Question About Code sharing with BA
 

Booked a flight on AA, ends up being a code share with BA (AA FLight 6194). anyone have experience with this? I had to contact (call) BA to change seats already. They seemed to Honor my AA Plat. (Sapphire/Ruby Whatever) Questions:

Can I use the Lounge in the Intl. Terminal at ORD with my Admiral's club?

Can I use points for Upgrade like on a normal AA flight to LHR?

Does the Flight end in the normal AA Terminal or over at T5? If so, can I use my Admiral's club pass there?

You can access the BA lounge by virtue of AA Platinum status ( OW Sapphire status )

You can only use points to upgrade if it is a full fare ticket, not a discount one

It arrives in Terminal 5. You cannot access any departure lounge unless connecting onwards . This would be the same even if arriving on AA into T3

BA does have an arrivals lounge which you can use if arriving in business or 1st class

Thanks, That's what I was afraid of. Really deceptive of them to not make clear none of your points or status applies. It was absolutely not clear when we booked that this was a BA flight.

Not sure what you mean by that -- you're entitled to full Oneworld Sapphire benefits by virtue of your status.

AA makes it clear on their website that the standard upgrade rules don't apply to AA codeshares operated by other carriers, and AA miles can only be used to upgrade full-fare BA flights. However, cash upgrades on BA are reasonably priced (especially now that the Pound is low), and I've found availability to be pretty good. Might be worth asking about at the BA ticket counter; just be aware that upgrades from economy are to Premium Economy only.

Um - your status is enabling you to select seats in advance without needing to pay the seat selection fee and is allowing you access to the lounges at the airports prior to departure; AC membership would not provide lounge access at T5 in ORD

How can that equate to status not applying

The terms of AA upgrade awards are quite clear on what flights are eligible to upgrade

Just about all your AA perks are valid on BA as well (except for upgrading discount fares and being unable to pick Y+ seats since BA doesn't have Y+) , so I don't know what you're complaining about.

If you booked through AA.com it is very clear that it's a codeshare flight and not at all deceptive. If you booked by any other means, it's not AA's fault, but the fault of whatever other service you used. In my experience, those are fairly clear as well, though. I could only qualify it as deceptive, if you called AA to book and the agent failed to tell you it was a codeshare.

If you are going to be flying internationally regularly I'd suggest you spend a little time reading up on the benefits of AA Plat status - and it's equivalent OneWorld recognition. It's certainly more meaningful than "Sapphire/Ruby/Whatever" as you say.

Notably, you have OneWorld sapphire lounge access when traveling internationally on OneWorld airlines (with exceptions for AA flights to Canada, Mexico, Caribbean and Central America). This has nothing to do with it being a codeshare flight or with your Admirals Club passes/membership.

You will arrive at T5. If you have an onward flight from T5 on BA you can use the Galleries lounges in T5, by virtue of your AA Plat status. If LHR is your final destination and you are in coach, there is no lounge to access on arrivals.

Your Admiral's club passes have no use in T5, and if you are flying back out of T3 even though there is a Admiral's Club there, you have lounge access by via your Plat status so need for your pass there either.

You mean it didn't say "operated by BA"? Codeshares alwat X show the operating carrier, and the four digit flight numbers are dead giveaways.

And as all oneworld status benefits apply, I'm not at all sure of what you're saying.

If it has been less than 24 hours, cancel if you wish a C book what you want.

Read carefully, and check the detailed fare rules for terms, conditions, change fees, etc.