Knobbgb

I understand the points raised about people (sometimes) making very cheap domestic journeys and expecting full benefits, but what seems a shame is that Aegean already have the mechanism to differentiate between a purely domestic flight and a connection to/from an international itinerary. When booking a through ticket with A3 you also get an A3 flight number for the domestic leg. imo this should be enough to trigger the lounge access and other benefits so that the customers on international itineraries who have generally spent more CAN have their benefits. Otherwise, why bother with the A3 "codeshare" flight number at all?

When I fly into ATH from LHR and on to CHQ on a through ticket, I fly on A3 7332 to CHQ rather than OA 332. Wouldn't at least offering benefits to those pax. be a little fairer? Otherwise these A3 coded flights just confuse things even further and may well be the source of the OPs frustration - he may have realised the situation if he had been offered an OA xxx flight from the start.

justforfun

Excellent points being made. I forgot that the through domestic flights are A3 codeshares. So A3 flight number, A3 aircraft, A3 crew, and all *A benefits except lounge access? That's a little absurd.

NWIFlyer

Yes, and it's the reason to many it makes no sense, even though there are reasons behind the aircraft and crew. I don't think this is anything different to that which LH et al do with their low cost arms, and indeed KLouis gave the near perfect example of a LH flight operated by AB on behalf of Eurowings.

The airlines really are now only picking to best bits of the alliance, and all pretence of there being customer benefits has disappeared. I don't like it either, I think it's deceitful all round, but I accept it's the commercial reality of where the industry needs to be. In the meantime, I avoid those airlines where I don't get benefits if at all possible, so effectively I'm paying the extra to get them. Most others will make a different choice solely on price.

Xandrios

Is it not possible, on some routes, to book the domestic leg as a 'non-codeshare' flight? Or have all domestic Aegean flights now been classified as Olympic codeshares? (Operated by Aegean)

Dan72

Yes, from what I can see upthread and all the bookings I have made they're all OA prime coded now. As I expect you know, previously the Airbus domestic routes typically operated on an A3 code, matching the aircraft and crew. The move to OA prime codes appears to be a device to frustrate other *Gs from accessing *G benefits.

It also means that while A3's M&B members will get lounge access they will be restricted to A3's rather modest lounge, with its doughnuts and Beefeater gin!

NWIFlyer

A good point - it's likely the presence of the LH lounge next door was a significant factor. A3 might well have been losing money on tickets for those who went in there instead of the A3 lounge, although opening hours didn't fit with all flights.

A3 could have continued an internal policy allowing *G card holders from other airlines into their own lounge, but at least now those affected know they aren't missing much! (And they really aren't - A3 has one of the weakest hub lounges in the *A network.)

airbust

I agree that lounge benefits should AT LEAST be offered to customers on a through ticket. If I'm flying from Europe, and have lounge at my point of origin, and then a 3+ hour layover in ATH, it's completely wrong to be turned away at the lounge.

Whether it's legal or not is not my point. It's wrong. A3 gladly takes the business from * (under confusing and often misleading pretences) and then closes the door in your face. Literally.

Knobbgb

Well not really - NO *A benefits at all. You don't get a free bag or the ability to claim points either.

Ah, I didn't think of that in the context of this discussion, although I admit I have been rather peeved when I've been in that situation in the past. Good point.

Air Rarotonga

As mentionned, other airlines do the same... LH with 4U/EW, SQ with MI, etc...

It would be time that *A would change its system from the operating carrier to the marketing carrier to get *A benefits.

airbust

I have yet to see other airlines do exactly the same, but I could be wrong. I believe the Aegean / Olympic confusion is worse - Tier and *numbers on boarding passes, flying Aegean metal, 1 in-flight magazine that mentions both airlines and Star Alliance, mention in their copy on the *website, etc, etc.

Either way, the fact the other airlines do it, does not make it right. That's not an excuse.

I am sitting in the LH lounge in ATH now, flying OS (because I'm hating A3), and customer after customer is walking in with the same problem. Showing their boarding pass, showing their *status, and being turned away because their flight is 'operated' by Olympic. Wait until they get on Aegean metal!

If A3 won't change the rules, at least make it clear. And right now, it's clearly not. All you have to do is sit in the lounge and see the flow of confused people to see that.

NWIFlyer

Folks, there have been some good and strongly made posts from both sides of this debate, but we are now going round in circles. Before you hit the "Submit" button, please think about whether or not what you've written actually advances the debate or adds a fresh perspective. Here's the relevant FT rule:

Thanks for your co-operation.

/mod

airbust

I just walked past the A3 lounge and there is a "Star Alliance Gold Lounge" sign outside, and Olympic is listed as a "Cooperation Partner".

I suppose that's because M+B Gold members have access to the lounge on an Olympic flight - yet it's on a Star Alliance sign, with has no "cooperation" with Olympic. Makes no logical sense.

A3 needs to change their rules, or clarify their communications.

blackball

I'm not sure I understand- isn't it clear what this means? Olympic is part of Miles&Bonus, but not part of Star Alliance. Which means M&B (but not Star) Gold members have access. Also, non-members flying in business class on Olympic have access (someone correct me if I'm wrong).

It's exactly the same as flying Eurowings. To access LH lounges you need M&M status. My *A gold (M&B) is useless in that case.

I don't like the practice either, but it's standard for all airlines, I guess.

SPlDER

This is not similar. Eurowings operates on Eurowings planes, and Olympic operates on Aegean planes wet leased to Olympic. The only point is to avoid paying for *G benefit on the local market (as there are no *A competitors on local routes)

Many of the *A airlines are doing dirty trick to deny other airlines *G benefits. The whole alliance is worth nothing if the domestic flight are operated by subsidiary company
and you need obtain gold status in each airline to get the benefits.

blackball

I meant the lounge access thing. If flying on OA metal, then it's the same as flying Eurowings and not being able to use LH lounges as a M&B Gold.

I agree that flying A3 metal when on an OA ticket, and not getting *A Gold benefits is absolutely absurd. And I'm not sure that A3 would care to change this anytime soon...