yauee

AS A3 holder, am actually quite happy with the ATH-SKG-ATH on OA lesser people in the lounge and priority queue

Phoenixtinct

As annoying as this is, A3 is not the only one doing this. Lufthansa has Eurowings and provides no benefits for *A card holders unless you buy a more expensive fare type - same thing is true with OA. It does however provide status benefits to members of the Miles&More program, which is the program of all LH Group airlines and few other *A carriers. So, this is a very similar situation. However, unlike A3, LH usually doesn't have *A member airlines operate flights for Eurowings with their own crew and aircraft like A3 does for OA to deny benefits. Last time I flew a domestic route, I was on an OA flight operated with Aegean crew and plane but wasn't able to get into the LH lounge at ATH, so that ticked me off. Moreover, LH has made agreements with its transatlantic joint venture partners - AC and UA to make sure that if a customer is traveling on an EW flight, they will be provided with *A benefits. A3 doesn't have that arrangement but they also don't have any such agreements. 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.

nldogbert

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!

yauee

You are lucky as you are not in Asia. Where you need to have Royal Orchid Plus for your WE flight, Krisflyer for your MI flight, Infinity Mileagelands for your B7 flight, we are holding maybe 4-5 star alliance member account.

nldogbert

Do understand your frustration here... I was caught in one where I had a J-class ticket under the MI-code+operated which I had to purposely open an account just to credit this flight..(which stays rather dormant now). I do really think that *A HQ (most probably will not happen) that these major airlines should look into this as they are converting/shifting these flights to their so-called sister regional airlines. I think just looking at the SIN-KUL sector, 80% of the flights now are operated by MI and SQ just does 2-3 flights per-day which is a super PITA because even if you want pay slightly more to enjoy the benefits of your status is impossible.

Cheers!

yauee

We get used to it, seldom you will see people from this part of the world whining on those sister regional airlines

Fizzer

I purchased 2 return inter-island fares choosing Aegean, specifically for *G benefits, possibly if not probably paying more than competitors fares would have been. It wasn't until afterwards that I found out they were operated by OA and I found this thread explaining this. My mistake and I live and learn but I can promise you it will not be one I make again. On any future flights there is no reason to fly A3 and I would likely pay a little more not to fly them. Not likely to be a loss to A3 at all but I won't reward what I feel to be clearly a deceitful practice. The website clearly shows the flight as being operated by Aegean even though it has an OA flight number. I, like most people, didn't realize and took the Aegean website at face value when it says flight operated by Aegean.

CMK10

FWIW last month I was in ATH flying on an OA Ticket (ATH-RHO). I was able to use my United Club membership along with the OA boarding pass to get into the Aegean Lounge.

That said I couldn't earn any United miles on the flight which was annoying.

KLouis

Good news! They may have changed their rules. Anybody else?

Not much lost given the distance

CALMSP

same here. Booked on OA to HER and was able to use my r/t ticket ATH-HER-ATH for entry with my United membership..

Fizzer

Any joy with *G through Mileage Plus rather than a Club Membership?

MB_again

I had LHR - (OS) -> VIE - (OS) -> ATH - (OA) -> JTR last week, and have JTR - (OA) -> ATH - (LX) -> ZRH - (LX) -> LHR next week.

I had 1x 23kg bag checked all the way through end-to-end on the outbound (also shown on all legs of my e-ticket printed from LX website - this is not loyalty baggage it's ticketed baggage).

But of course no LH lounge access in ATH for reasons above (I’m M&M FTL / *S). I didn’t try A3 lounge as assumed it wouldn’t work with mere *S.

Can I expect a straight forward end-to-end checking-in of my 23kg bag on my return journey at JTR, or should I start learning some stern Greek words to supplement my printed e-ticket if ‘the actual rules are different’ and I’m likely to be asked to pay to check-in luggage at JTR?

Also, can I assume I’m good for the LH lounge at ATH on the return journey (probably won’t have time anyway, but just in case)?

Thanks in advance!

AsiaMission

On March 19, my wife and I were booked on OA360 from Athens to Santorini and was able to use my *Alliance G membership for entry into the Aegean Lounge at El. Venizelos.^

KLouis

Good!

Fizzer

Great news. Thanks.