BA J really is better than CX J (and I say that as the biggest fan of CX that exists on FT). To be fair to BA, they do recognize OW status most of the time, even if your 4 flights don't show it (and I must have 100 flights on BA longhaul by now, though most in F where they do remember your name, with or without status). BA is far less consistent than CX in their inflight product (both crew service and even the physical goods onboard the aircraft; also often cabin crew know less about the F service than some pax do, many times I've asked for something simple, like the comb insert in the amenity kit, been told they don't have it any more, asked them to please check and they find it ... this happens over and over again these days). My sense is that the BA F product has had a rough patch in the past 2 years but is now improving and coming out of it.

Back to your original question, chance of opups as a non-BAEC Emerald, I am sure that most of the time you will be upgraded before any BA Silver. However there are a lot of BA Gold around, though most are flying CW so it is the J->F upgrade that they are angling for. I've even seen BA upgrade from Y pax with zero status (presumably they ran out of any Sapphires).

I strongly disagree both about BA being better than CX J (it is not in ay way better apart from possibly the sleeping position of the seat), to being the biggest fan of CX on FT, that is my role

Seriously I have NEVER been upgraded by BA as a Gold for over 5 years now. I am consistently treated better by CX as a BA Gold than I ever feel I am treated by BA. CX Rocks, but you have the proverbial snowballs chance in hell of an upgrade with BA even as a CX uber-elite.

You're incorrect , on two of my boarding passes there was no reference whatsoever , be it on the stub or the main part.

Interesting. It seems unfair that my carrier treats other OW status with respect whilst BA don't. As far as CX are concerned they are doing the right thing , due to their policy with BA Golds such as yourself and the lack of CX recognition from other OWs it seems as if they are coming out on top even with the inferior seat. On that subject does anyone know when CX are going to upgrade their seat. BA are coming out with a new one soon.

Some would say this is not unfair just very good business sense. If CX treat other airlines FF's well they will surely gain more business from them. This is not an approach that BA shares and I dare say that they do not win so much revenue from CX FF's as they otherwise would.

CX policy with respect to other OW elites has certainly had an effect on my purchasing habits. So I agree they are probably winning more custom as a result of their policy.

See this thread for more information on this subject. Looks like next year some time they will be announced.

Not incorrect. Your particular experience may not be consistent with Dave Marsh's post, but mine has been. On all my flights in the past few months (the overwhelming majority of my OW flights are on BA), the main part of the BP showed my OW status while noting that I was flying as a CX FF, but the stub just showed my CX number.

I very much agree. I think CX's use of the op-up as a marketing tool for frequent flyers is probably the canniest I've seen. Speaking as a beneficiary of that strategy, I say more power to CX. (Yes, the policy has influenced my buying patterns as well.)

BA is also in the favourable position of having lots and lots of OW flights dropping lots and lots of OW pax right into its lap/hub. And blocking any new competition as LHR being the main hub for OW in Europe. They have no need to try and keep those pax happy (by no means am I saying BA is a sub-par airline). CX is not so lucky, so they use other means to protect their interests, and they do it very well.

Originally Posted by Moomba
CX policy with respect to other OW elites has certainly had an effect on my purchasing habits. So I agree they are probably winning more custom as a result of their policy.


Count me as another who has given my business to CX due to their op-up policy. I've recently thrown three trans-pac tickets their way rather than on a OW partner who I used to fly mostly. At the risk of jinxing my luck, I have an op-up ratio of about 50%. Along with their excellent on ground and inflight service, what's not to like?

I like CX's opup policy with OW elites as well. Ever since I became an EXP in Dec. 04, I have gotten many J-F upgrades that keep me loyal to CX. In fact CX is the reason that I'm an EXP. Every time I think of flying SQ, I have the thought run through my head that "hey, there is a chance that I might get an upgrade on CX" and the money then goes to them over SQ.

Strange, on the main part of my last CX boarding pass I always see my FF number + Emerald status. Just looking through the last couple of CX boarding pass stubs from over the last few months and all of them have QF/EMERALD written on them under the boarding number. It also has my membership number on the line below.

I think if you trace back up from your referenced post you will see that the discussion was about BA boarding passes and not the CX ones.

Just checked my stash and it seems that BA show my AA number but no status on the small portion of the BP. It shows my BA nujmber and status though if that number is in the booking.

FWIW QF shows my OW status on the BP in much the same manner as the CX BP's show the OW status.