Jul 8, 2016, 2:22 pm
Last edit by: Prospero
UPDATED FOR 15 NOVEMBER 2016: BA will no longer accept interlining on BA-BA separate tickets / PNRs.
From 1 June 2016, the oneworld policy on accepting customers travelling on separate tickets was changed. BA, along with some other oneworld partners, has implemented this change in policy which is as follows:
Only those customers that have separate tickets issued in the same PNR/booking will be accepted for through check-in. Furthermore all sectors must be BA / oneworld / other carrier, but BA to/fron Vueling is specifically NOT allowed even on the same ticket. Aer Lingus is not specified but some be covered by "other carrier".
A PNR is a wrapper, and it can have several tickets, and other items such as hotels, in one PNR, so long as it was built that way at the time of purchase. Another (new) ticket can be inserted into an existing PNR after purchase, it is easiest to do this at a BA airport, and there is a small fee for doing this (£15 in the UK). However you cannot merge 2 existing PNRs into one PNR - once a reservation has reached ticketed status it can't be moved. If you have 2 PNRs you need to allow time to collect and re-check any bags at the transfer airport.
There is one exception: BA to BA transfers, on 2 PNRs, are allowed. See post 643 for details.
___
From post 947. Select "do not have IATA number"
http://www.speedbirdclub.com/ch/reservations-ticketing/rulesregulations/separatetickets/
From 1 June 2016, the oneworld policy on accepting customers travelling on separate tickets was changed. BA, along with some other oneworld partners, has implemented this change in policy which is as follows:
Only those customers that have separate tickets issued in the same PNR/booking will be accepted for through check-in. Furthermore all sectors must be BA / oneworld / other carrier, but BA to/fron Vueling is specifically NOT allowed even on the same ticket. Aer Lingus is not specified but some be covered by "other carrier".
A PNR is a wrapper, and it can have several tickets, and other items such as hotels, in one PNR, so long as it was built that way at the time of purchase. Another (new) ticket can be inserted into an existing PNR after purchase, it is easiest to do this at a BA airport, and there is a small fee for doing this (£15 in the UK). However you cannot merge 2 existing PNRs into one PNR - once a reservation has reached ticketed status it can't be moved. If you have 2 PNRs you need to allow time to collect and re-check any bags at the transfer airport.
___
From post 947. Select "do not have IATA number"
http://www.speedbirdclub.com/ch/reservations-ticketing/rulesregulations/separatetickets/
BA no longer through checking baggage with separate tickets
Apr 12, 2017, 9:45 am
#1351
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,803
Just to follow up on this - I wrote a very long letter to BA about this and they called me today (a week later). I will be getting my original $175 back as a refund (not BA credit). I of course wish I could get more, but I'll take what I can get. The customer service agent said BA is getting a lot of calls and complaints about the new interlining policy.
Apr 12, 2017, 1:36 pm
#1352
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: MAN
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 84
Besides which, there's more than one way to skin a cat, and I still believe that there could be a win-win here if only BA / OW were seek it out by considering all the options available.
This is not a binary, YES/NO, situation. It is far more complex than that, yet they still cling to this "computer says no" mentality, which simply cannot constitute the optimum solution .... for either party.
Apr 12, 2017, 1:53 pm
#1353
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,499
Perhaps they have seen an uptick in revenue from BAEC members who previously bought separate tickets/used RFS to position, etc?
Perhaps they have saved some money by not needing to get involved in the claiming/counterclaiming/compensation/runaround that can happen when bags are lost on interlined journeys?
All speculation of course, but what I mean to say is maybe, just maybe, their data mining is showing that the (silly) policy is bringing in (or saving) the pennies to make it enforcing and keeping it worthwhile.
Remember, this is the same airline that removed a flower from a toilet to save money.
Apr 12, 2017, 1:58 pm
#1354
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,597
either the passenger is eligible for through checked baggage or the passenger is not
The only party that I can see wanting a so called "optimum solution" would be the one that has no entitlement to the service , yets want it
Apr 12, 2017, 3:46 pm
#1355
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
The question of whether it is better for the airline for it to offer online through-checking and/or interline through-checking across two separate tickets does not seem to me to be a simple binary question. As Virazuno says, the chances are that there have been some pros and some cons for the airline.
Apr 13, 2017, 9:35 am
#1356
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: MAN
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 84
I do not see how it could be any more a clear binary situation
either the passenger is eligible for through checked baggage or the passenger is not
The only party that I can see wanting a so called "optimum solution" would be the one that has no entitlement to the service , yets want it
either the passenger is eligible for through checked baggage or the passenger is not
The only party that I can see wanting a so called "optimum solution" would be the one that has no entitlement to the service , yets want it
I was referring to BA / OW's objective (or objectives) and the numerous options relating to the achievement that objective
Its not binary because there are a number of different potential 'solutions' to whatever their objectives are.
In respect of their objective(s) its been suggested that one might be fare-related, and the other compensation-related.
Each of these can be quantified in financial terms, from the airline's point of view, and the impact of various 'solutions' could also be analysed.
I question whether all the options have been fully explored because I would have thought that they could achieve their objective(s) with a more "user-friendly" solution that doesn't throw the baby out with the bath water.
May 3, 2017, 12:19 pm
#1357
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold, Le Club Platinum, SPG Gold, SLH Honoured
Posts: 38
Adding 2nd ticket to PNR at airport/ lounge
I'm on a 241 redemption in August to KUL and would like to add an MH connection. We will be checking in bags, and would really prefer to interline the bags. On Sunday, I'm going to try the upthread advice and add the connection as a 2nd ticket within the same PNR at Heathrow. Anyone have experience doing this? Do you have thoughts if the ticket desk before security or the lounge is the best place to do it and any other tips would be helpful. Also, experiences on the service fees if it's £15 or £40? Thanks.
May 3, 2017, 2:13 pm
#1358
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,499
I'm on a 241 redemption in August to KUL and would like to add an MH connection. We will be checking in bags, and would really prefer to interline the bags. On Sunday, I'm going to try the upthread advice and add the connection as a 2nd ticket within the same PNR at Heathrow. Anyone have experience doing this? Do you have thoughts if the ticket desk before security or the lounge is the best place to do it and any other tips would be helpful. Also, experiences on the service fees if it's £15 or £40? Thanks.
I do know that the phone agents can book any oneworld ticket, so I may be wrong. I have used BA to book a bunch of LATAM flights, all issued on 125 stock, with not a single BA flight in the mix. I have since started using them as a oneworld TA!
May 3, 2017, 3:12 pm
#1359
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,959
I'm on a 241 redemption in August to KUL and would like to add an MH connection. We will be checking in bags, and would really prefer to interline the bags. On Sunday, I'm going to try the upthread advice and add the connection as a 2nd ticket within the same PNR at Heathrow. Anyone have experience doing this? Do you have thoughts if the ticket desk before security or the lounge is the best place to do it and any other tips would be helpful. Also, experiences on the service fees if it's £15 or £40? Thanks.
May 3, 2017, 3:25 pm
#1360
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold, Le Club Platinum, SPG Gold, SLH Honoured
Posts: 38
To be clear, I'm not planning to add the connection to the same ticket. But buy a 2nd ticket with the same PNR. My corporate TA does this very regularly, 1PNR with 2 or 3 e-ticket numbers. And up thread it was suggested it may be possible to do this with the BA controlled PNR at the airport.
Virazuno- that's a good point. I didn't consider the 2nd ticket won't have a ba segment. I certainly will report back.
Would be pretty crap if BA have no way for you to check a bag through to a connection with a 2-4-1 ticket. I really hope the recent improvements will lead to them reintroducing the interline as it was.
Virazuno- that's a good point. I didn't consider the 2nd ticket won't have a ba segment. I certainly will report back.
Would be pretty crap if BA have no way for you to check a bag through to a connection with a 2-4-1 ticket. I really hope the recent improvements will lead to them reintroducing the interline as it was.
May 3, 2017, 7:20 pm
#1361
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
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To be clear, I'm not planning to add the connection to the same ticket. But buy a 2nd ticket with the same PNR. My corporate TA does this very regularly, 1PNR with 2 or 3 e-ticket numbers. And up thread it was suggested it may be possible to do this with the BA controlled PNR at the airport.
Virazuno- that's a good point. I didn't consider the 2nd ticket won't have a ba segment. I certainly will report back.
Would be pretty crap if BA have no way for you to check a bag through to a connection with a 2-4-1 ticket. I really hope the recent improvements will lead to them reintroducing the interline as it was.
Virazuno- that's a good point. I didn't consider the 2nd ticket won't have a ba segment. I certainly will report back.
Would be pretty crap if BA have no way for you to check a bag through to a connection with a 2-4-1 ticket. I really hope the recent improvements will lead to them reintroducing the interline as it was.
May 4, 2017, 2:33 am
#1362
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: London
Posts: 17,007
I speculate that a BA ticket desk will not sell you a standalone MH ticket (and, by extension, shove it into your 241 PNR). You can try...report back and let us know.
I do know that the phone agents can book any oneworld ticket, so I may be wrong. I have used BA to book a bunch of LATAM flights, all issued on 125 stock, with not a single BA flight in the mix. I have since started using them as a oneworld TA!
I do know that the phone agents can book any oneworld ticket, so I may be wrong. I have used BA to book a bunch of LATAM flights, all issued on 125 stock, with not a single BA flight in the mix. I have since started using them as a oneworld TA!
May 4, 2017, 3:04 am
#1363
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,959
My understanding was that BA policy was only to issue a 125- numbered BA stock revenue ticket if the ticket contained at least one AA/AY/BA/EI/IB/JL-numbered flight. There is no way to restrict the issuance of tickets with other carriers on a technical level though, and indeed someone here on FlyerTalk once had the BA phone desk issue them an AF flight on a BA ticket.
May 8, 2017, 5:50 am
#1364
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Jakarta
Programs: BA GGL, GA PLAT, SQ Gold
Posts: 527
I recently bought a WT+ return for KUL-LHR upgraded to CW using a GUF2 for myself , partner and daughter , i called BA and asked about the purchase of a MH from Jakarta ticket to be added on , although not cheap , BA ticketed all on one PNR and also confirmed all would be refundable similar to the WT+ I purchased first .
All done via GGL line, although it took a couple of days.
All done via GGL line, although it took a couple of days.
May 8, 2017, 6:22 am
#1365
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Edinburgh or London
Programs: BA silver, Hilton diamond, Marriott titanium, IHG platinum
Posts: 190
BA knows that the 2-4-1 tickets are just the tip of a huge revenue iceberg of customers who pay substantial cash tickets year after year. But if you are a "regional" flyer from anywhere in the UK, or indeed connecting from anywhere in Europe, you must book the connector together with the main long-haul, or face rechecking bags at LHR. It's a major disadvantage.
All BA customers, all revenue providers - all being badly treated....