Separate Tickets: BA and AS issue with delayed flight
May 30, 2016, 9:48 pm
#1
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Separate Tickets: BA and AS issue with delayed flight
Here is a scenario that happened to me today on my way back from Amsterdam.
I had booked AMS-LHR-LAX with BA on one ticket and LAX-SEA on a separate ticket with AS.
My flight out of AMS was delayed that made me miss my LHR-LAX flight. They were able to book me on a later LHR-LAX flight but it made me miss my AS LAX-SEA flight.
I suggested that BA rebook me LHR-SEA direct to avoid having to deal with the missed AS flight (booked on a different ticket).
The first agent I spoke with said that BA and AS are not partners (incorrect) and that my final destination according to the ticket I had booked was LAX (which is technically true) so he couldn't switch my ticket to LHR-SEA.
I tried another agent and she started by saying the same thing. I told her, however, I had a separate ticket booked on AS and reminded her that BA & AS are partners.
She was able to work some magic and get me booked on the LHR-SEA flight. I was able to cancel my LAX-SEA ticket (and get a refund for it).
Clearly she was doing me a favor and I was very thankful, but here is my question.
Do AS and BA have an agreement that if you have separate bookings, they will still see it as one trip? I know oneworld has this (see this article http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea....ghts-go-wrong/ but do AS and BA (or other AS partners) have a similar agreement?
I had booked AMS-LHR-LAX with BA on one ticket and LAX-SEA on a separate ticket with AS.
My flight out of AMS was delayed that made me miss my LHR-LAX flight. They were able to book me on a later LHR-LAX flight but it made me miss my AS LAX-SEA flight.
I suggested that BA rebook me LHR-SEA direct to avoid having to deal with the missed AS flight (booked on a different ticket).
The first agent I spoke with said that BA and AS are not partners (incorrect) and that my final destination according to the ticket I had booked was LAX (which is technically true) so he couldn't switch my ticket to LHR-SEA.
I tried another agent and she started by saying the same thing. I told her, however, I had a separate ticket booked on AS and reminded her that BA & AS are partners.
She was able to work some magic and get me booked on the LHR-SEA flight. I was able to cancel my LAX-SEA ticket (and get a refund for it).
Clearly she was doing me a favor and I was very thankful, but here is my question.
Do AS and BA have an agreement that if you have separate bookings, they will still see it as one trip? I know oneworld has this (see this article http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea....ghts-go-wrong/ but do AS and BA (or other AS partners) have a similar agreement?
May 30, 2016, 9:51 pm
#2
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AS and BA do not have an agreement for separate tickets. You got *very* lucky. Now go buy a lottery ticket 
May 30, 2016, 10:14 pm
#3
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For all the issues I had with BA today; I guess this agent redeemed the company for me!
May 30, 2016, 10:18 pm
#4
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They may have wanted to avoid EU 261 compensation issues.
What class ticket did you have that allowed a refund? Seems you might have been able to change it for free, too.
What class ticket did you have that allowed a refund? Seems you might have been able to change it for free, too.
May 30, 2016, 10:45 pm
#5
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It was class "I" -- the cheap business ticket I believe. I'm not sure it allowed a refund actually.
May 31, 2016, 12:09 am
#6
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,838
I don't believe the OP was merely lucky. BA have done this for me twice in similar situations. The airport personnel have a great deal of discretion to make these changes and avoid having to pay under EC regulation 261/2004.
May 31, 2016, 12:27 am
#7
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Oneworld requires that the carriers accommodate customers in this situation IF you are connecting between oneworld carriers.
It's possible that AS being a partner was enough to confuse the agent into doing this (had the LAX-SEA flight been AA, the agent would have been required to do this). After all, it is not like BA to bend a rule.
It's possible that AS being a partner was enough to confuse the agent into doing this (had the LAX-SEA flight been AA, the agent would have been required to do this). After all, it is not like BA to bend a rule.