Visconti

Itinerary from CDG to NA with LHR stopover serviced by BA on same PNR. However, because I had used some AA flight credits, the itinerary had to be split in two with two different record locators. It's a RT tix, and on AA metal, the person I'm flying with has my ExP benefits and shows the 500 miles upgrades I've applied.

Now, on the BA leg, it doesn't. Is that because OWE doesn't confer elite benefits to anyone else on the PNR?

Thanks.

Mwenenzi

Are you and your companion on the same PNR/PNR's for all legs?
What ExP benefits of yours are showing for the companion?
AA 500 miles upgrades are an AA thing and nothing to do with Oneworld/BA. OW does not have a cross airline upgrade scheme, but AA-BA-AY does has an upgrade system outside of OW. From my limited understanding AA 500 mile upgrades are not part of that.
OW benefits are only the traveller with status. Some airlines do/do not extend to others on the same PNR
Link--->https://www.oneworld.com/travel-bene...world-priority

Visconti

Same PNR on all legs, but with separate confirm codes because I applied a flight credit. Not really sure how this works, but the AA desk explained that because of the way I was making the purchase, we had to split up the confirms, but both are connected as if it's on a single PNR.

On AA metal, companion is able to select the MCE seats and shows upgrade request from my applying 500 mile upgrades. On the BA portion, I'm allowed to select a seat (assuming it's my OWE status), but my companion isn't.

Thanks the the link, and if OWE doesn't extend, then that would explain it.

Mwenenzi

No idea what you mean by "separate confirm codes"

Many threads on BA's seating policy: need status to select seats depending on time to the flights.
On AA MCE seating was a OWS OWE benefit. But a few years ago they removed that benefit. However after about 2 weeks was reinstated, outside of OW, for status holders of AA joint ventures partners (BA and others). So MCE is now not a OW benefit.

Too many people over think the benefits of OW status (or the lack of benefits they hope/assume they are entitled to)

UKtravelbear

Any AA booking that involves a BA flight will generate an AA booking ref AND a BA booking ref, And vice versa.

You'll need the BA ref to manage the BA flights including selecting seats.

There is a core list of One World status benefits but airlines can offer other benefits to their status passengers

The BA Gold benefit to allow seat asignements to passengers on other bookings travelling in the same cabin is one such airline benefit and you need to call BA to do this/

. I don't see that as being one of the OWE benefits though

Stripe

BA apparently thinks you're on separate PNRs ('Booking reference" in BA terms). Strange things can happen when a reservation made through AA gets created on the BA system. I've had solo trips spilt into two PNRs on the BA system, with one PNR covering part of the trip and another PNR the rest of the trip, with maybe one flight overlapping.

So you can pick seats on BA.com based on your AA status but your companion cannot. If you were truly in the same BA record, your companion would have the same benefit. You can call BA and have them seated with you. However, this is vastly more complicated than with AA. The BA phone agent will not speak to you about your companion's reservation until your companion calls BA and asks the agent to put a note in their record saying you can discuss the reservation with an agent. Then you call, and the agent will take the request but will be unable to move your companion right then. They will put in a request to the seating department, which will take some time (usually measured in days) to get done, assuming it gets done at all.

Visconti

Because I had a relatively large flight credit that exceeded the value of the ticket for both of us, AA had to split up the ticket because a flight credit in my name could not be applied to my friend's portion. So, my portion was a ticket exchange with a confirm, and my friend's which I charged had a different confirm. In other words, had I simply charged the initial itinerary for the both of us, all the flights would be single confirm listing both of us.

As AA explained it to me, though we each have a separate ticket per se, we're still technically on the same PNR and travelling together in their system.

Yes. I was able to manage my flight on my BA online account with their specific confirm. I'm assuming that if I hadn't gone through that convoluted process above, both mine and my friend's would be on a single BA confirm; and, since I'm the one purchasing it, I assume that I would be able to select her seat as I was mine. I suppose my question is because of separate confirms but technically same PNR, if there's a way to manually do this?

Writing this out I think it's easier just to pay for my friend's seat assignment on the BA leg. Even if possible, I don't think I'm up to the task of explaining this to BA; and, even if I could, the effort wouldn't be worth saving the $25 or $30 for a seat selection.

@Stripe - just read your post, and I suspect that is exactly what's happening in my case, though you've explained 1,000 times clearer than I've been able to!

VSLover

it sounds like it is two PNRs that are linked which can help for seating at times.

but if linked or truly one PNR it is unclear what benefits you are seeking or concerned about? since you would be traveling with your friend? Is it an issue of selecting a seat on BA without paying due to your EXP/OWE status? that is a situation where two linked PNRs would come in handy, but even easier if one PNR. but not sure what benefits you are most concerned about?

Visconti

It was mostly the seat selection, amount of luggage check in on the BA leg and the final upgrade eligibility on our final domestic leg.

econ

Well described. Not a pleasant experience at all.

Visconti

Yeah, no way I'm going through that ordeal. There are some things that are simply just worth paying for, regardless of the price. Perhaps, this, in a small way, is one of those times.

mvoight

Yes, but you can both be on the same call with BA........ Also note, BA isn't going to check the other passenger's ID when you add "them" to the call.