Last edit by: Steve_Hun
Beware of codeshares!
If you decide to book a codeshare, no matter how seamless the airlines’ marketing departments make it sound, the following will apply:
Points and miles accrual:
Sometimes, a codeshare might be a good alternative pointswise.
Please note that the calculator at AY.com doesn't work for codeshare flights. You can select "Finnair Codeshare" as carrier, but it does not recognize status bonuses or ticket types (Basic/Value etc) even though you will get status bonus when crediting to AY+, and to some codeshare destinations, AY ticket types are available.
If you’re on AY flight number, you will always earn AY+ points, regardless of carrier. In the 100 % category you earn 1 point / km. In J, you earn the usual 200 % regardless of carrier. You will also earn the usual status bonus.
In some cases (seemingly in cases where the destination is served by both AY and partner metal), you may earn points according to zones.
If you’re on AY flight number and your flight is OW-operated, you will earn points/miles in all OW programmes according to said programme’s AY earning table.
If you’re on OW flight number and AY metal, you will earn AY+ points or points/miles in all OW programmes according to said programme’s earning table of your ticketed airline.
However, if you’re on *A flight number and AY metal, you will earn zero points in any programme (CA, TP). QUESTION: Is this really true? If you’re on HEL-PEK and CA flight number, will you at least earn points in the CA programme? Or in the TP programme for HEL-LIS?
Seat assignments:
Hit and miss depending on the airlines involved, the agent you talk to and other random criteria. Often, it won’t work at all, but sometimes a good agent manages to assign a seat. (At OLCI, will you be given a random seat, or is there a choice? Are many seats blocked at T-36?)
Economy Comfort on longhauls:
Not available to codeshare pax. Not for free for Platinums, and not against a charge for anyone. (Are these seats blocked at OLCI?) Sometimes, Y+ seats are sold at check-in, the gate or on the plane before departure. These are most likely available to codeshare pax. Can anyone confirm?
Pre-order meals in J:
Not available at MMB. A good agent will be able to assign a meal if you call (maybe chat, too).
Special meals (Y or J):
Works normally, however, one might need to contact CS.
Pre-order inflight sales:
Works normally.
Upgrades:
Not available on codeshare. You will need AY metal and AY flight number. The only exception would be a paid upgrade at the airport. See https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/finnair-finnair-plus/1842907-big-upgrade-thread-all-you-need-know-about-ay-upgrades.html for details.
OLCI:
Used to be problematic but this is mostly solved. You can OLCI at AY.com for AY-operated flights regardless of the flight number. The AY system recognizes all sorts of booking references and you may enter eg. your AA record locator on the AY check-in page.
What about AY flight numbers on other carriers? Do all carriers allow OLCI and recognize the AY/Amadeus booking ref?
Lounge access:
If you’re on OW metal and OW flight number, no problems. You may enter based on OW status or J ticket.
If you’re on AY flight number but non-OW metal, or if you’re on non-OW flight number and AY metal, you may or may not have lounge access. A list would be great.
- French domestic flights operated by AF, with AY flight number, will gain lounge access at CDG (what about other French airports?)
Schedule changes:
When the operating carrier makes a schedule change or cancellation, the ticketing carrier should be the one that you deal with. But this is not always the case, and airlines seem to accuse one another, and sometimes no one takes responsibility if the alternative you are presented with is not satisfactory.
IRROPS:
No experience. For last minute IRROPS, the operating carrier shuld be responsible.
If you decide to book a codeshare, no matter how seamless the airlines’ marketing departments make it sound, the following will apply:
Points and miles accrual:
Sometimes, a codeshare might be a good alternative pointswise.
Please note that the calculator at AY.com doesn't work for codeshare flights. You can select "Finnair Codeshare" as carrier, but it does not recognize status bonuses or ticket types (Basic/Value etc) even though you will get status bonus when crediting to AY+, and to some codeshare destinations, AY ticket types are available.
If you’re on AY flight number, you will always earn AY+ points, regardless of carrier. In the 100 % category you earn 1 point / km. In J, you earn the usual 200 % regardless of carrier. You will also earn the usual status bonus.
In some cases (seemingly in cases where the destination is served by both AY and partner metal), you may earn points according to zones.
If you’re on AY flight number and your flight is OW-operated, you will earn points/miles in all OW programmes according to said programme’s AY earning table.
If you’re on OW flight number and AY metal, you will earn AY+ points or points/miles in all OW programmes according to said programme’s earning table of your ticketed airline.
However, if you’re on *A flight number and AY metal, you will earn zero points in any programme (CA, TP). QUESTION: Is this really true? If you’re on HEL-PEK and CA flight number, will you at least earn points in the CA programme? Or in the TP programme for HEL-LIS?
Seat assignments:
Hit and miss depending on the airlines involved, the agent you talk to and other random criteria. Often, it won’t work at all, but sometimes a good agent manages to assign a seat. (At OLCI, will you be given a random seat, or is there a choice? Are many seats blocked at T-36?)
Economy Comfort on longhauls:
Not available to codeshare pax. Not for free for Platinums, and not against a charge for anyone. (Are these seats blocked at OLCI?) Sometimes, Y+ seats are sold at check-in, the gate or on the plane before departure. These are most likely available to codeshare pax. Can anyone confirm?
Pre-order meals in J:
Not available at MMB. A good agent will be able to assign a meal if you call (maybe chat, too).
Special meals (Y or J):
Works normally, however, one might need to contact CS.
Pre-order inflight sales:
Works normally.
Upgrades:
Not available on codeshare. You will need AY metal and AY flight number. The only exception would be a paid upgrade at the airport. See https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/finnair-finnair-plus/1842907-big-upgrade-thread-all-you-need-know-about-ay-upgrades.html for details.
OLCI:
Used to be problematic but this is mostly solved. You can OLCI at AY.com for AY-operated flights regardless of the flight number. The AY system recognizes all sorts of booking references and you may enter eg. your AA record locator on the AY check-in page.
What about AY flight numbers on other carriers? Do all carriers allow OLCI and recognize the AY/Amadeus booking ref?
Lounge access:
If you’re on OW metal and OW flight number, no problems. You may enter based on OW status or J ticket.
If you’re on AY flight number but non-OW metal, or if you’re on non-OW flight number and AY metal, you may or may not have lounge access. A list would be great.
- French domestic flights operated by AF, with AY flight number, will gain lounge access at CDG (what about other French airports?)
Schedule changes:
When the operating carrier makes a schedule change or cancellation, the ticketing carrier should be the one that you deal with. But this is not always the case, and airlines seem to accuse one another, and sometimes no one takes responsibility if the alternative you are presented with is not satisfactory.
IRROPS:
No experience. For last minute IRROPS, the operating carrier shuld be responsible.
Current disadvantages on code share flights
#31
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY+ Plat Lumo
Posts: 92
Ok, I did booked also at AA.com, but my e-ticket says only "operated by Finnair" the AY flight number is missing. Instead says that please check-inn with operating carrier... But I'm flying Y so maybe they give more info for those flying J
#32
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: HEL
Programs: SPG LTP, hotels, OWE, STE+, *G, Octopus
Posts: 5,783
#33
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,735
Interesting that some AA-issued tix show the reference, others don't. I'm pretty sure this is the first time I see it there, too, because otherwise I probably would have noticed it. And yes, it's a simple roundtrip with only two segments, both AY-operated and AA-marketed.
#34
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 13
Finnair Comfort seats on codeshare
I booked a Finnair flight via a travel agent and went by the best price - then saw that my ticket was not a Finnair one but a JAL codeshare HEL-NRT. I wanted to purchase the new Economy Comfort seat but after contacting Finnair they said the request has to be done from JAL. I then phoned JAL (in UK) and the customer service person was completely clueless. Had not even heard what the Comfort Plus seat was and just kept repeating "I am sorry but we are unable to help you. You must contact Finnair". Now Finnair won't help me because it is JAL ticket! It is very infuriating to learn that when you purchase a codeshare ticket you are in effect a second class passenger without access to the same services as other passengers. I am BAEC bronze but seems to be neither here nor there for these airlines. If I had known I would have never booked because the long haul on the normal Finnair economy seat is put torture! I've done the same trip before on Finnair and was so happy to hear of the extra leg room available for €60... But alas NOT ON CODESHARE!! Feeling cheated and NEVER AGAIN buying codeshare tickets!
#35
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY, SK, TK
Posts: 7,591
Same experience here. AA ticket, AY operated, economy
#36
Join Date: May 2014
Location: HEL
Programs: AY+Plat, ALL Plat, Scandic L2
Posts: 3,620
If you bought the AY marketing code on JL414, then obviously you cannot buy the Finnair Comfort seat because it does not exist. JAL plans to launch premium economy "Sky Suite" on that route in June 2015 instead (but I guess that is a different booking class, not an upgrade).
#37
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: HEL
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 517
#38
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: HEL
Programs: lots of shiny metal cards
Posts: 14,104
#39
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,735
I feel sorry for you – booking flights is really tricky and the airlines definitely should emphasize more that even if one is booking a "Finnair" flight, it might be flown by a completely different airline with different service concepts.
#40
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 13
If I understand this right, you will be flying on a JAL plane. Thus no AY service and no comfort seats.
I feel sorry for you – booking flights is really tricky and the airlines definitely should emphasize more that even if one is booking a "Finnair" flight, it might be flown by a completely different airline with different service concepts.
I feel sorry for you – booking flights is really tricky and the airlines definitely should emphasize more that even if one is booking a "Finnair" flight, it might be flown by a completely different airline with different service concepts.
#41
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,735
Now I understand. Codeshares are definitely a nuisance. However, there's something you could try. Call AY web help desk, open 8 am to 8 pm on weekdays and 9 am to 6 pm weekends. The numer is +358 9 818 1611. Ask them about the Finnair/Amadeus booking reference (varaustunnus). They'll give it to you when you tell them your name and when you will be flying.
With that booking reference, you will be able to access the reservation at www.finnair.fi at MMB. You should be able to pick a seat now. If you scroll back, you can see that I was able to pick a seat on my AY flight, with AA flight number.
Please try this and let us know if it works. Codeshares are a mystery – it could well be that it works like a charm, but then again, it could be that the JL/AY combo works differently from AA/AY and that the comfort seats are off limits to non-AY-ticketed passengers – or anything.
Just don't book any codeshares in the future. That's what I do – except for this one time, testing with my upcoming MIA flights just for the heck of it.
With that booking reference, you will be able to access the reservation at www.finnair.fi at MMB. You should be able to pick a seat now. If you scroll back, you can see that I was able to pick a seat on my AY flight, with AA flight number.
Please try this and let us know if it works. Codeshares are a mystery – it could well be that it works like a charm, but then again, it could be that the JL/AY combo works differently from AA/AY and that the comfort seats are off limits to non-AY-ticketed passengers – or anything.
Just don't book any codeshares in the future. That's what I do – except for this one time, testing with my upcoming MIA flights just for the heck of it.
#43
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,166
#44
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,735
The first reply to my "I want to pick a J meal" query was "call AA", which kind of made me want to laugh, but of course AY were able to fix it, it just took a while. They'll do it for you, just don't budge.
#45
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,735
Continuing my codeshare-report, flying AY7 sold as AA8987. I was not able to fill in the TSA data at AY.fi but was able to do it at AA.com. I was pretty sure that AY OLCI wouldn't work – either it would ask me to fill in the data during OLCI or it would redirect me to a check-in desk. But to my surprise, either AA and AY systems talk to each other or AY just doesn't care. OLCI at AY.fi worked well (31,5 hours before the flight) and I now have a self-printed BP in hand, with lounge invitation and all.