From FlyerGuide Wiki
Contents |
[edit] British Airways Flights for the AA Flyer
The information below is based on the contributions of dstan and others in this thread
[edit] General
Please see The BA Ultimate Guide sticky for additional information, especially on longhaul service.
[edit] Manage My Booking
Advance Seat Assignments and Online Check-in (OLCI) - You should be able to call up your reservation using Manage My Booking (MMB) using the AA record locator (confirmation number) and your name. Note that the BA record locator will be different, with 6 alphanumeric characters, and you can use it and your last name for OLCI. As an AA PLT or EXP, you can preselect your own seats in advance, including exit rows. These assignments will not generally transfer back to your itinerary on AA.com. If you are not an AA PLT or EXP, you can select seats using OLCI starting 24-hours out. Notably, BA MMB itineraries also indicate what lounges were available to you as a OW Sapphire/Emerald flying Y.
[edit] Mileage/Point Earning
Always a source of confusion! The AAdvantage earning rules for BA-coded flights are here. AA-coded flights are subject to the normal AA earning rules. On BA-coded flights, while discount economy fares earn only 25% RDM with minimum 125 RDM, the good news is that you will get 500 minimum EQM, EQP, and MTEU toward AA elite status for every flight (this is an undocumented AA benefit). The former is what shows up in your Program to Date Miles and Transaction Descriptions; the latter shows up ‘silently’ in your YTD EQP, YTD EQM, and MTEU (Miles Toward Elite Upgrades) totals. (Track your totals as each flight posts if you want to confirm this).
One nice thing about BA-coded flights is that EQP are based on EQM earned, not miles flown as is the case on AA-coded flights. So, for example, if you’re flying a short hop in Club Europe J, you’ll get minimum 500 EQM and 1.5 x 500 = 750 EQP (plus 125 RDM class-of-service bonus). The same should be true for Full Fare Economy (B,Y), without the bonus RDM.
[edit] Shorthaul Service
The following is based on experiences flying both J (Club Europe) and Y (Euro Traveller). All segments were booked through AA.com as BA-coded flights. Discussion of lounges is omitted, as that is already covered extensively on FlyerTalk.
[edit] Aircraft Seating
(What SeatGuru won’t tell you; ExpertFlyer does have seatmaps until 1-5 days out) - BA flies 733, 734, 735, A319, A320, A321, 752, and 763 mainline jets for domestic and intra-European flights. These planes feature ‘convertible seating’, with a variable number of J rows in the front of the aircraft. Domestic flights are sold all-Y with 3-3 seating. Intra-European flights have a Club Europe section at the front with 2-3 seating (except 763s, see below) and limited extra pitch fixed at 34"; the ABC side is compressed width-wise, squashing the B seat that is unoccupied, and the DEF side is expanded by a couple inches width-wise between seats. There is a curtain between sections that is moved accordingly. As a result, the first row of Y also has the ABC side converted (to prevent people from bumping into the C seat while walking back thru the curtain), making A and C desirable. However, these seats are blocked until 3 days out and, even if you can get them, the cabin may be reconfigured at the last minute to expand the J section, booting you back to 23E. On the 763, the seating configuration goes from 2-3-2 in Y to 2-2-2 in J with the center E seat squashed.
Club Europe may not be worth the extra cost since these are mostly short flights, you get little or no extra pitch, although you do get better food and free champagne. If you do fly J on a 737 or A320-family jet, note that 2AC will become bulkhead seats if there is an equipment change to a 734 (happened to me).
Instead, exit row seating may be desirable. You’ll get extra pitch on most planes (≈36-38” on the 733 and 734, but little or no extra pitch on the A320). Even on flights that are otherwise packed, the middle exit seat was often empty. If there are two exit rows, take the second as the rows in front of the exits are reported not to recline.
[edit] Boarding
There is no boarding order on many shorthaul flights and even when specific groups are called by the GA, they may be ignored by the passengers. The two options seem to be either take the gate lice approach or, if applicable, just wait in the lounge until closer to departure time. Gate closing times are indicated on your boarding pass and are 10 or 20 min before departure, depending on the flight. Keep your boarding pass in hand as you walk down the jetway, as the FA will recheck it when you board. Another note, a significant number of flights board/deplane via stairs with buses from/to the terminal.
[edit] Carry-on Space
The Brits still seem to be checking bags, despite the recent lifting of most of the carry-on restrictions in the UK (with the notable exception of LGW until March 31, 2008). As a result, there is often plenty of space in the overhead bins, even on full flights. So, waiting in the lounge and boarding later might make sense, even with a rollaboard.
[edit] Exit Row Seating
A big difference vs. AA: Nothing can be stored under the seat in front of you in the exit rows during take-off and landing.
[edit] Meals
Yes, BA still serves meals in Y, even my 40 min MAN-LON legs! Full hot breakfast on early morning domestic flights had scrambled eggs, sausage, back bacon, mushrooms, tomato, a fruit salad, and OJ, plus coffee/tea service. Afternoon flights have a snack consisting of a cold sandwich (half turkey, half chicken salad), a wedge of cheese, crackers, shortbread cookies, and complimentary drink service. But the shorter European flights only provide food in Y at breakfast time.
