Hi all,

I just took a flight from EZE to UIO on LAN, and confirmed what I've suspected, that while AA gives full benefits according to status to all the alliance elites (meaning for Rubies, for example, priority check-in, seating and boarding), LAN will not reciprocate and give an AA Gold only the benefit of priority check-in and not the other two.

Shouldn't benefits be granted on a reciprocal basis for fairness sake?

Fernando

No I don't think so.

Priority boarding for rubies is an AA benefit but not a published One World benefit. LAN rubies do not get priority boarding on LAN so it makes sense that AA rubies also do not get priority boarding on LAN.

If AA want to offer priority boarding to their rubies then that's their call, and its generous of them to extend that LAN rubies too.

Likewise LAN offers preferential seating to LAN rubies at check in, LAN also extends the same to other One World rubies. So as an AA ruby you too get that.

Published core benefits = published core benefits that can be delivered across all One World airlines. Anything that is a benefit for a particular airline's elites and is extended to the elites of other airlines is a bonus.

Thanks for the reply,

I understand the core benefits concept, what I'm questioning is precisely the fairness in extending AA GLD, or other categories for that matter, benefits to other alliance members that do not reciprocate said benefits.

Well you do get two out of three, you get the priority seating too, even though it is not immediately obvious you get it at check in.

It's a fair question that you make, but you could say it isn't a matter of reciprocating said benefits so much as extending their own benefits to other One World elites. The former I don't think is practical, the latter I think is fair and is generally what happens

I only fly BA, IB, AA and LA and out of those 4, I am pretty certain that AA is the only one that grants priority boarding to its rubies. Yes I agree it is very generous of them to extend that to other One World elites. At the same time it is probably easier to extend it than to discriminate.

Airlines operate in different markets and I don't think it is realistic to expect each of them to reciprocate other airlines' elite benefits.

AA Executive Platinum members are not allowed to use any special check-in facilities for domestic flights in SCL. There is a counter for LA Comodoro, but oneworld emerald is not welcome there. Once at the gate, however, emerald oneworld holders can use the "Preferente" channel to enter the aircraft. It even comes printed on the boarding card.

As an emerald I've been directed to, and used, the Comodoro check in lane at SCL.

That's either good news, or just good luck. We've been turned away from the Comodoro line for domestic flights even when in business class SCL-IPC (although a baggage porter took over and got check-in done almost instantaneously with someone he knew).

I completely agree.

Unfortunately oneworld fails at what should be the #1 tenet to provide a truly seamless experience:

In terms of a truly seamless experience I think there are far more important ducks to get in a row before elite benefits parity.

Pricing they seem to have nailed if you look at BA/AA offerings and TATL codeshares (Not that it is OneWorld's doing), but what about consistency of product on such routes?

Customer service. You have a problem with AA or BA then you normally get it fixed, you at least get a sympathetic ear. LA and IB you may as well go and piss into the wind. Cancelled flights without warning, inability to fulfil elite packs, regular delays without caring, and pity the man that has IB or LA lose his bags. This I think devalues the OneWorld brand more than anything, particularly when OneWorld has no teeth and won't ensure a bit of brand consistency and fair play.

Reservation systems pick ONE so that passengers ticketed by one airline can manage their booking on the operating airlines. Now LAN is moving over to SABRE too so this will only be exacerbated, apart from LA/AA ticketing/operating scenarios.

AA has a policy that if you are travelling on separate PNRs for two different OneWorld carriers and AA causes you to miss your connection for whatever reason, AA will be accountable for rescheduling your connecting flights with the other carrier. Make this policy across the whole alliance and enforce it.

Write, publish and enforce an interline baggage policy between OneWorld carriers. Guarantee that bags can be interlined through separate PNRs on separate carriers and make it work. The only thing that is stopping this happening is miserable check in agents that refuse to do it.

I'd personally take any of the above over priority boarding.

This is a concern as priority check in is a published OneWorld benefit.

As a LAN Sapphire it might warm your heart to know that I have never managed to even find the priority check in area at SCL

That may be true, I was able to check in online in Economy front rows in the UIO-EZE segment, despite my fare (I think) not allowing me front row seating. However, at the airport I requested if available to be moved to the second emergency exit row, I was told that they were occupied. Guess what: they weren't.

True priority seating, at least from my AA experience, is being able to prereserve, and not only during online checkin, good seats, be it front rows or emergency exits.

Excellent points (but what is an "elite pack?").

I happened to read something along these exact lines: Dear alliances, please don’t mislead your customers!, an interesting article and one that makes many of your points regarding the importance of a consistent experience and a seamless one. Although, I don't understand how AA couldn't book him a seat, or why IB couldn't upgrade him if they wanted to, and other details.

Which GDS does each member airline use anyway?

Actually exit row seating is not preferential on LAN, someone (actually anyone) could have booked it online at OLCI so you were told it was occupied and then they subsequently failed to turn up for their flights.

Given the quality of seatguru's seat maps and LAN not marking the exits as premium seating, it is entirely likely that someone booked it without even knowing it was an exit seat... And then didn't fly it.

Is the elite pack question a serious question? I only mean the upgrading of an account to the next tier and the sending of elite card and whatever.

Interestingly, elite cards wouldn't matter if the system was stitched up properly, but I have often had to show mine to get into BA lounges because my status doesn't show anywhere.

On a similar topic, I am currently having a miserable experiences getting miles credit to LA for an AA flight operated by BA. Why such a problem and up to 90 days to make it happen? What sort of alliance is that?

Interesting article thanks for posting, I have never had a problem selecting the nice seats on LA, AA, BA or IB. Notwithstanding, my status was in the reservation but failed to materialise on my boarding pass hence the lounge entry denial.

Are we agreed then? Things don't tie up that ought to?