Very Confusing Information - who is the operator of my flight?
 

Hello folks,

I have booked on the IB website a flight (IB3179) from LHR to MAD for June in J class. All through booking the flight shows an A340-300 (343) operating, (and for obvious avgeek reasons I booked that flight and no other). But it was not until I received my e-ticket does it show that it was to be operated by BA under BA516. Confused, I tried calling BA and IB for clarifications but was given very dodgy replies. Can anyone here explain what's happening? I'm a CX GO member but this is my first time flying IB. First impressions have not been promising...

Thanks for your help and I look forward to reading your replies.

Adrian

Hi,

I did this exact flight, BA516, last wednesday in J. When i booked it showed that it was operated by IB, when i was going to check in it told me it was operated by BA and directed me to BA website.

The aircraft used was an A330-300 operated by IB.

This is normal and IB/BA both sell the flight. It is operated by Iberia aircraft and crew for BA. I have taken this flight last year. It was a great flight and better than BA to be honest.

Just one word of warning sometimes they do an aircraft change to a A320/321 so just have that at the back of your mind. A few have got caught out with it and sadly there is nothing you can do.

AFAIK all Iberia flights from LHR T5 have BA code as main code and IB appears as code-share, due to how the BA/T5 systems work, but they are actually operated with Iberia aircraft and crews.

I *think* (but I'm not sure - just from observation) that you can differentiate them by the 1st digit of the flight number - 4xx are BA flights with BA aircraft and BA crews, 5xx are IB flights with IB aircraft and IB crews.

Correct, BA456-465 are BA operated, BA510-524 are IB operated. If booking with IB, then IB3xxx are IB-operated, and IB7xxx are BA operated.

You will get your CX MPC points as IB is the marketing carrier. This is the biggest problem with BA/IB marketing... its dodgy and unclear...

The flight is flown by IB, and operating as IB. But BA sort of charters the flight and sells the seats back to IB.

Just check in at the IB counter...

No, check-in at the BA counter. There are no IB counters at Heathrow, check-in or ticketing.

Be glad you're in J. The pax get literally NOTHING in Y for IB flights. Had this experience today, didn't know that while BA has complimentary drinks/snacks, IB flights are buy-onboard for everything, including water.

Unfortunate because to the layperson, the system shows up as BA-proper flights. Even the phone agent was confused when I called in for seat assignments (b/c I hadn't realized it was an IB-operated flight). It's stupid to have two completely different levels of service on what's essentially a JV route.

Although personally I would rather pay for a hot option in Y on IB than be given a ''Free'' cold snack on BA in Y. Still each to their own . ;)

I suppose this is true, but what about something as simple as a cup of water? I mean, AB is the LCC of Oneworld and even they're able to give out chocolate hearts at the end of their flights! :eek:

It's not the most honest route, but go to the galley and say you need to take a pill and they'll give you a water no problem.

I have seen free cups of water given out on IB. It was exactly for the reason mentioned above for an elderly Man. I trust the crew to make good judgement in these things.

Having just flown back on a four hour flight with EI I was able to purchase a hot sandwich and my choices of snacks and drink for around EUR13. Id much prefer that than so called ''free'' items that I do not enjoy. Choc hearts I can live without ;):D

I actually saw the medical excuse in action (pax one row over legitimately needed to take her meds). I wouldn't feel right stumbling back to the galley or flagging down an FA while clutching my chest :) Fortunately I survived, and I knew better for my next IB flight the next day.

At least with EI I would have expected it. Maybe I just haven't been paying close enough attention to the Oneworld airlines.

Still though (and I have a story coming up about it), it's tough to pick BA over IB on the LHR-MAD route when even the phone agents can't tell who's operating which flight.

It's also tough as there are no BA flights from LHR between 7am and 2pm!

The phone agents IME have always very easily been able to tell which airline was operating the flight - even before looking into it. This was with BA, don't know how IB deals with this.