Originally Posted by
Mark_T
True, but I am talking about international services here where AA already match the lounge access granted to BAEC members.
I think you're looking at this through the wrong eyes. This is not a merger and true equality for two FF schemes - it's a few tweaks so that they can get the two schemes to run in reasonable harmony, without massive spillover of, for example, AA passengers upgrading on BA services and vice versa. There are PLENTY of areas of inequality left, for example BAEC members don't get SWU's for use on their home carrier. I'm sure many BA Elites would sacrifice arrivals lounge acces (the AA one in LHR isn't very good anyway!) for an equivalent to SWU's.
There may be more harmonization in the future but it seems to me that what's been announced today doesn't actually change the scenery a great deal for most passengers.