Originally Posted by
Phoenixtinct
This scenario is true for other alliances as well - you have IAG and Vueling and now, Level, which are not OW members and don''t provide benefits even to IAG FFers. As far as I know, the same is true for AF and it's new low-cost carrier, Joon. The major carriers are part of alliances and have pledged to provide certain benefits but in most cases, they establish subsidiaries outside of the alliances to be able to circumvent those rules. This is nothing new. The annoying part is the manner in which A3 is doing this. Not sure what needs to happen for them to reconsider their position.
This is not completely true. For the OW alliance - at least BA still sells tickets on Vueling with a BA # and ticket stock - which does allow you (at most stations) to have the benefits as per normal BA flights including luggage. The prices for these tickets are obviously slightly more expensive than with the Vueling # and ticket stock (~20-30 euro more - which is actually equivalent to the fares of Vueling with baggage thrown in).
The same for Joon - if you purchase this using the AF number, I believe that you do still get the FF benefits (I've no experience yet, just basing this on what I have read so far).
So it seems only within the *A alliance that they have these rather "clever" rules to avoid any additional charges. I think LH even sells connecting flight with Eurowings under the LH code, but you still get no benefit unless you an Elite with their own program. The same for A3. This is why I've been avoiding this as much as I can except for A3 since I have status with them and no problem with the OA flights when travelling alone, but not when I have travel companions who are *G than this is where problems arises - both FFP benefits and crediting miles...a big PITA.
Cheers!