA offers a minimum two bag allowance for oneworld Sapphires. Iberia allows extra baggage for IB, AA and BA Sapphires but not other oneworld Sapphire status customers.

Extra baggage allowance for oneworld Sapphire is not an alliance wide benefit, you will need to check each airlines policy. Some airlines may offer extra baggage for their own Sapphire members only or not at all.

IanFromHKG

Huh??!! OW Sapphire is one level below the top tier. *A Gold is the top tier. How can you say they are equivalent?

If you were top tier in OW (Emerald) you would get a free bag. And, unlike *A, you would get access to first class lounges - not just of your home carrier, but of any oneworld airline.

True, and the same is true of OW carriers - your home programme may give you better benefits (for example as CX DM (OW E) I can access CX J lounges - but not those of any other OW airline - when I am flying on non-oneworld carriers. But that isn't an alliance benefit, it is a home carrier benefit.

By and large I think for top tier FFs OW is a better proposition because *A G only gets you into (by and large) J lounges rather than the F lounges OWE get; and *A S doesn't get you lounge access at all whereas OW S does. The other benefits are pretty comparable.