Originally Posted by
corporate-wage-slave
That's correct. If you are not in Main Cabin then usually the seat map on AA is reasonably open until the last week or so, hence if it is a while off then I've no doubt you'll get something right for you.
Planned departure date is 22nd Nov & Expertflyer shows the J cabin on both AA TATL's as being wide open. So getting suitable seats is no issue at all at the moment.
Originally Posted by
corporate-wage-slave
In my experience it's only pure BA bookings where you can be 98% sure that boarding passes appear at OLCI. Any other combination, BA codeshares, AA codeshares, AA bookings, BA1 via the App, the chances of this will go down. It's a minor nuisance. One thing to be said for BA is that their boarding pass process is a lot better than many other airlines, and I don't thing AA is particularly terrible. And who knows, it may work!
Mmmm, good to know in advance that there could be issues with issuing BP's.
Originally Posted by
corporate-wage-slave
Well whatever makes you decide, I really wouldn't look on seat selection as a criteria, other than if you don't have at least Bronze status (which isn't clear to me) you need to factor it into the total BA price. You will get seats one way or the other, the hardest part may involve picking up a telephone.
We're both only Bronze, with me having dropped late last year down from Silver. Seating is very important to us, so if booking on BA operated flights we need to factor in the cost of seat pre-assignments. In this case, while the fare is identical no matter if we choose an all BA metal itinerary, or AA for the TATL's, going with AA for the TATL's would save us over €400 in seating fees !!!
Originally Posted by
corporate-wage-slave
And your list above gives most of the reasons why you may want to try AA, the only two that I think are questionable are the "privacy" one, BA's window seats are as private as they go
Well yes, to a point. For a solo trip, I don't like CW anymore, as I really don't like having to look a stranger in the face while the divider is down, but it's actually a moot point in this case, as I'll be travelling with Mrs Kered. But that said, I won't need to "step over" a strangers legs when wanting to get out of my window seat. Nor will Mrs Kered in the aisle seat have someone climbing over her legs
Originally Posted by
corporate-wage-slave
and the terminal transfer one if you do BA metal through to LAX via T5.
Again correct ^
My point there was that by booking on ba.com, I get the option of using the EI code shares for our feeder flights, which puts us in T2. I find the T2 / T3 transfer much easier than a T5 / T3 one. Whereas if I book on aa.com, I only get to use BA metal on the feeders.
Originally Posted by
corporate-wage-slave
On the other hand if you book BA you presumably know exactly what you are going to get based on previous experience.
Indeed I do
