81romeo

Flew LHR-JFK-BOS-LAX and back two weeks ago, BA ticket all in I class. On the AA Transcon between BOS-LAX-BOS I upgraded to F (A class) both ways with cash (230£ each way, very good value in my opinion) however, only 140TPs have posted for each of these two sectors.

Last week I get in touch with BA to claim the missing TPs and Avios and they ask me to submit a copy of my boarding passes, upgrade receipts and bank statement showing I paid for the upgrades.

Yesterday, I get this rather shocking answer from BA via email:

“I’ve checked your account and you’ve earned the correct number of Avios and Tier Points for your flights AA1578 BOS-LAX on XX March 2024 and AA2453 LAX-BOS XX March 2024. AA operated flights flown with two-cabin aircraft within the United States (including Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands) may be branded as First Class, but will earn miles based on Business Class (J, D, I, R) booking codes”.

I mean – seriously? Not only this level of incompetence is shocking but also why on earth would I pay for something I am already ticketed for (assuming I kept my I class seat)?

RichieMc

Appalling and shocking level of incompetence? Seems a bit dramatic. You got a duff agent who got it wrong. I would reply with a brief explanation - I would avoid overly emotive language - and you will get the correct points.

Vtafuri

Looks like they assume you flew on a 2-class plane, if you are able to show it was a 3-class (A321T I believe) then they should give you the correct points I would say

PETER01

I might be wrong and of course happy to be corrected but I've always thought/read that paid upgrades like this on AA metal receive no additional TPs.

Stated here too. (Scroll down to subsection 05)

In general for most oneworld airlines no extra TPs are given for paid upgrades, but there do seem to be some exceptions. In order to help provide some clarity here is a list of oneworld carriers and their approach to awarding additional Tier Points on paid upgrades. "Yes" means you earn the upgraded Tier Points and Avios, "No" means the flight will credit at the originally booked level.



American Airlines: No

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/32916295-post5.html

KARFA

here is a recent thread BA Tier Points with AA cash upgrade

note post 4 from cws https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/36131451-post4.html

GumshoeW12

Yes, the key here is how the OP bought the upgrade. Perhaps 81romeo could elaborate.

RichieMc

In recent year have always automatically gotten upgraded TPs for in app upgrades, going back to I think 2021. Kiosk or desk LFBUs not auromatic, but have always gotten them on claiming. And like OP says, BA are now asking for receipt in addition to BP to make sure you dodn't get an opup. In any case, they are not refusing based on the idea that paid upgraded don't get points, it's an agent confused about normal domestic First and transcon 3-class First.

81romeo

It was a kiosk upgrade i.e. at the check-in desk in BOS and LAX

81romeo

They got my original ticket in I, my new boarding pass showing A, seat number (1A). Probably I should have sent them a seat map too.

corporate-wage-slave

I've seen people successfully retro-claim this, but at least in principle kiosk upgrades are not eligible for higher TPs, since the ticket is not reissued into a new bucket, it's AA's version of a ticket amendment.

I must admit I think you may be a little too easily shocked though!

Tobias-UK

Kiosk upgrades do not normally attract the higher TP earning rate.

orbitmic

As noted by KARFA and in the thread he links, unfortunately, promotional upgrades do not automatically entitle to increased TPs and that’s entirely up to the operating airline.

technically, promo upgrades can work in one of three ways:

- rebooks into an eligible fare class (earns higher TPs)
- rebooks into an award fare class (earns per initial purchase bar exception)
- doesn’t rebook into a different fare code and just sits the purchaser in the higher cabin (earns per initial purchase).

As noted in the partners thread, with AA, they rebook into a higher fare class for in app upgrades but not for kiosk upgrades which are thus unfortunately not entitled to any additional TPs. Bank errors in your favour can of course occur but that’s not an entitlement. As for why people pay for it, essentially for the better solo seat, better lounge where available (eg this entitles the upgradee to Chelsea from jfk), and slightly improved meal service and so on (so effectively, better flight experience). Note that many airlines offer promo upgrades which do not even give lounge privileges or increased luggage allowance so aa kiosk upgrades are by no means the meanest of the lot, though everyone should of course decide for themselves if it’s worth it - given the absence of additional TPs. Incidentally I also don’t think aa members get additional LPs from them either.

So in this case, it seems that whilst the explanation given is erroneous, the conclusion drawn is sadly the competent one.

Rubecula

I would expect this is not a BA problem. BA will credit based on the fare code supplied to BA by AA.

Pochama

Thread needs to be updated. I paid for AA in app upgrades from Y to J this weekend and tier points posted as J. Avios earnings were based on the original Y fare though.

orbitmic

Then thread does not need to be updated as it explicitly says that in app upgrades get the TPs for the upgraded travel class but kiosk upgrades do not.

As for avios, it is based on spend so there is no difference whether you pay £100 on a ticket in O, Y, E, I, C, or F (apart from your moral duty to inform us if you found a £100 F fare anywhere of course!)