I recently booked an FS6 100K mile first/business first award with CO. I was told I was booked in first on Air France but when the seats came back they were in business class. I have complained to CO but they are confused and say it is book in O class which is business class on AF. CO also has an 80K business class award. So I don't get it what qualifies as first class? I look at Delta, Northwest and even AF sites an 100K gets you first class!?! So what gives with CO. I have elevated this with CO customer care but am awaiting response. I requested either they lower the miles or get me seats on a true business first (CO type seating which of course CO does not releease until much later for july travel.) Has anyone else had these issues with CO.

Not had issues w/CO but will tell you in March I booked FC on DL & AF but on the flt. from boston to paris they explained that DL FC was BC on AF so I could not get FC on that flt. I moaned a little and got a sup. who I told (since I was w/wife) "this was special trip" and DL assured me I was FC all the way. Five min. before take off we were upg. to FC. Very sweet... AF FC is without a doubt the best I have ever been on. ie crab legs and filet..

Even thought CO would like to think their business class product (Business First) = first on other airlines, that is not the case.

I just looked at CO webiste- it is very clear:

80K Bus Class from North America to Europe (except Delta)
90K Bus Class from North America to Europe (on Delta)
100k BizFirst/First from North America to Europe

So if you used 100k and book Air France you should be going in 1st IF they offer 3 classes on that flight.

I would call back and complain- they should either give you 1st or give you back 20K miles...

That is exactly what I told them but they don't even understand what is on their own website. I have email in and will post what they do because unlike the previous post I will not get all 5 of us upgraded!

There was a long, rambling thread on AF F using CO points in the CO forum back in mid-Sept.
The gist of it was: "Travel in F class on AF is not offered as a Skyteam award by CO."

See this thread: Skyteam, CO & AF ...and scroll down to post #17.

If you can't fly AF 1st with onepass miles, the poster should get the tickets for 80k, not 100k. It is sad to see as I have been told that AF 1st is one of the best..

Thanks for the support - I spoke with CO customer support mgr and they are "working on" getting me on CO flights but nothing yet perhaps the EWR to TXL may help. I havee been on AF first from paris to Singapore and it was very very nice and I wanted to share the experience with my family. I am a former CO PLT with over 2 Mil miles but they don't give any lifetime elite status like AA and DL so I am now one of the rest though I am going to get an AMEX centurion card which may help, but you are right they either owe me me miles or get me on CO flights and I will not let this die.

I see the post and frankly while CO BF is not on the scale of AF first, AF B class is nowhere close to CO BF so therein lies the paradox. Further someone (e.g. CO management might want to tell CO agents who book this that AF F is NOT available and change their website to reflect this.

I think the problem with skyteeam is that it is not a team and they need to have eone Skyteam page with awards and milage conversions from each program! AND if A wants to play in skyteam they need to be a part of the TEAM!