Gatwickba

I am looking at booking a miles trip for 2008, I am currently silver but will be slipping back to blue in August.
If I book now, as a silver and request seats will the seat request be removed when I drop back to blue?

Anyone had any experience of this happening?

Also, if I book on BA.com for the miles trip, and then book a shuttle direct with aa.com will ba issue the boarding passes in London for the short trip with aa? I realise we will have to reclaim baggage in the US but was just curious how it would work with a booking on miles and then a seperate one world carrier booking.

Any info / advise much appreciated.

markyg

Unfortunately, it is probably bad news on both fronts.

You will be able to allocate a seat as a silver but it is likely that the seat shifters will remove or change your allocation nearer to the date of your flight (unlikely to change when you go back to blue, likely within a few days of the flight).

BA won't issue bag tags (IME) these days for anything other than the legs on the PNR (booking) that they issue. You will have to recheck the bags at your US connection point so checking in isn't much of an issue when you are there. You can check in online with aa.com but will still need to visit one of their check-in bag drops to get the bag tag issued.
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Slightly confused that you reference aa.com, *a and oneworld. Either way, you need to head to the check-in counters at your entry in to the US.

frankvb

I thought it was a published benefit that on oneworld connecting flights baggage will be checked through, even on separate PNRs.

Greg66

Interesting if true (I'm not suggesting that it isn't). Because the converse doesn't seem to hold true: I made a booking whilst blue, then become silver with the booking still in the future, but I remain unable to select a seat.

Gatwickba

Managed to do the outbound flight OK into MCO so no need for any connection in MIA.
Strangely enough, the shuttle booking from MAN to LGW only allows me as the silver member to pre-request a seat. BUT the LGW-MCO sector has allowed all 4 of us to pre-select, even though its still only me as the Silver.
Are Miles reward flights interpreted in the system as "fully flexible" fares? for the MCO flight at least?

Anyway, I'm not complaining as we dont need to route though MIA now...unless maybe on the return <GULP>

Cheers for the feedback

markyg

I could be wrong but I think it would all need to be on the same booking. The oneworld site is fairly non-committal on through checking (uses words like might). There is the ability for any oneworld partner to issue an interline e-ticket.

Pocket Aces

I find it very difficult to believe that seat shifters will go through bookings and unallocate seats that have been previously been allocated by members who have dropped to Blue status.

Of course it could happen, but I think the chances are slim. Unless they are moving people around on your flight for specific reasons, I think the seats should be secure. I've seen Blue members post here that they still have their allocated seat which was chosen prior to the new seating policy coming into effect.

markyg

If you do a search on 'seat shifter', you'll pull up quite a few references. BA (eventually) decided to uphold allocations made before the new rules came in to place. However, there have been problems with people who have lost allocations http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...t=seat+shifter.

Rumours are abound on the site that the policy is being reviewed but we'll have to see what that does.

I'm flying next week with the family (on separate PNR's) so we'll see what delights that holds for us at OLCI time !