Mar 15, 2018, 6:57 am
Last edit by: Keter
After Amadeus moved to a single PNR for code share flights there are issues in selecting seats for such flights unless a marketing airline paid to have access to the operating airline seatmap and show that in Amadeus.
This only applies when both airlines are in Amadeus, for example, the issue shall be in place for AY op by BA/ CX and vv.
The pair AY op by AA shall work fine as AA uses Sabre and you shall be OK to select seats via AA, however, you need to get a record locator for the AA operating booking first of course.
Amadeus has a very simple command to select seats when seat map is not available (or when there is no contract rather with Amadeus to store seatmaps). It is very simple and called 'seat wish'. Here is the documentation from Amadeus:
https://servicehub.amadeus.com/c/por...ke-a-seat-wish
The posts in this thread indicate that not all agents are trained to use this option. It shall normally be the marketing airline who you ask to make a seat wish.
This only applies when both airlines are in Amadeus, for example, the issue shall be in place for AY op by BA/ CX and vv.
The pair AY op by AA shall work fine as AA uses Sabre and you shall be OK to select seats via AA, however, you need to get a record locator for the AA operating booking first of course.
Amadeus has a very simple command to select seats when seat map is not available (or when there is no contract rather with Amadeus to store seatmaps). It is very simple and called 'seat wish'. Here is the documentation from Amadeus:
https://servicehub.amadeus.com/c/por...ke-a-seat-wish
The posts in this thread indicate that not all agents are trained to use this option. It shall normally be the marketing airline who you ask to make a seat wish.
Unable to book seats on codeshare flights
Jan 16, 2018, 6:27 am
#106
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,757
Unfortunately, the AY booking engine is quite bad at handling anything more complicated than a simple return flight. And even more unfortunately, if booking with BA codes, it is very uncertain that seat selection will work, whether free or paid. You could, however, try and call either QF or AY and ticket it over the phone, insisting on AY codes. I've done phone bookings with AY when their booking engine fails, and they have waived the phone booking fee in those cases, too.
Jan 16, 2018, 12:28 pm
#107
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: 14,182
...
I'm looking at buying specific flights... BNE-NRT (QF direct) -> 11 day stopover -> NRT-HEL (AY direct) -> 21 day stop -> HEL-NRT (AY direct) -> 2 day stop -> NRT-BNE (QF direct).
...
Normally I book directly on the airline's website but the Finnair multi-stop can't find any BNE-NRT flights and the BA multi-stop insists on BNE-SIN (QF) and then SIN-HKG (CX)
I'm looking at buying specific flights... BNE-NRT (QF direct) -> 11 day stopover -> NRT-HEL (AY direct) -> 21 day stop -> HEL-NRT (AY direct) -> 2 day stop -> NRT-BNE (QF direct).
...
Normally I book directly on the airline's website but the Finnair multi-stop can't find any BNE-NRT flights and the BA multi-stop insists on BNE-SIN (QF) and then SIN-HKG (CX)
I may be wrong, but isn't this a Joint Venture problem? AY fares to and from Japan usually are not combinable with any destinations outside Japan/Europe, and usually only combinable with BA/IB/JL fares.
If so this could explain why booking engine refuses to get AY codes on the Japan-EU segment, as there is no normal AY fare that allows the wanted combination.
By all means, do ask a TA if they can force AY codes, but don't be surprised if that forces trip to book into C, ie full fare business class. If so, bring your gold reserve.
Jan 16, 2018, 1:55 pm
#108
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,757
Might be. OTOH, AY web was unable to ticket a simple open jaw HEL-HAV/MIA-HEL, where one of the flights is JV. But AY on the phone had no problems ticketing it, not even with the HAV leg as Value. I would at least call AY and try.
Jan 16, 2018, 11:56 pm
#109
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Posts: 909
I may be wrong, but isn't this a Joint Venture problem? AY fares to and from Japan usually are not combinable with any destinations outside Japan/Europe, and usually only combinable with BA/IB/JL fares.
If so this could explain why booking engine refuses to get AY codes on the Japan-EU segment, as there is no normal AY fare that allows the wanted combination.
By all means, do ask a TA if they can force AY codes, but don't be surprised if that forces trip to book into C, ie full fare business class. If so, bring your gold reserve.
If so this could explain why booking engine refuses to get AY codes on the Japan-EU segment, as there is no normal AY fare that allows the wanted combination.
By all means, do ask a TA if they can force AY codes, but don't be surprised if that forces trip to book into C, ie full fare business class. If so, bring your gold reserve.
The flights will be at the end of this year and since Qantas only allow bookings up to 5 January I've got a few weeks to wait for now. I'd also be open to flying via Seoul instead Tokyo and I've seen a few KE flights appear on the AY website but most of them are in Business class.
Jan 17, 2018, 3:39 am
#110
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: 14,182
I can find it in J and I don't know your dates, but I can ticket the route of your choice in econ on klilroytravels.com (sample below) at 2160AUD.
QF61- (long stopover) - AY72- (long stopover) - AY71- (short stopover) - QF62
QF61- (long stopover) - AY72- (long stopover) - AY71- (short stopover) - QF62
Jan 17, 2018, 6:21 am
#111
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Posts: 909
For those sample dates I was also able to find a result on google flights with 4 different booking options
Book with AY (over phone) - $2119
Book with BA (over phone) - $1934 (with BA codeshares on the AY operated flights)
Book with Expedia - $1902 (with BA codeshares on AY operated flights)
Book with CheapOAir - $2047
this option also appears when clicking on the CheapOAir flight but I've had to convert the price on CheapOAir from USD to AUD using Google rates.
Book with CheapOAir - $1800 (with BA codeshares on AY operated flights)
https://www.google.com/flights/?curr...71,NRTBNE0QF62
My dates will be something like
BNE-NRT - 11 Dec 17 (flexible with this date + or - 3 days)
NRT-HEL - 21 Dec 17 (flexible with this date + or - 1 day)
HEL-NRT - 8 Jan 19 (flexible with this date + or - 3 days)
NRT-HEL - 11 Jan 19 (flexible with this date + or - 3 days)
As Qantas has at present only released flights until 5 Jan I've still got a bit of time to wait and many online booking sites are only accepting bookings up until 12 December at the moment.
If I can't get this to work then I'd also be keen for KE and AY via Seoul but as it appears more expensive then it probably won't happen.
Why does Finnair have to make things so difficult...
Jan 17, 2018, 1:41 pm
#112
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: 14,182
Kilroy was originally a TA aimed at swedish youth travel. I guess they are now a vanilla OTA.
It can be helpful to use different aggregators - there are a tonne of OTA out there and they all have slightly different way of searching and ticketing. Odd fares and routes are sometimes missed by the bigger OTAs.
I feel I am driving this thread off topic. Your original question whether or not you can book economy comfort on BA coded AY flights is on topic, but I don't have an answer for that.
It can be helpful to use different aggregators - there are a tonne of OTA out there and they all have slightly different way of searching and ticketing. Odd fares and routes are sometimes missed by the bigger OTAs.
I feel I am driving this thread off topic. Your original question whether or not you can book economy comfort on BA coded AY flights is on topic, but I don't have an answer for that.
Jan 25, 2018, 2:29 am
#113
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: AMS
Programs: KL PFL; BA Gold; A3 Silver; EY Silver; SU Silver
Posts: 2,488
I finally booked a ticket via a 'manual' agent who was very adequate and they confirmed to me this is the option they use to reserve seats if seat maps are not available in Amadeus. So the puzzle solved. They warned me that in such cases the seat can change, but i believe if my seat is taken on a seatmap on an operating flight then all is OK.
Now i understand that AF, for example, does not want to touch an agent issued ticket for seat selection even if this is technically possible (probably for cost saving reasons) but they piss off customers by doing this, they shall take care of this. AY seems to follow a better stance, however, what we see here, still many agents have now idea how to reserve seats without seatmaps, so for AY its a training issue.
Now i understand that AF, for example, does not want to touch an agent issued ticket for seat selection even if this is technically possible (probably for cost saving reasons) but they piss off customers by doing this, they shall take care of this. AY seems to follow a better stance, however, what we see here, still many agents have now idea how to reserve seats without seatmaps, so for AY its a training issue.
Originally Posted by Keter View Post
Now, the technical part is that Amadeus has a command to select seats when seat map is not available (or when there is no contract rather with Amadeus to store seatmaps). It is very simple and called 'seat wish'. Here is the documentation from Amadeus:
https://servicehub.amadeus.com/c/por...ke-a-seat-wish
Now, the technical part is that Amadeus has a command to select seats when seat map is not available (or when there is no contract rather with Amadeus to store seatmaps). It is very simple and called 'seat wish'. Here is the documentation from Amadeus:
https://servicehub.amadeus.com/c/por...ke-a-seat-wish
Jan 25, 2018, 2:45 am
#114
Join Date: Dec 2013
Programs: AY+ Plat, A3*G
Posts: 672
I have AY issued ticket with flight on AY metal + AY coded AA operated flight. Few months ago when I booked I was able to select my seats on AA.com without any error. Now when I go to AA site all the seat maps are greyed out, and the system says to contact Finnair for seat assignment. When I go to AA site to buy the tickets, I can see that seat maps are open and the seats I have reserved are still reserved in the system (I would assume still to me).
Would AA be able to assign seats if I call them? I have both the AY PNR and the AA one. Reason I have to change seats is that's there's been a schedule change for AY coded AA flight (not the actual AA flight, they just moved the codeshare to later flight that day) and of course for that leg I have no seats reserved.
Would AA be able to assign seats if I call them? I have both the AY PNR and the AA one. Reason I have to change seats is that's there's been a schedule change for AY coded AA flight (not the actual AA flight, they just moved the codeshare to later flight that day) and of course for that leg I have no seats reserved.
Jan 25, 2018, 5:34 am
#115
Join Date: Dec 2013
Programs: AY+ Plat, A3*G
Posts: 672
I have AY issued ticket with flight on AY metal + AY coded AA operated flight. Few months ago when I booked I was able to select my seats on AA.com without any error. Now when I go to AA site all the seat maps are greyed out, and the system says to contact Finnair for seat assignment. When I go to AA site to buy the tickets, I can see that seat maps are open and the seats I have reserved are still reserved in the system (I would assume still to me).
Would AA be able to assign seats if I call them? I have both the AY PNR and the AA one. Reason I have to change seats is that's there's been a schedule change for AY coded AA flight (not the actual AA flight, they just moved the codeshare to later flight that day) and of course for that leg I have no seats reserved.
Would AA be able to assign seats if I call them? I have both the AY PNR and the AA one. Reason I have to change seats is that's there's been a schedule change for AY coded AA flight (not the actual AA flight, they just moved the codeshare to later flight that day) and of course for that leg I have no seats reserved.
Jan 25, 2018, 6:28 am
#116
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: 14,182
I finally booked a ticket via a 'manual' agent who was very adequate and they confirmed to me this is the option they use to reserve seats if seat maps are not available in Amadeus. So the puzzle solved. They warned me that in such cases the seat can change, but i believe if my seat is taken on a seatmap on an operating flight then all is OK.
...
...
Originally Posted by Keter View Post
Now, the technical part is that Amadeus has a command to select seats when seat map is not available (or when there is no contract rather with Amadeus to store seatmaps). It is very simple and called 'seat wish'. Here is the documentation from Amadeus:
https://servicehub.amadeus.com/c/por...ke-a-seat-wish
Now, the technical part is that Amadeus has a command to select seats when seat map is not available (or when there is no contract rather with Amadeus to store seatmaps). It is very simple and called 'seat wish'. Here is the documentation from Amadeus:
https://servicehub.amadeus.com/c/por...ke-a-seat-wish
Jan 28, 2018, 7:28 am
#117
Join Date: Jan 2011
Programs: AFKL PLT, BA Gold, SK Gold, AY Gold, A3 Silver, LH FTL, IHG Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 408
This just keeps going on and on; AA ticket, AA flight number, AY operated JFK-HEL, no dice with the seats when I called AY cs. I just sent DM to their twitter team, let's see if that does any good. This is just so frustrating, same issue day after day, month after month. It's kind of funny when oneworld alliance is pitching for their seamless travel experience and we are still struggling with such a basic thing as seat assignments. And we are living in 2018! 
Jan 28, 2018, 9:00 am
#118
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: HEL
Programs: SPG LTP, hotels, OWE, STE+, *G, Octopus
Posts: 5,789
This just keeps going on and on; AA ticket, AA flight number, AY operated JFK-HEL, no dice with the seats when I called AY cs. I just sent DM to their twitter team, let's see if that does any good. This is just so frustrating, same issue day after day, month after month. It's kind of funny when oneworld alliance is pitching for their seamless travel experience and we are still struggling with such a basic thing as seat assignments. And we are living in 2018!
Jan 28, 2018, 2:25 pm
#119
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Switzerland
Programs: AY+ Platinum, SK Gold, BAEC Silver, airbaltic VIP, Radisson VIP
Posts: 6,532
During the beginning of summer last year I was on several occasions promised by Finnair that "the new system fixing this" would be in place in August. Come September, this issue persisted. I have always managed to resolve this by calling AY, though. Little did we know they must have meant August 2018...
Jan 29, 2018, 12:41 pm
#120
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: HEL
Programs: BA Gold, OZ Diamond, LH Silver
Posts: 553
I had a HEL-CDG flight marketed by AF today. Was not able to select a seat before check in online either on AF or AY website.
Interestingly, OLCI suggested to add my BA Emer card as the FF program (not even possible to add a Skyteam FF) and to my surprise I got priority security, group 1 boarding and even proactive newspaper and beverage onboard.
I thought these would not be available under AF codeshare, but was happy to be proven otherwise. No lounge invitation, though.
Interestingly, OLCI suggested to add my BA Emer card as the FF program (not even possible to add a Skyteam FF) and to my surprise I got priority security, group 1 boarding and even proactive newspaper and beverage onboard.
I thought these would not be available under AF codeshare, but was happy to be proven otherwise. No lounge invitation, though.