BA Code share with Aer Lingus, refused Priority Boarding with BA Gold Card
Apr 20, 2019, 2:24 pm
#1
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BA Code share with Aer Lingus, refused Priority Boarding with BA Gold Card
I bought a seat on BA5955, departing Heathrow T2, operated by Aer Lingus, on18th. April. My BA Gold card got me in to the Aer Lingus lounge at T2. I assumed that I could also join the Priority Boarding line with my Gold card but I was refused by the boarding line dragon, despite other passengers behind me in the same line agreeing that my Gold card should allow me to board in the Priority Lane. The Boarding Pass says "sold as BA5955" but she resolutely refused my request, despite my telling her that only six weeks ago, in Dublin, my BA Gold card allowed me to board in the Priority lane on an Aer Lingus flight, and I had not even bought it as a code share.
This experience was embarrassing for me and when I called the BA Exec Club I got cut off before they could advise me whether or not I was within my rights to demand boarding in the Priority Boarding line.
Some element of consistency would be good from Aer Lingus, in terms of recognising the status of BA Gold card holders.
What does everybody else think about this...was I in the right, or in the wrong?
This experience was embarrassing for me and when I called the BA Exec Club I got cut off before they could advise me whether or not I was within my rights to demand boarding in the Priority Boarding line.
Some element of consistency would be good from Aer Lingus, in terms of recognising the status of BA Gold card holders.
What does everybody else think about this...was I in the right, or in the wrong?
Apr 20, 2019, 2:37 pm
#2
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Each airline has their own system for priority boarding, and Aer Lingus isn't in oneworld either. So Aer Lingus' own rules apply, not BA, and unfortunately your emerald card only really gets you a limited amount of lounge access on the emerald airline. As far as I know, Aer Lingus are consistent here: no access! You may have been given the benefit of doubt on your previous excursion. It's just their own cardholders that get priority boarding, and presumably the new business class passengers in due course. So in the words of that seminal group the Sparks "So just be gracious and wait in the queue".
Apr 20, 2019, 2:46 pm
#3
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I appreciate your opinion but remember, I was flying on a BA flight, as stated on the boarding pass. So, maybe I should just abandon trying to give my business to BA and just give it to Aer Lingus.......
Apr 20, 2019, 2:53 pm
#4
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Yes, I think I may have spotted that, and of course both airlines have the same owner. Nevertheless they are managed and operated quite differently. A codeshare ticket has some disadvantages, not least giving you the impression you were on a BA flight, which you were not. There are some upsides, notably earning BA tier points, and almost certainly a higher Avios earning rate too. It also helps on through checked baggage on any connecting flight, and can give you a better baggage allowance for a lower price than Aer Lingus' direct sales. Also you get lounge access in this case. On the other hand it may be a more expensive ticket. But Fast Track and Priority Boarding don't come with this sort of ticket.
Apr 20, 2019, 3:04 pm
#5
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As a lowly Silver I learned a similarly valuable lesson recently. On a BA ticket from BHD to CDG with the first sector on EI with a BA flight number. For the EI operated sector:
- No online check in
- No seat selection. Ended up in a middle seat, two rows from the back and on a tight-ish transfer which required hopping over to T5
- Denied access to the BA Lounge at BHD even though I was on a BA ticket.
- No access to the priority boarding queue
Apr 20, 2019, 5:42 pm
#6
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As cws very rightly points out, there is certainly no requirement in principle that codeshare partners extend privileges such as priority boarding etc to the other airline’s status holders, and certainly not that the operating career treats the customers of the marketing airline as the marketing airline would treat them on their own metal.
imagine CX pax flying on a ba short haul connection. Should they be entitled to free food and drink onboard the ba flight because on cx they would have got it?
imstead, reciprocal perks are negotiated by the airlines and here do not include priority boarding.
imagine CX pax flying on a ba short haul connection. Should they be entitled to free food and drink onboard the ba flight because on cx they would have got it?
imstead, reciprocal perks are negotiated by the airlines and here do not include priority boarding.
Apr 20, 2019, 8:35 pm
#7
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OP you simply wern't on a BA flight. you made an assumption based on the flight number
Not having priority boarding is very , very, very lowdown in the scheme of things.
Not having priority boarding is very , very, very lowdown in the scheme of things.
Apr 21, 2019, 12:21 am
#8
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Lots of great reasons in this thread for everyone to lobby hard for EI to rejoin OW (and ask why it is taking so long to honor the intent expressed during the EI acquisition)!
Apr 21, 2019, 12:25 am
#9
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although you are right that was the intent at the acquisition. Subsequently EI have said they won’t join oneworld. Perhaps they will be added as a oneworld connect airline?
Apr 21, 2019, 12:36 am
#10
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I share the OPs frustration in reverse - Fly often enough on EI Transatlantic to earn what would be GGL on BA but have to direct a couple of LATAM flights a year to BA to earn OWS and ensure group 2 boarding, lounge access, seat selection both on BA SH and a few AA domestics. Would be nice if IAG could align benefits across its own stable...
Apr 21, 2019, 1:05 am
#11
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Just to add to the inconsistency, you only get Lounge access on DUB-LON flights. Nothing for DUB-LBA for example, despite the codeshare
Apr 23, 2019, 9:42 am
#12
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Apr 23, 2019, 10:20 am
#13
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Only because CX is a oneworld member, which EI isn't. Similarly, a AY Emerald travelling on Fiji won't get priority boarding but BA Emerald would under the new oneworld connect proposition. It's all down to the agreement between carriers unless they are full members of oneworld.
Apr 23, 2019, 10:33 am
#14
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The things I raised are first world problems. It probably wouldn’t have bothered me had I not just flown home from one trip, changed the contents of my rucksack and went immediately to the airport for the next. Lounge access might have been nice for a quiet sit down.
Being at the back of the plane wouldn’t have been an issue had I not been on a tight connection, with a terminal transfer and a late EI flight.
Apr 23, 2019, 11:52 am
#15
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Edit: sorry, SpeedbirdLHR beat me to it!