For the last couple of years, I've enjoyed oneworld sapphire status with Cathay Pacific. I have a membership card which clearly indicates my oneworld Saphire status. However, even though I have sapphire status, I don't want to pigeon holed into collecting Cathay Pacific points, since they aren't as beneficial for travel in the americas to me.

So, I switched to racking up points to AAdvantage with the goal of achieving oneworld status with this program instead.

Since, I have already achieved oneworld sapphire status with CX, I still expect to get all of the flyer benefits with this status.

This means, even though my ticket always uses my AAdvantage number and not my CX FF number, I still expect and do the following:

1) one world lounge access
2) priority check in
3) priority boarding

for the last year, overall this has been no problem while flying on 30 one world flights AA, TAM, LAN.

I've read a few forum posts where people have indicated that the FF number used on your ticket has to be the one where you have status in order to get the benefits.

However, I have not seen this mentioned anywhere in the terms of service for my oneworld sapphire membership or any other docs.

I always use my AA FF number and I provide my CX oneworld sapphire membership card in order to receive all of the benefits above - and it works, typically.

I did have one incident recently - when trying to priority board an AA flight in Miami.

Boarding agent wouldn't let me board with priority because my ticket did not say "Priority". She said, you are "Boarding Class 4" - shrug.

I argues with her, nicely. She said no.

I waited for everyone to board that was priority, and then I went up to her again and explained the situation, showing her my oneworld sapphire membership card (from CX) again, and she let me board - somewhat reluctantly.

Another time, in Miami, same thing, except the agent let me in right away when I explained that my ticket doesn't say "priority" because I'd prefer to gain AAdvantage points even though I already have Saphire status with Cathay Pacific. She said no problem, and let me in.

Am I correct in thinking that the gate agents were wrong with their initial reactions?

I wanted to ask the community what their experience has been? I am assuming I am completely in the right. I rightfully have status and shouldn't be tied in to collecting FF points with that program when I'd prefer to switch to another program while keeping my existing status in benefits until the end of the year.

Anything in terms of service that indicate otherwise?