Unable to Add AA Number to BA Booked AA Award Flight
May 21, 2018, 9:33 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: IAD / DCA
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Unable to Add AA Number to BA Booked AA Award Flight
I booked an AA award flight using Avios and am unable to add my AA number to get access to main cabin extra seats (and eventually early boarding and all other benefits). I've tried going through FinnAir and Royal Jordanian and both are allowing me to ADD a frequent flyer number but the BA one is STILL on the reservation. When I go into AA, it's not giving me the option to select premium seats without the added fee. Ironically, the ticket is showing I get two free bags (is that a benefit of BA award flights)? The twitter team for AA and BA are refusing to change it out.
I saw another person on Facebook saying he talked with the executive platinum line and they've recently been instructed not to change the number and that BA booked award flights are not entitled to any status benefits on AA.
Is this a recent change? Is this listed in the terms and conditions anywhere? Anyone else having this problem? Anyone found a solution to this??
I saw another person on Facebook saying he talked with the executive platinum line and they've recently been instructed not to change the number and that BA booked award flights are not entitled to any status benefits on AA.
Is this a recent change? Is this listed in the terms and conditions anywhere? Anyone else having this problem? Anyone found a solution to this??
May 21, 2018, 9:44 am
#2
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I booked an AA award flight using Avios and am unable to add my AA number to get access to main cabin extra seats (and eventually early boarding and all other benefits). I've tried going through FinnAir and Royal Jordanian and both are allowing me to ADD a frequent flyer number but the BA one is STILL on the reservation. When I go into AA, it's not giving me the option to select premium seats without the added fee. Ironically, the ticket is showing I get two free bags (is that a benefit of BA award flights)? The twitter team for AA and BA are refusing to change it out.
I saw another person on Facebook saying he talked with the executive platinum line and they've recently been instructed not to change the number and that BA booked award flights are not entitled to any status benefits on AA.
Is this a recent change? Is this listed in the terms and conditions anywhere? Anyone else having this problem? Anyone found a solution to this??
I saw another person on Facebook saying he talked with the executive platinum line and they've recently been instructed not to change the number and that BA booked award flights are not entitled to any status benefits on AA.
Is this a recent change? Is this listed in the terms and conditions anywhere? Anyone else having this problem? Anyone found a solution to this??
May 21, 2018, 9:51 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: IAD / DCA
Programs: AA EP, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Diamond, United Silver, Bonvoy Titanium.
Posts: 158
That's the ultimate pro-tip! Thanks!! I did manage just now to get it fixed with a rep who was actually working on a different reservation for me. 
For my AA-operated flights booked using BA points, I say the ticket isn’t for the account holder and also remove a FFN at the time of booking on the BA website. Then, just after the ticket is issued by BA, I go into manage my booking on the BA website and add in the AA FFN. I’ve not yet had that fail for me this year.
For my AA-operated flights booked using BA points, I say the ticket isn’t for the account holder and also remove a FFN at the time of booking on the BA website. Then, just after the ticket is issued by BA, I go into manage my booking on the BA website and add in the AA FFN. I’ve not yet had that fail for me this year.
May 21, 2018, 10:44 am
#4
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For my AA-operated flights booked using BA points, I say the ticket isn’t for the account holder and also remove a FFN at the time of booking on the BA website. Then, just after the ticket is issued by BA, I go into manage my booking on the BA website and add in the AA FFN. I’ve not yet had that fail for me this year.
Sep 25, 2018, 2:18 pm
#9
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Sep 25, 2018, 7:40 pm
#10
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Oct 22, 2018, 10:26 pm
#11
Join Date: Apr 2011
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I want to provide my data point here. Me and my wife are both AA gold. I booked a AA domestic trip with avios for my whole family. After I made the booking online, I went to Finnair site to change FFNs for both me and my wife. It was successfully copied over to AA after about a day. I can choose preferred seats etc. But last week, my wife's plan changed and she would not be able to make the trip with us. So I had to call BA and cancelled her ticket. After her ticket was cancelled, I can no longer choose preferred seats without paying fees. And my reservation disappeared from aa.com while still showing up on aa app. If I have known that, I would have rearrange my seat selection before I cancelled my wife's ticket.
Oct 22, 2018, 10:41 pm
#12
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For my AA-operated flights booked using BA points, I say the ticket isn’t for the account holder and also remove a FFN at the time of booking on the BA website. Then, just after the ticket is issued by BA, I go into manage my booking on the BA website and add in the AA FFN. I’ve not yet had that fail for me this year.
Then I went to the AA website and entered my AA number and booked MCE seats. The odd thing is it let me check the upgrade box.
Oct 23, 2018, 8:24 am
#13
Join Date: May 2005
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Posts: 3,246
I want to provide my data point here. Me and my wife are both AA gold. I booked a AA domestic trip with avios for my whole family. After I made the booking online, I went to Finnair site to change FFNs for both me and my wife. It was successfully copied over to AA after about a day. I can choose preferred seats etc. But last week, my wife's plan changed and she would not be able to make the trip with us. So I had to call BA and cancelled her ticket. After her ticket was cancelled, I can no longer choose preferred seats without paying fees. And my reservation disappeared from aa.com while still showing up on aa app. If I have known that, I would have rearrange my seat selection before I cancelled my wife's ticket.
Oct 23, 2018, 8:59 am
#14
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I wonder if removing it and adding it back will make a difference. Or, you could call AA and ask if they can give you the seat you want, as your Gold number is in the booking now
Oct 25, 2018, 9:42 am
#15
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Manhattan Beach, California
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Posts: 6,367
I think once you mess around with these reservations on the Finnair site, you can’t do this yourself and must call in. I just had this happen and I called the executive platinum line and they were able to quickly swap in my number and put us into seats w extra legroom.