1 reservation = 2 PNRs
 

I have the first part of an ex-EU booking next week DUS-LHR-LAS, booked on AA.com with my BAEC number. I booked a back to back positioning flight to DUS using Avios - given the connection to LAS is not until the following day, the usual risks did not apply, or so I thought.

Today I received 2 pre-flight emails from BA with 2 different PNRs for the same DUS-LHR-LAS flights. Rather confused, I rang BA and the agent informed me that this sometimes happens where you book on AA.com and there are a mixture of BA flight numbers and AA flight numbers in the booking.

Don't really understand, but anyway he said it was not problem, except OLCI would not work and I would have to check in at DUS (landslide). This of course rules out my back to back positioning flight and I have had to pay £25 to change it to an earlier one, to give me time to go landslide to check in again. (I am not checking in luggage at DUS).

This all seems rather odd to me. Anyone explain what is going on please? Why would BA send me 2 emails with 2 different PNRs for the same flights?

Can you post the flight numbers as they appear in your AA e-ticket receipt/confirmation?

1 reservation = 2 PNRs
 

I am not 100 sure, but I think you can run to the transfer desk at DUS and they can check you in...

Plus the fact that DUS has to be one of the fastest airports to get out of and back into. It really is quite small, and once you knock out Lufthansa at the A Gates there's not much left. Not sure the agent would be right about OLCI either, so long as it shows up ok on the BA side. As an example, I flew recently to MXP on an AA codeshare, BA metal, 2 booking refs, one for AA (visible on aa.com) and another for BA (visible in BAEC). OLCI worked fine on BA.

See also this thread from yesterday involving multiple pnr's and other partners:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...nrs-avios.html

OK, I re-read your post and noticed that your itinerary contains both BA flight numbers and AA flight numbers. I assume that one of the flights is an AA codeshare on BA metal. BA created one PNR for pure BA flights (carrying BA flight # in your e-ticket) and a separate (operational) PNR for the BA flight booked as AA codeshare (I assume it must be the LHR-LAS flight). If your DUS-LHR flight is booked as a pure BA flight number nothing should stop you from checking in online - just try it. You should also be able to check-in online for the LHR-LAS flight if you use the 'operational; PNR number.

dus-lhr ba 943
lhr-las aa 6182

Just as I thought. BA created one PNR for BA 943 and a different one for BA 275 (AA6182).

You will (well should) be able to check in for BA 943 in MMB. The correct PNR for this flight will be the one where in MMB the LAS flight is displayed as a codeshare OR where you can select a seat (if eligible)/play with other features. Usually, you can't access any fatures in operational PNRs (that will be the one created for BA275/AA6182); however you should be able to check in online as well.

thanks. I have just spoken to a different agent who more or less said the same thing. Unlike the other agent, he said that OLCI should work and if not I could get the boarding passes at LHR (the other agent said I could not do either and DUS landslide was the only option, hence why I paid the £25 to change my positioning flight).

I can select seats for the DUS-LHR flight with one of the PNRs and for LHR-LAS with the other one. Still seems rather odd!

1 reservation = 2 PNRs
 

I might be confused here but can you not just check in online for both, once on AA and once on BA

Then simply present yourself to check-in at DUS and give them both booking refs and ask to have your boarding passes issued and your bags thru checked ?


cs

This is good news that you can select seats for the LHR-LAS flight (does not always work with codeshares in my experience).

This is how it works. Had all of your BA flights been booked under BA codes you'd only have one PNR but since your LHR-LAS flight is booked under AA code but operated by BA the operating airline needs to create a separate (operational) PNR for that flight.

I also thought that you should be able to collect a BP at LHR but there should really be nothing to stop you from checking in online...even for the LAS flight (use the PNR where you can change the seat).

Have a nice trip!

From what I understand all of irmster's flights are operated by BA but are booked as BA and AA (codeshare) flights. It is not possible to check-in on AA.com for a BA operated flight (AA 6182 which is actually BA 275).

Not according to the first agent. He categorically said OLCI would not work in this case. The point was I needed to OLCI as I was doing a back to back - with no luggage as I intend to check that in at LHR the next day (to avoid having to take it to DUS). Anyway, I've paid the change fee now. Better safe than sorry i suppose.

thanks!

Me too - I have 2 pnrs for several upcoming flights (booked via AA). Sort of fun having multiple options for seat selection :).

I hope I won't have an OLCI issue as will be arriving early at my first airport TLV.

Am also flying LHR-LAS next week so happy to guest in to CCR (if relevant/interested) if you are on my flight.

J

thanks - good of you, but I will be with my gf so we will need to slum it in the Galleries.