unityofsaints

Title says it all really, it's pretty easy to find XXX - LHR - DUB flights on BA/EI in the online search tool on cathaypacific.com but for some reason the secondary airports in Ireland draw a blank. Do I need to call for these or use the flight award request form? Or are they just flat out not available via CX miles?

CarefreeBA

Can you redeem with EI? I don't believe EI is part of oneworld and/or a partner. Therefore, you won't be able to book with CX miles.

SilverChris

Because no CX partner flies LHR-ORK/SNN/NOC.

unityofsaints

Given IAG owns EI I would've thought BA codeshares on all the EI flights?

percysmith

Only prime flights can be redeemed with Asia Miles.

SilverChris

I can't think of any airline/programme that allows codeshares to be booked as awards.

unityofsaints

Fair enough, but the BA/EI relationship is much more than a codeshare. Call me an idealist but I would've hoped one could book AF/KL and BA/IB/EI flights entirely interchangeably. Instead these airlines have chosen to merge without merging. On the other hand, pre-COVID, I used to be able to book ORK-AMS-KUL-SYD on MH, quite an inconsistency (in an industry full of inconsistencies).

SilverChris

Award tickets have absolutely nothing to do with partnership/JV codeshares. Even in the example you cited about BA/EI, Avios can only be redeemed on prime flight numbers. That ORK-SYD award you booked through MH was because Enrich partnered with KL back in the day. But this is irrelevant because KL isn't an Asiamiles partner. The only inconsistency here is the way you bring up incomparable partnerships.

unityofsaints

I know that they don't, but I just find it odd and inconsistent. Back when BA bought EI, it was treated like a merger by the regulators and that caused all sorts of concessions like the forced introduction/transfer of UK slots to Virgin yet however many years one can't even book a simple tag-on flight interchangeably between the two carriers? During the strikes in Germany in March I was automatically rebooked FRA-DUB (EI) to FRA-LHR-DUB (BA/EI) without a mention that I'd be flying a different carrier yet booking via miles on EI is treated like an utter impossibility. It's as if they act like one carrier one minute and totally separate the next. At least IB is in Oneworld with all that comes along with that. I know EI is more of a hybrid low-cost carrier but look at how SQ treats Scoot, there's FF integration etc.

SilverChris

Again, you're just making irrelevant comparisons that have absolutely nothing to do with your ability to book EI awards through CX. What on earth does being rebooked on BA have to do with CX? All that talk about BA and SQ and TR is really just confusing yourself, quite frankly. The bottom line is EI is a separate airline with no FFP partnership with CX, regardless of who owns what.

unityofsaints

I'm not disputing any of that, I'm just saying that there very much ought to be deeper integration between the two carriers and their various partners and it's a big missed opportunity by IAG. They've fallen into the same "we'll merge but keep the two companies as separate as possible" trap that AF/KL and Daimler/Chrysler fell into.

SilverChris

Then you need to take this discussion to the BA/EI forum. I suspect the Irish aren't going to be thrilled having British Airways as their home carrier.

unityofsaints

Yes sorry this has dragged on too long. But I'm Irish and after I got over the initial disappointment of EI being swallowed up by BA I wanted (and still want) to make the most of it and tighter integration would help here.