Air Berlin not honoring BA Sapphire Status
Feb 25, 2016, 7:49 am
#1
formerly frankdjs
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Approach to LCY, aka Canary Wharf London
Programs: BA EC Gold
Posts: 151
Air Berlin not honoring BA Sapphire Status
Hello, I have an award booking in Economy from LAX to PMI via DUS.
Trying to reserve seats, I was advised by the AB agent that OneWorld Sapphire customers are not entitled to pick seats for free on AB long-haul and are also not allowed to check a second bag for free.
Is this correct? What is everyone else's experience with AB and OW status?
Thanks.
Trying to reserve seats, I was advised by the AB agent that OneWorld Sapphire customers are not entitled to pick seats for free on AB long-haul and are also not allowed to check a second bag for free.
Is this correct? What is everyone else's experience with AB and OW status?
Thanks.
Feb 25, 2016, 8:07 am
#2
Moderator, Emirates
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Where My Heart Is
Programs: BAEC Silver, FB Platinum, KQ Asante Gold, Shebamiles Blue, Emirates Blue
Posts: 3,386
No experience of AB but dependant if luggage allowance is weight or piece is dependant on the extra OWS allowance which is either 15kg (weight) or 1 extra bag max 23kg (piece).
https://www.oneworld.com/ffp/sapphire-privileges
Safe & Happy Travels
S
https://www.oneworld.com/ffp/sapphire-privileges
Safe & Happy Travels
S
Feb 25, 2016, 8:16 am
#5
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Wedged somewhere between BTS and VIE ✈
Programs: Star Alliance Gold (A3 Gold), Oneworld Emerald (BA Gold), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,338
AB has changed its seating policy recently, but you should still be able to select seats, albeit only standard seats now for OW status passengers (non-Topbonus). They seem to allow selection of other seats when checking in online.
As for luggage, they should give you extra baggage allowance. I suspect the agent didn't exactly know the rules.
More details on seating here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/airbe...ng-policy.html
As for luggage, they should give you extra baggage allowance. I suspect the agent didn't exactly know the rules.
More details on seating here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/airbe...ng-policy.html
Feb 25, 2016, 8:27 am
#6
Join Date: Jun 2003
Programs: BA, IHG, 5C
Posts: 4,413
What does your BA confirmation say about bags: if I do a dummy booking on ba.com it says 2 bags, which is what ab.com says is standard on all but their most restrictive fares.
https://topbonus.airberlin.com/web/tb/freigepack
On that basis, oneworld rules won't give you a third bag so your status isn't the driver here. For their own Golds (OWS) they up the limit to 32kg per bag, but that's not necessarily a OWS benefit.
If your reservation says 2 bags, then I can't see you being denied 2x23kg at check-in.
https://topbonus.airberlin.com/web/tb/freigepack
On that basis, oneworld rules won't give you a third bag so your status isn't the driver here. For their own Golds (OWS) they up the limit to 32kg per bag, but that's not necessarily a OWS benefit.
If your reservation says 2 bags, then I can't see you being denied 2x23kg at check-in.
Feb 25, 2016, 8:59 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: The Hague, NL
Programs: GMLFL, Life 2.0 - Mucci Premiere Classe & des Chevaliers Toulousiens
Posts: 22,911
Just a ignorant question...
So far (on OW) I have been able to take advantage of my OWE status and have free exit seats etc. It seems that in the OW alliance, these benefits are across all airlines.
In Skyteam this is by no means the case. Being a 'premium elite' at airline X does not provide the benefits at airline Y. No free seat selection for instance.
Lounge access seems to work but that's about it.
Am I correct that within OW the Emerald benefits always apply?
So far (on OW) I have been able to take advantage of my OWE status and have free exit seats etc. It seems that in the OW alliance, these benefits are across all airlines.
In Skyteam this is by no means the case. Being a 'premium elite' at airline X does not provide the benefits at airline Y. No free seat selection for instance.
Lounge access seems to work but that's about it.
Am I correct that within OW the Emerald benefits always apply?
Feb 25, 2016, 9:24 am
#9
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Berlin, Germany
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 19
I'm BA Gold and fly AB regularly. I have never been able to select seats in advance for free - not until T-30 when they become generally available.
I once called their customer service and they informed me OWE can reserve seats from row 16 and above. Whether that's true or not I don't know.
I once called their customer service and they informed me OWE can reserve seats from row 16 and above. Whether that's true or not I don't know.
Feb 25, 2016, 10:26 am
#10
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 946
Had a flight with them last week:
- You can't select seats online.
- On the phone they will asign non-preferred seats (for me that was anything beyond row 13 on an A320) when you tell them about your OW status (in my case OWE/BA GGL). This is different from my last flight the year before, where I was able to reserve seats in row 1.
- At check in you are free to pick any seat and I was able to move to 1A.
- Seat blocking still seems to work (1B stayed empty despite a reasonably full flight).
Feb 25, 2016, 10:31 am
#11
Join Date: Jul 2012
Programs: BA Gold (OWE), SAS Diamond (*G)
Posts: 584
Had a flight with them last week:
- You can't select seats online.
- On the phone they will asign non-preferred seats (for me that was anything beyond row 13 on an A320) when you tell them about your OW status (in my case OWE/BA GGL). This is different from my last flight the year before, where I was able to reserve seats in row 1.
- At check in you are free to pick any seat and I was able to move to 1A.
- Seat blocking still seems to work (1B stayed empty despite a reasonably full flight).
Found their soft product quite good. Nice to get a snack and soft drink on board in Y after flying SK and AY...
Feb 25, 2016, 11:09 am
#12
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Wedged somewhere between BTS and VIE ✈
Programs: Star Alliance Gold (A3 Gold), Oneworld Emerald (BA Gold), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,338
I'm BA Gold and fly AB regularly. I have never been able to select seats in advance for free - not until T-30 when they become generally available.
I once called their customer service and they informed me OWE can reserve seats from row 16 and above. Whether that's true or not I don't know.
I once called their customer service and they informed me OWE can reserve seats from row 16 and above. Whether that's true or not I don't know.
They changed the policy recently, so that OW elites can only book the rows behind the exit row seats...but you're able to choose anywhere in the cabin at check-in.
Feb 25, 2016, 12:41 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, SQ Gold, KQ Platinum, IHG Diamond Ambassador, Hilton Gold, Marriott Silver, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,348
Free seat selection is not a guaranteed benefit of Sapphire: https://www.oneworld.com/ffp/sapphire-privileges
Note the 'where offered' caveat.
Note the 'where offered' caveat.