BA Gold recognition on Cathay flight
Apr 14, 2019, 7:56 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 25
BA Gold recognition on Cathay flight
I was flying out of Seoul last night on in an overbooked Economy Class flight with 7 Seats left in Premium Economy. I asked at the Check in for an Upgrade to Premium Economy but they refused as the Emerald Status is to low because they Upgrade all Marco Polo Members Tier members incl diamond / Gold and for my surprise Silver before they Upgrade the OW Emerald. The supervisor showed me the upgrade procedure in her system as I could not understand that they preferred their MP silver before OW Emerald. It’s comparable to the bronze status of BA. Does anybody know how the procedures are within BA or other OW member or is it just a Cathay case? Anyway flight was really great also in Eco on an A350 aircraft with emergency exit seats and 2 champagnes from the puser.
Apr 14, 2019, 8:02 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Programs: TK Elite Plus,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold,QR Gold,HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold
Posts: 14,186
Same in American Airlines, AAdvantage Gold pax = OW Ruby is prioritized on the upgrade list ( not free domestic upgrades, international op-ups ) compared to all non-AA OWE, OWS and OWR members.
Apr 14, 2019, 8:40 pm
#5
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: HKG
Programs: BA GGL & CCR
Posts: 600
Yes this is true...
But they also track the spend and value of other OW members on their airline, particularly the ones that live in HKG and spend on F/J tickets and will override that especially if you give them reason to... like if you were to volunteer to take a later flight or be restated to accommodate a family.
But they also track the spend and value of other OW members on their airline, particularly the ones that live in HKG and spend on F/J tickets and will override that especially if you give them reason to... like if you were to volunteer to take a later flight or be restated to accommodate a family.
Apr 14, 2019, 8:41 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 25
Yes the recognition on BA flights as a Gold Member is often not existing and on Cathay it’s outstanding. Personal greeting on both ways from/to Seoul bottle water and champagne on both legs and a cheese plate on the way to Seoul. When you fly intra Europe with BA no greetings no water nothing.
Apr 14, 2019, 11:24 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: ZOA, SFO, HKG
Programs: UA 1K 0.9MM, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, Hertz PC, SBux Gold, TSA Pre✓
Posts: 13,811
While I disagree on CX's policy on this, the reality is op-up priority is never an OW's published benefit.
So CX is within its rights to do whatever CX deems appropriate.
So CX is within its rights to do whatever CX deems appropriate.
Apr 14, 2019, 11:26 pm
#9
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: Executive Club: Gold - Flying Blue: Gold
Posts: 1,382
Yes the recognition on BA flights as a Gold Member is often not existing and on Cathay it’s outstanding. Personal greeting on both ways from/to Seoul bottle water and champagne on both legs and a cheese plate on the way to Seoul. When you fly intra Europe with BA no greetings no water nothing.
Apr 14, 2019, 11:35 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,166
You don't just disagree with CX's policy, you basically disagree with any OW carrier's policy. I do think it is fair that they go by their own members first.
Apr 14, 2019, 11:45 pm
#11
Join Date: Jan 2006
Programs: AAdvantage Asia Miles Air China
Posts: 870
CX traditionally will not upgrade people if they ask for an upgrade. It is considered poor form.
Besides, everyone goes into whatever algorithm CX uses to prioritise upgrades.
CX will be nice to OWEs.
Besides, everyone goes into whatever algorithm CX uses to prioritise upgrades.
CX will be nice to OWEs.
Apr 15, 2019, 2:53 am
#12
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,797
It's always been that way although i think BA Gold used to be equal to CX Gold, at least for the regular flyers they keep track of. I always used to get bumped up until about 3 years ago when it suddenly stopped.
On regional flights PE is often undersold or not sold at all, but every man and his dog in HK is CX Silver or Gold so you'll be at the back of a long queue as a OWE.
On regional flights PE is often undersold or not sold at all, but every man and his dog in HK is CX Silver or Gold so you'll be at the back of a long queue as a OWE.
Apr 15, 2019, 6:42 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,531
I think the one exception is the US where people seem expected to ask for those things anyway, but in many other regions this just comes across as rather awkward and mildly embarrassing.
On the original question, I can confirm that many of the airlines which use FFP as formal criterion tend to prioritise their own status members over partner members of even a much higher status. BA and AF, by contrast, tend to use a fairly opaque system which is as much of a "secret recipe" as some famous liqueurs. Many even suspect that a higher status is not necessarily a bonus in some cases.
Apr 15, 2019, 10:16 am
#14
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: HKG
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, CX DM, QF GO, AA LT GO, UA SL, LH FT, Marr LT Titanium, Shang DM, Hyatt Glob, Hilton DM
Posts: 2,024
they seem to be changing such order from time to time (for whatever reason), and different order somehow in different purposes...
say this op-up priority, a few years ago it used to be DM+ > DM > GO > OWE > OWS > Silver...or something like that. OWE just after MPO GO but before MPO SL.
but say on airport standby priority (at least my experience in more than a couple of instances in Beijing / Shanghai), I was told clearly OWE is right after MPO DM but ahead of MPO GO...but at least as of a couple of years ago.
I once asked to change to my BA number for a long haul flight in J...then the check-in agent asked me, are you sure, we have seat 1K reserved for you (op up), but if you change to BA number, you'll lose it...
but there's also once I have a regional op-up to F...that's already confirmed before I got to the HK airport. I forgot why but maybe I just want to try the system, I asked to change it to BA at check-in, they didn't say anything, and eventually I got to keep the upgrade.
in general, if I put in my BA OWE number they do still ask me for my meal preference first too (I think in most cases they don't know I'm DM). although I don't quite feel they're tracking my spending as an OWE...
say this op-up priority, a few years ago it used to be DM+ > DM > GO > OWE > OWS > Silver...or something like that. OWE just after MPO GO but before MPO SL.
but say on airport standby priority (at least my experience in more than a couple of instances in Beijing / Shanghai), I was told clearly OWE is right after MPO DM but ahead of MPO GO...but at least as of a couple of years ago.
I once asked to change to my BA number for a long haul flight in J...then the check-in agent asked me, are you sure, we have seat 1K reserved for you (op up), but if you change to BA number, you'll lose it...
but there's also once I have a regional op-up to F...that's already confirmed before I got to the HK airport. I forgot why but maybe I just want to try the system, I asked to change it to BA at check-in, they didn't say anything, and eventually I got to keep the upgrade.in general, if I put in my BA OWE number they do still ask me for my meal preference first too (I think in most cases they don't know I'm DM). although I don't quite feel they're tracking my spending as an OWE...
Apr 15, 2019, 11:09 am
#15
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, UK.
Programs: SQ LPPS, A3 *G, BA Silver aiming for Bronze
Posts: 1,506
Having had status in all three alliances at one time or another I would say that each airline upgrades its own members in advance of other status holders from the alliance. The only variation on this I've ever seen is LH who seem to upgrade purely on the value of the ticket rather than status which also seems fair enough.