Resurrecting this as my experience with One world over the last few months has not been great. I am platinum with Finnair so Emerald one world.

In September I had issues with a BA ticket for QR metal flight which QR absolutely refused to deal with other than via a refusal to allow travel.

In March an IB ticket on QR metal was rerouted without fuss to BA for the outbound flights but the return flights turned into a kafkaesque experience. IB were simply dredful and bizarrely I sendup on Etihad rather than QR or indeed a BA flight option.

Today it's a simpler issue with a booking for my wife and my self. The ticket is avios booked by AY on AT. One booking, one PNR, two passengers. I can get a free seats but OH must pay €48 euro to sit with me. Of course if I forego my benefit of free seat selections we can sit together at the back of the plane.

I am really confused about what exactly One world actually offers. On every flight I take, especially with BA I am advised that ground staff or any one world airline is waiting help me but the reality is that one world airlines simply will not assist anyone who is not actually flying with them. At LHR this can see people being shunted not pillar to post but terminal to terminal as they seek assistance with connections or issues.

Moreover if you have a problem with a BA flight ( or indeed any OW airline's flight) but have no status with that airline, then there is no option for OW sapphire or Emerald to obtain any sort of enhanced service. Calling AY to fix a BA problem is simply a waste of time.

I dont expect it is any better for other alliances but that surely is not the point.