pbh220

Hi All,
First time using BA, rarely fly AA-mostly UA customer. Anything I need to know about BA that is problematic or weird? Specifically:
--BA outbound to MAD; AA returning: if my passport/Global Entry is registered on AA site, is that sufficient? If not, is it easy to get those docs onto the BA site after purchasing ticket?
--Business baggage allowance: UA is very lenient w/bz class carry-on, not so sure about AA & BA. My carryon is usually bulging, will I get dinged for AA allowances? BA & AA sites are pretty vague about the carry on for Bz flights.
--AA MAD-Phiiladelplhis-SFO: layover in Philadelphia: is an 1 hour 30" enough?
-Is Executive Club better than just the generic BA frequent flyer?

Any other stuff I should be aware of that might be a nasty surprise?


Thank you!

timlewis808

I'm sure other people might have more definitive answers but

BA usually require you to enter passport information on their website before the flight - usually get pinged an email a week or so before but you can just go and add Advanced Passenger Information on their website. Is your flight actually BA or just an AA codeshare with BA - BA don't fly direct from the US to Madrid but would go via Heathrow.
Never really seen BA care much about Carry On. AA care a bit more but if you are going Business they won't care if it's just over-filled.

"AA MAD-Phiiladelplhis-SFO: layover in Philadelphia: is an 1 hour 30" enough?" - sounds a bit tight though if you have Global Entry that'll make it easier.

Executive Club is BA's frequent flyer scheme. Personally if you are flying Business on all the flights I would record them all in BA's executive club scheme - compared to AA's scheme I think BA's gives more weight to business travel and the trip will get you close to status.

mikeyfly

BA are not at all vague about carry on. Its gives you the number of bags, exact dims and maximum weight. And they’re generous.

zebranz

Nothing nasty but expect to have BA counter call you to scan your passport even if in the system.
Expect BA's IT not to be correct or updated (they have many IT issues).
Nothing difficult and "width challenged" (PC) carry should not be a problem in biz.
1 1/2 should be fine in PHL with no wait for luggage and GE.

lhrsfo

As a regular UA and BA biz class flyer I would add to the above as follows:
- BA is accommodating on carry on baggage but not as much as UA.
- BA’s onboard offering is streets ahead of UA’s, especially the food.
- But BA’s seats are a mixed bag. They are only half way through an upgrade to Polaris style seating. The old seats are weird and worn out with terrible IFE.
- And BA will charge (a lot) extra for advance seat selection.
- Operationally, BA is neither reliable nor easy to deal with when things go wrong. Its IT is terrible and agents show none of the flexibility that UA offers.
- Onboard, I find BA to offer a nicer overall package with friendlier staff.

guv1976

If the OP anticipates more AA Business/First Class flights between now and the end of next March, and he wants to achieve oneworld status, he should either:

1. Book the AA return flights as BA codeshares so that he attains the requisite four BA "qualifying" flights needed before one can achieve higher level status with BAEC; or

2. Credit all four flights to Iberia Plus, which does not require any qualifying flights for status.

Crediting to BA would get one a little closer to oneworld Sapphire than crediting to IB would, but you cannot achieve oneworld Sapphire through BA without those four qualifying flights.

For a U.S.-based traveler, I consider AA miles more valuable than Avios, but oneworld Sapphire achieved through a foreign FFP like BA or IB would give the traveler lounge access when traveling on AA or AS domestically.

guv1976

Here's an even better idea for the OP:

Since he is a U.S. resident with elite status in the UA Mileage Plus FFP, he has until May 7 to apply for a free, status match with BAEC. And if he purchases his SFO-MAD roundtrip with BA codeshares for the return flights on AA, his six-month status match to BAEC Silver will be extended for an additional year!

Details of the status-match offer here:

https://www.britishairways.com/conte...4U4AopCoG5DXRo

FlyerTalk thread discussing the BAEC status-match offer here:

BA Status Match Offer for US/Canada Residents

But time is of the essence here: The OP would need his status match to take effect before he departs for MAD.

pbh220

I am quite forlorn about this trip-...thank you all for your good replies. Just posted a new thread about problems with aa site (this hugely expensive ticket isn't even listed in 'My Trips"):
-- all about aa is very troubling. 2 hr wait for phone (I have no status); chat useless.
--all our passport info is in the AA site: should I also enter it in the BA site? Is scanning into both the AA & the BA app required? Web account not good enough?
--appears the SFO-MAD departure is AA codeshare with BA ("AA operated by BA")

Appreciate all your helpful tips. Sadly, I'm anticipating alot of double-checking of flight details, travel docs etc and being forced to fly-speck everything. 2 hr phone call waits just increase the misery.

Thank you.

corporate-wage-slave

I wouldn't worry too much, hundreds of thousands of BA passengers manage to travel daily - many on trips quite similar to this - with very few problems. But if you are on BA metal you best fill in the API data for your flight on the BA side. BA and AA are on different systems and don't always talk to each other. It's unclear to me with whom you are booked - did you book via AA and ended up with BA flights? Or did you book with BA directly? Presumably your actual flights are SFO-LHR-MAD?

pbh220

Any idea on how I enroll in the BA Executive Club? I already signed up for the basic frequent flyer (was unhappy about all the lack of privacy) but prob worth it for the updates.

pbh220

Interesting. Currently, 2 of 4 flights (2 legs departure; 2 legs return) read "AA operated by BA". The final two legs (return) are straight aa.
All the AA return flights are listed as "AA". Assume that can't be changed now that the ticket is issued. Correct?

guv1976

BA's "basic frequent flyer" program is the BA Executive Club; just as AA's basic frequent-flyer program is AAdvantage, and UA's is Mileage Plus.

guv1976

Correct.

pbh220

Yes I booked everything on the aa site. But then I checked the BA site and discovered the seat charges! ugh. And I am double copying BA related travel info on their site as well as on the AA site.
It's curious to me why neither send "checkin now" emails out. Those are super helpful.
BA departure is : SFO-LHR-MAD. AA Return is MAD-Phil-SFO.
Thank you!

guv1976

If you opt to credit all four of your flights to either BA or IB, you will have low-level (oneworld Ruby) status by the end of your trip. That would get you a free checked bag when flying AA or AS in Coach, and free Main Cabin Extra (extra-leg-room) seats at check-in when flying AA in Coach.