BA Oneworld status question

[UnderneathTheRadar]

Hi all,

I had an unexpected experience at MEL the other week checking in for QF387 to LHR (operated by BA). I'm a QF silver FF (one world ruby) and so stood in the WT+ queue for check-in (but only flying economy).

The check-in guy told me that it was BA policy not to allow QF FF or Qantas Club members to use the preferential queues and that I should be in the normal economy queue. He wasn't interested that I'd booked a QF flight with Qantas direct.

This doesn't tally with what QF's literature says - that one world ruby FFs can use preferential queues for all one world flights. The only limitations they have is the extra baggage allowance or FF upgrades are only allowed on QF operated flights.

Anyone know for sure what the situation is? If he's right then QF need to change their literature and I'll change my travelling habits......

Cheers

UTR.

[MarkD]

should print this out mate - you should have been in the Club Class queue by the looks of things, not WT+ even!

from oneworld.com

Qantas Frequent Flyer Silver

Silver is equivalent to oneworld Ruby

Qantas Silver Frequent Flyers have Ruby status when flying with oneworld member airlines on qualifying flights.
When you fly with any of the oneworld alliance carriers, simply show your Qantas Silver Frequent Flyer card with its oneworld Ruby symbol and you'll be treated to many of the privileges you enjoy as a Qantas Silver Frequent Flyer.

Priority check-in.

Your oneworld Ruby status allows you to check in at Business Class counters (where available), regardless of the class you're travelling that day.

Preferred seating.

Each alliance carrier has a policy to allow their most frequent customers to nominate a preferred seat in advance of their flight, and will now also try to honour requests of Qantas Silver Frequent Flyers with oneworld Ruby status wherever possible.

Priority airport standby & waitlisting.

Should you need to be placed on a waitlist or standby for an eligible oneworld flight, the alliance carriers will give you oneworld top-tier priority.

Each oneworld member airline reserves the right to change its frequent flyer program rules, regulations, travel awards and special offers and to end their frequent flyer program in accordance with its relevant frequent flyer program rules.

[Globaliser]

MarkD is absolutely right, including the Club World check-in bit. The best advice is to print out that page from the oneworld website and carry it with you - and show it.

Some BA stations are terrible at recognising oneworld Ruby, because BA has no equivalent tier. I had this repeatedly at several stations in the US when I was QF Silver/OW Ruby.

But I'm surprised to hear that an Australian station is being difficult about it. I'm also surprised that you were actually turfed out of the WT+ queue, as the worst that I've had at any station is short argument (less than 60 seconds) followed by "I'll let you do it this time".

I would urge you to complain to both QF FF and to BA. Specifically identify the station concerned, because I would have thought that the last place that QF want this happening is at a prime Kangaroo route station - they need to make the codeshare work, and it's not going to work if QF FFs booking a QF code get shafted by the operating carrier.

Although you might also want to think about this, anyway: If you're a QF FF, you will get looked after a little better by QF as an operating carrier than by BA, simply because it's your "home airline" in FF terms. This is one of the reasons why I try to stay off BA on the Kangaroo route if I can get on a QF operated flight which suits me. (The other is that I fit better into a QF Y seat than a BA Y seat, but that's another issue altogether.)

[apaddyinuk]

I wouldnt worry about it....When I worked for Aer Lingus I had both a BA agent and a Qantas agent in Sydney tell me that I was not One World staff and was not entitled to staff travel priority!!!!
It seems to me that the Ozzys are not especially keen on Oneworld and are only in there as a result of their agreements with BA!!!

[Globaliser]

apaddyinuk: It seems to me that the Ozzys are not especially keen on Oneworld and are only in there as a result of their agreements with BA!!!Really? I would have said that BA was one of the less enthusiastic members of OW. QF has put an awful lot of effort into its relationship with AA, amongst others, precisely to keep the OW train on the rails.

I understand that both BA and QF hate CX's guts, and vice versa, but that's another story.

[apaddyinuk]

Funny that when it was BA and AA who were the founders of One World...if anyone is trying to make it successful its these two airlines.

[gn4p7]

Best to go Star Alliance, way better service. The fact that qantas is in one world should be warning enough.:D

[Wot No Engines]

Yes, but that means having to use United, which I will never ever ever do again. I will swim the Pacific first !!