:D ^ That is fantastic news. A world class short haul carrier, opening up loads more destinations on OW metal. They had better expand the PVG lounge though, it is going to get mobbed.

Or like the BA lounge in CDG subject to strict capacity controls.

Oddly enough, it seems the answer is both. It appears KA's coming into Oneworld in its own right...

While it is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Cathay Pacific, Dragonair has retained its own brand and identity, market positioning and separate "KA" flight code.


...but the article continues by stating....

As a oneworld affiliate, Dragonair will offer the alliance's full range of services and benefits. This means its frequent flyers - who will all be integrated into Cathay Pacific's Marco Polo Club loyalty programme from 1 January 2007 - will be able to earn and redeem mileage awards on all other oneworld carriers.

S'cuse my ignorance, but does it make a difference?

Good point.

It could have been a mistake, but AA once me miles on a BCN-LIS IB codeshare operated by TP.

Service standards (required to be met when joining OW) are different for affiliates (lower). They aren't required to be e-ticket capable, for example. So I suppose it does make a difference, but not one that matters (given all the e-ticket problems that BA and AY have, I'm sure KA will be just as good, affiliate or not).

What motivated my question about Dragonair joining as an affiliate of Cathay Pacific versus joining in its own right is the unresolved question of whether using an affiliate of a oneworld member plus the oneworld member itself satisfies the "two oneworld airlines" requirement of American Airlines for a oneworld award using AA miles. So, yeah, depending on the correct answer to this question, it could make a difference.

Respectfully, no, the link does not answer my question and, yes, I did read the link (and several other websites) before I posted the question.

Affiliate. But will AA really do this correctly? Much confusion ahead, I'm sure.

Understand now.

For AA OW awards, using the affiliate is the considered the same as using its parent airline. E.G. LP and LA count for only 1 OW airline other than AA, not 2 as one would hope for according to the EXP desk.

In my reading of the link there is no ambiguity - KA is joining as an affiliate. Retaining it's own brand, code etc has no bearing on this - other affiliates do the same.

Are you sure enough about this answer that you wouldn't mind being quoted in post #1 of the stickey? If you are, I'll add the information.

What type of e-tkt problems have you experienced with AY?

Once on a codeshare (IB tkt, AY metal) and once on a genuine AY tkt, AY metal flt, AY check-in tried to require a paper tkt as they saw the tkt as a paper one in their system. Caused a delay of perhaps a minute in HEL but in MAD the delay was closer to ten minutes. They sorted it out, though.