Changing FQTV number for BA Flight
 

** I have done a search to the best of my ability and couldn't find much info on this topic. If this has been discussed before, please point me to the respective thread rather than berating me for creating a double. Thank you :)**

I am a BA Gold/Emerald and an AA Platinum/Sapphire member.
On 2 separate occasions I have asked at the gate of the BA flight, for my FF number to be swapped from the BA number to the AA number.
On both occasions my request was met without issues and I have also received a new Boarding Pass with the AA number, however a few days after the flights the points/miles/Avios were credited to my BA account regardless.

This always resulted in endless discussions with the BAEC callcenter to take those flights in question off of my BA account (up to 2 weeks) and then having to retroactively claim the miles with AAdvantage (which usually takes around 6-10 days).

I would like to know when the last opportunity is to change the FF number for a BA flight, for it to be credited to the according FF account.

Is it:
1- Before check-in with BA (ie. call reservations and change from BA to AA number, or vice versa, as there is no option to change FF card in MMB - obv. safest option but least preferred)

2- During counter check-in (in this case check in at the airport without having done online-check-in, as again there is no option to change the number on BA's website during online check)

3- At the counter before passing security, however with online-check-in completed

4- After check in but before flight close (ie. before reaching the gate, for example at lounge reception upon leaving the lounge)

5- At the gate before or after boarding (obviously didn't work for me)

Does anyone have concrete insight into this?
Guesses are fine but I would prefer an actual information/experience, as the BAEC call center agents could not give me an answer as they do not work with Altea's FLY DCS system.

For reference, all airlines working with the LH DCS system (LH/OS/LO for example) as well as UA's and AC's DCS: Once the flight has closed (all pax boarded) the list with FF numbers is sent for automatic processing, which again is obvs. not the case with BA.

Thank you in advance!

I don't know what BA's procedures are but I would say that 'during check-in' is the latest time to reasonably safely assume the change of FF number went all right.

I have never had a problem doing it at stage 4 - lounge. I haven't done it in a while though.

I have usually changed mine by calling before OLCI but on one occasion I left it until the airport after OLCI. The agent thought that she had done it but didn't reprint the BP. I noticed that it wasn't showing online so had the gate agent try to change it (also no new BP). I then asked the agent at the ORD F lounge to check after I had flown the first segment and she said that it still hadn't worked. She then changed it, including the first segment, and all was well.

So it appears that calling before OLCI is best but it can be done later if you get the right agent. It does get complicated once the credit has been processed.

Ldnn1, so you're saying that you changed your FF number with the lounge desk while leaving the lounge, and the points were then credited to the new FF number as opposed to the one that you had previously on your BP?

I had an experience when I entered the BA lounge using my CX membership because I hadn't reached silver with BA at that stage. The lounge attendant at the door changed the FF number to CX from BA. She didn't really tell me this but I suspected it happened.

So I went to the guest services desk inside the lounge to check and he changed it back to BA for me. So it definitely can be done in the lounge.

RESULTS
 

Ok folks, here's the tea:

- I took 3 BA flights in the last 4 days. 3 different bookings.
Every booking had the BA/Gold/Emerald number registered.

Flight 1: Changed from BA number to AA number upon leaving the lounge in LHR, with the lounge reception desk. New boarding pass issued with AA number and according status. -> Result: Points/Miles/Avios still got credited to BA instead of AA :td:

Flight 2: Done online check in. Changed from BA number to AA number at check-in desk at the airport while checking in luggage. New boarding pass issued with AA number and according status. -> Result: Points/Miles/Avios still got credited to BA instead of AA :td:

Flight 3: Not done online check in. Waited to check-in at counter at the airport. Gave the agent AA card to swipe; boarding pass issued with AA number and according status. -> Result: Points/Miles/Avios still got credited to BA instead of AA :td:

So this can only mean one thing: Altea's Fly check in system is an Amadeus system. So is their reservation system. They are obviously connected somehow. The only logical explanation is that the FQTV number you wish to use (in case it is different to the one in the booking) has to be entered IN THE BOOKING and BEFORE CHECK IN. Otherwise you will not get your Points/Miles/Avios credited to the desired account.

Changing the number during or after check will do NOTHING for you.

So, for my upcoming flight, 21JUL16, I have had to call up BA to get the number changed in the booking. This HAS to trigger the miles to be credited to the wished account. If still not... I will really go bonkers :confused: lol

Can you try a retrospective claim from AA based on the paper boarding passes?

If you mean the past flights, surely AA won't credit anything that has already been credited by BA.

If you mean the upcoming flight tomorrow then it would appear that the BA number needs to be removed completely.

If wanting to book a BA flight but credit to AA, don't book it while logged in to BA.com.

The OP's experience appears to indicate that actions by lounge agents to change the FFP when a different card is used for access won't affect where the miles end up - but I wouldn't count on this without more data.


I'll add 2 more points: In 2014 I was on a BA ticket with 2 segments and I wanted to credit the first flight to BA and the second to QF. Only the BA number was attached initially (and I was checked-in for both flights). I then changed the FFP to QF before re-checking in for the second flight. Both flights went to QF.


Also: this problem seems to happen a lot with LH M&M, where if an M&M FFP number is ever in any LH group airline booking (even if you accidentally logged in to LH's website while booking) then it sticks and the miles go into M&M regardless of any other FFP that may have been attached.

I understand that would be the initial response but given the traveller has done what is required to get the points credited properly, they might accept to credit AA to hold up their side of the deal.

The process others have used seems to require asking BA to cancel the credits and then get them credited to AA. If they are BA codes then BA probably has to credit them.

My experience was having AA change AA flights with AA codes from my AA account to my BA account, and even that seemed to be tricky at the airport.

I have asked BA to cancel the credits on a booking which was supposed to be credited to AA, but somehow BA's phone agent still messed up with the numbers. BA removed the credit for the flights and sent me a confirmation email, which I then forwarded to the AA email address (or maybe it was an online form...) for credits. These were processed a week later into my account. This happened in May 2016.

The thing is we shouldn't be going through this de-crediting/re-crediting hassle in the first place!
We should have the freedom of choosing the card that we want to use, up until the point of boarding or at least the point of Check In.


BA requires you to have the same FQTV card on your BP as in your PNR, only then will they credit the points accordingly. Otherwise it will just go to the number that is in your PNR.

Sometimes we just can't decide which program to boost, if we are members of multiple programs in the same alliance.
I know, I know... choose one and stick with it.... but what if that's not our choice or not always possible?

And what if you have multiple flights in the PNR and you want to use one card for flights 1,2 and 3 and another card for flights 4 and 5?
You have to call and change the number on your PNR in between flights?
Mate... seriously....
Who was the BA brilliant master-mind behind this decision?

Unfortunately it is often forgotten (by people on here as well as at the airport) that we are paying customers, often paying out of our own pocket, and that we're not given tickets by charity.

James Hillier... sort it out, mate. Get some work done.

Are there other airlines where on MMB you can specifically assign a different frequent flyer number for each flight on the same booking?

No, BUT you can change the FF number via MMB

On BA you can't. You can only add one if there is none in there.
Why don't they offer to also change it in the self service MMB? No one knows. No one probably even thought about that. After all Waterside can only think as far as they can throw a 747 engine.

And on BA you can't even have an agent on the phone assign different FF cards to different flights. Calling LH or even AF you can.
And it's so simple, too.

SSFQTV/AA/xxxxxxx/S4-5
special service, frequent traveler, Airline, number, Specific segment numbers