BA interline transfers
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BA interline transfers
Can any one please put me right about problems with BA interline transfers? I regularly have to transfer between BA and Avianca at Madrid.
1. When I buy my ticket from AV in Colombia they now frequently cannot access anything except full Y or J fares for the connecting flights with BA to/from LHR, so I end up having to buy separate e-tickets from each airline. I believe that both BA & AV use Amadeus, so why are interline tickets so difficult?
2. Since I am travelling on unrelated tickets, I understand that BA will be entitled to make me - or the charity for which I work - buy a new ticket if I miss my flight with them because the AV flight is late, and that AV will not have to accept liability for this. Is this correct?
3. AV still allow pax to check luggage right through to LHR, but BA insist that one must reclaim it and check it in again in MAD. A colleague who returned to the UK this week gave the IB transfer desk at MAD her AV baggage number and IB confirmed that they had entered it into BA's system. But when her case did not arrive in MAN BA denied all knowledge of it. They read her a lecture about passengers' duty to ensure that their luggage is not marked for interline transfer to BA, and said that they would arrange for her case to be delivered this once, but never again. If the system still accepts interline baggage transfer to BA, is BA really not required to honour it? Is this part of a strategy to force small carriers like AV to adopt BA's stingy new baggage policy?
BTW the new T4 at MAD is an absolute nightmare. My BA and AV flights actually use adjacent gates at the extreme end of T4S, but getting between them now takes - on good days - at least an hour, walking fast, because one has to go via a great trek half-way down the terminal, immigration, the underground train to T4, baggage claim, customs, check-in, security, emigration, the train back to T4S, and another great trek back to the gate. Not recommended!
1. When I buy my ticket from AV in Colombia they now frequently cannot access anything except full Y or J fares for the connecting flights with BA to/from LHR, so I end up having to buy separate e-tickets from each airline. I believe that both BA & AV use Amadeus, so why are interline tickets so difficult?
2. Since I am travelling on unrelated tickets, I understand that BA will be entitled to make me - or the charity for which I work - buy a new ticket if I miss my flight with them because the AV flight is late, and that AV will not have to accept liability for this. Is this correct?
3. AV still allow pax to check luggage right through to LHR, but BA insist that one must reclaim it and check it in again in MAD. A colleague who returned to the UK this week gave the IB transfer desk at MAD her AV baggage number and IB confirmed that they had entered it into BA's system. But when her case did not arrive in MAN BA denied all knowledge of it. They read her a lecture about passengers' duty to ensure that their luggage is not marked for interline transfer to BA, and said that they would arrange for her case to be delivered this once, but never again. If the system still accepts interline baggage transfer to BA, is BA really not required to honour it? Is this part of a strategy to force small carriers like AV to adopt BA's stingy new baggage policy?
BTW the new T4 at MAD is an absolute nightmare. My BA and AV flights actually use adjacent gates at the extreme end of T4S, but getting between them now takes - on good days - at least an hour, walking fast, because one has to go via a great trek half-way down the terminal, immigration, the underground train to T4, baggage claim, customs, check-in, security, emigration, the train back to T4S, and another great trek back to the gate. Not recommended!
Too mean to buy a long personal title
Originally Posted by elvolador
1. When I buy my ticket from AV in Colombia they now frequently cannot access anything except full Y or J fares for the connecting flights with BA to/from LHR, so I end up having to buy separate e-tickets from each airline. I believe that both BA & AV use Amadeus, so why are interline tickets so difficult?
Originally Posted by elvolador
2. Since I am travelling on unrelated tickets, I understand that BA will be entitled to make me - or the charity for which I work - buy a new ticket if I miss my flight with them because the AV flight is late, and that AV will not have to accept liability for this. Is this correct?
If you have enough clout with BA, though (frequent flyer status), you may be able to rely on their discretion, but they will never guarantee it in advance. To get the guarantee, you must buy a through ticket with the extra expense (that, in part, pays for the guarantee).
Originally Posted by elvolador
3. AV still allow pax to check luggage right through to LHR, but BA insist that one must reclaim it and check it in again in MAD. A colleague who returned to the UK this week gave the IB transfer desk at MAD her AV baggage number and IB confirmed that they had entered it into BA's system. But when her case did not arrive in MAN BA denied all knowledge of it. They read her a lecture about passengers' duty to ensure that their luggage is not marked for interline transfer to BA, and said that they would arrange for her case to be delivered this once, but never again. If the system still accepts interline baggage transfer to BA, is BA really not required to honour it? Is this part of a strategy to force small carriers like AV to adopt BA's stingy new baggage policy?
But if you are travelling on two separate tickets, there has never been a requirement to do this. Airlines used to do it as a matter of discretion. BA's policy was introduced some time ago, and has nothing to do with the new baggage allowances. It's a cost-saving measure because it absolves BA of responsibility for the misconnected baggage when BA hasn't had the extra fare on the through-ticket to pay for such services. But BA is not the only airline that does this; VS and BD are two other airlines that have similar policies. In fact, BD won't even connect baggage to another BD flight if you're on two separate tickets.
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Thanks, Globaliser, for your enlightening but disheartening comments.
It seems that having withdrawn their own service to Colombia, BA has now changed both the fare rules and the baggage rules, and the result is an experience that is either much more expensive or much more unpleasant for pax who have the misfortune to interline with them.
It seems that having withdrawn their own service to Colombia, BA has now changed both the fare rules and the baggage rules, and the result is an experience that is either much more expensive or much more unpleasant for pax who have the misfortune to interline with them.
Too mean to buy a long personal title
Re-reading your post and mine, it looks like I misunderstood the direction of travel that you were asking about for baggage.
As far as AV interlining to BA is concerned, if AV are prepared to through-check the bag then it's a transfer which ought to take place. So I'm not sure why BA should be kicking up a fuss about this at MAN. AFAIK, it's not the passenger's responsibility to prevent AV from through-checking a bag on an itinerary that AV is prepared to through-check it - although I'll be happily corrected if I'm wrong about that.
The only real possibility I can think of that would explain BA's is that BA and AV don't have an interline baggage agreement at all, so that there should be no interlining at all between BA and AV. But in that case, that would apply whether or not you're flying on a through ticket, and has nothing to do with the fact that you're buying two separate tickets.
Having gained access to some more tools to look at the trips, why don't you see if you can fly IB to MAD and then BA to LON? You could even do the MAD-LON sector on an IB code if you book it on a BA-operated service. That way, you'd have access to the full range of IB fares, not just the expensive BA fares that are interline-combinable. That might work out cheaper for you.
Alternatively, if this is practicable for you, it looks like there's a range of US carriers that would connect online via US ports.
As far as AV interlining to BA is concerned, if AV are prepared to through-check the bag then it's a transfer which ought to take place. So I'm not sure why BA should be kicking up a fuss about this at MAN. AFAIK, it's not the passenger's responsibility to prevent AV from through-checking a bag on an itinerary that AV is prepared to through-check it - although I'll be happily corrected if I'm wrong about that.
The only real possibility I can think of that would explain BA's is that BA and AV don't have an interline baggage agreement at all, so that there should be no interlining at all between BA and AV. But in that case, that would apply whether or not you're flying on a through ticket, and has nothing to do with the fact that you're buying two separate tickets.
Having gained access to some more tools to look at the trips, why don't you see if you can fly IB to MAD and then BA to LON? You could even do the MAD-LON sector on an IB code if you book it on a BA-operated service. That way, you'd have access to the full range of IB fares, not just the expensive BA fares that are interline-combinable. That might work out cheaper for you.
Alternatively, if this is practicable for you, it looks like there's a range of US carriers that would connect online via US ports.
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Thanks again, Globaliser.
Exactly. AV were quite happy to through-check my colleague's (single 20kg) bag to MAN. Once it had entered the system could BA really have just left it to rot in MAD? I'm sure BA would be none too happy if bags that they had through-checked were to be abandoned by another carrier in that way! Surely IATA rules aren't meant to leave pax exposed like this?
But they must have some sort of agreement, because when I flew LHR/MAD/BOG 3 weeks ago on my last through paper ticket, BA happily interlined my bags to BOG as usual, and they arrived safely in BOG on my flight.
In the days when they each had an LHR/BOG service, both BA and AV originally allowed economy pax 2 pcs, as on flights to the US. AV ended its service in Oct 2001 - I was on their final flight - and some time after that BA and other members of the European cabal of supposedly competing carriers reduced the economy free allowance to 20kg or 23kg.
According to what AV employees told me, AV was eventually forced to follow suit precisely because the European carriers had threatened to cancel their interlining agreements with AV. That was why I wondered if BA might now be engaging in some sort of bully boy tactics with AV and other small carriers. They must know that AV will lose their remaining pax in GB, France and Germany if they are unable to interline smoothly in MAD.
I have remained faithful to AV because they have treated me generously. I am a Platinum Executive cardholder with them - now there's glory for you! - and have been able to fly club on economy tickets for years. I also get 3 times the economy luggage allowance (60Kg), which I use to bring back Christmas cards printed in Colombia for sale in the UK. This combination of privileges has saved the charity for which I work thousands of pounds. 
I will therefore stick with AV as long as I can. However, I fear that the difficulties of interlining at MAD and the excess baggage charges I will incur under BA's new policy will soon put an end to this. And that will mean BA getting richer at the expense of the street-children with whom I work.
Anyway, thanks again for your help.
As far as AV interlining to BA is concerned, if AV are prepared to through-check the bag then it's a transfer which ought to take place. So I'm not sure why BA should be kicking up a fuss about this at MAN. AFAIK, it's not the passenger's responsibility to prevent AV from through-checking a bag on an itinerary that AV is prepared to through-check it - although I'll be happily corrected if I'm wrong about that.
The only real possibility I can think of that would explain BA's is that BA and AV don't have an interline baggage agreement at all, so that there should be no interlining at all between BA and AV. But in that case, that would apply whether or not you're flying on a through ticket, and has nothing to do with the fact that you're buying two separate tickets.
In the days when they each had an LHR/BOG service, both BA and AV originally allowed economy pax 2 pcs, as on flights to the US. AV ended its service in Oct 2001 - I was on their final flight - and some time after that BA and other members of the European cabal of supposedly competing carriers reduced the economy free allowance to 20kg or 23kg.
According to what AV employees told me, AV was eventually forced to follow suit precisely because the European carriers had threatened to cancel their interlining agreements with AV. That was why I wondered if BA might now be engaging in some sort of bully boy tactics with AV and other small carriers. They must know that AV will lose their remaining pax in GB, France and Germany if they are unable to interline smoothly in MAD.
Having gained access to some more tools to look at the trips, why don't you see if you can fly IB to MAD and then BA to LON?
I will therefore stick with AV as long as I can. However, I fear that the difficulties of interlining at MAD and the excess baggage charges I will incur under BA's new policy will soon put an end to this. And that will mean BA getting richer at the expense of the street-children with whom I work.
Anyway, thanks again for your help.
Paxing All Over The World
elvolador That was a simple and clear example of why 'Free Trade' is usually not. Whilst I am not a conspiracy theorist, I would always take the malign view of corporates ...
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ELVOLADOR---Surgest if you are flying to man that you have a look at continental airlines web site. Same airline all the way with a change of A/c
at newark. Timings and price reasonable
Regards
peakp
at newark. Timings and price reasonable
Regards
peakp
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PAXboy, yes I did read and understand what ELVOLADOR wrote.
I was just looking for a simple solution, and if he joins continentals frequent flyers(which to save me looking it up I think is called ELITE) he would soon be looking at upgrades given the amount of flights he makes.
Regards
peakp
I was just looking for a simple solution, and if he joins continentals frequent flyers(which to save me looking it up I think is called ELITE) he would soon be looking at upgrades given the amount of flights he makes.
Regards
peakp
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As far as AV interlining to BA is concerned, if AV are prepared to through-check the bag then it's a transfer which ought to take place.
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Thanks to both of you, Peakp and Globaliser - all constructive suggestions gratefully received!
MAN is too far from my UK base to be of interest to me, but for my colleague (who only comes over once a year) MAN is more convenient than LHR, so we will consider the possibility of Continental for her next time.
I really want to get to Medellín rather than to Bogotá, and at present I fly LHR/MAD/BOG/MDE which takes about 26 hours, door to door - on a good day! As I mentioned before, since e-tickets were introduced I have not been able to get through tickets for this route. In the light of Globaliser's confirmation of the hazards of flying on separate tickets, it looks as though this route will no longer be viable for me, so I am looking into other options.
So far, it appears that by best bet may be either LHR/MIA or LHR/JFK with BA, and then either MIA/MDE or JFK/MDE with AV. In either case, I would easily be able to attain BA silver. On the other hand, if I flew AA JFK/MIA and then on with Avianca I think that I could reach BA gold, but I don't know if the extra advantages of this would outweigh the additional time and expense this would involve. Any thoughts about this, please?
Changing from AV to another airline for my trans-Atlantic sectors will involve such a major investment for my charity that once l have obtained privileged status with my new carrier I will probably have to be married to it for life. Such as I am, I am the charity's principal human resource, so it is very important that I make the right choice, and I would welcome any further guidance.
MAN is too far from my UK base to be of interest to me, but for my colleague (who only comes over once a year) MAN is more convenient than LHR, so we will consider the possibility of Continental for her next time.
I really want to get to Medellín rather than to Bogotá, and at present I fly LHR/MAD/BOG/MDE which takes about 26 hours, door to door - on a good day! As I mentioned before, since e-tickets were introduced I have not been able to get through tickets for this route. In the light of Globaliser's confirmation of the hazards of flying on separate tickets, it looks as though this route will no longer be viable for me, so I am looking into other options.
So far, it appears that by best bet may be either LHR/MIA or LHR/JFK with BA, and then either MIA/MDE or JFK/MDE with AV. In either case, I would easily be able to attain BA silver. On the other hand, if I flew AA JFK/MIA and then on with Avianca I think that I could reach BA gold, but I don't know if the extra advantages of this would outweigh the additional time and expense this would involve. Any thoughts about this, please?
Changing from AV to another airline for my trans-Atlantic sectors will involve such a major investment for my charity that once l have obtained privileged status with my new carrier I will probably have to be married to it for life. Such as I am, I am the charity's principal human resource, so it is very important that I make the right choice, and I would welcome any further guidance.
Too mean to buy a long personal title
Originally Posted by elvolador
So far, it appears that by best bet may be either LHR/MIA or LHR/JFK with BA, and then either MIA/MDE or JFK/MDE with AV. In either case, I would easily be able to attain BA silver. On the other hand, if I flew AA JFK/MIA and then on with Avianca I think that I could reach BA gold, but I don't know if the extra advantages of this would outweigh the additional time and expense this would involve. Any thoughts about this, please?
However, if you think you could get to BA Gold, you should get a raft of benefits that are very useful when flying BA, which has a reputation for looking after its Golds very well. Much will depend on costs, and the extra time needed for each trip, and how often you do it, etc.
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Elvolador--Iberia as far as I am aware, code share on the lhr-mde flight with avianca,might not help with your air miles, but should improve the baggage situation, as technically you would be flying with the same airline for the whole journey.
Regards
peakp
Regards
peakp
