AA15 JFK to SFO

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Korijekup

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Feb 22, 2020
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Well my 1st post here is a bit "whiney" and maybe precious but here goes.
I have flown several legs in and out of US (mostly Caribbean and the dreaded Miami airport) with AA (business class QF/One World Plat) over the past month and found everything pretty good (for me the AA app is great) but this trip has been a litany of little things.
  • I was offered an upgrade by AA to 1st for USD230 but was warned off by mate because issues with possible loss of Business Status points with Qantas - confirmed by my agent that they had seen this with other clients because the code changes from a QFcode share to an AA. Very hard to recover your points and status!
  • JFK Terminal 8, access to Soho Lounge not Chelsea - not really an issue but I am plat so hey, why not the better lounge. BA high status seem to get access even if riding Business with AA
  • For the record Imo leave the admiralty lounge terminal 8 alone - better to stay in the concourse
  • The plane is Airbus 321-231. I love Airbus. I am 7A business and seat is comfortable but simple things like reaching the USB, or screen controls ( located down by my right hip - press the button, press the button repeat .. ok now I have it) or plugging in the headphones, all required skills of a master contortionist. Oh and no headphones. Not a problem, asked nicely, and wished I had not!
Food adequate ( I left most of it), good bread, great wine ( which probably explains this rant/whine)

Anyway Happy Trails
 
Korijekup said:
Well my 1st post here is a bit "whiney" and maybe precious but here goes.
I have flown several legs in and out of US (mostly Caribbean and the dreaded Miami airport) with AA (business class QF/One World Plat) over the past month and found everything pretty good (for me the AA app is great) but this trip has been a litany of little things.
  • I was offered an upgrade by AA to 1st for USD230 but was warned off by mate because issues with possible loss of Business Status points with Qantas - confirmed by my agent that they had seen this with other clients because the code changes from a QFcode share to an AA. Very hard to recover your points and status!
  • JFK Terminal 8, access to Soho Lounge not Chelsea - not really an issue but I am plat so hey, why not the better lounge. BA high status seem to get access even if riding Business with AA
  • For the record Imo leave the admiralty lounge terminal 8 alone - better to stay in the concourse
  • The plane is Airbus 321-231. I love Airbus. I am 7A business and seat is comfortable but simple things like reaching the USB, or screen controls ( located down by my right hip - press the button, press the button repeat .. ok now I have it) or plugging in the headphones, all required skills of a master contortionist. Oh and no headphones. Not a problem, asked nicely, and wished I had not!
Food adequate ( I left most of it), good bread, great wine ( which probably explains this rant/whine)

Anyway Happy Trails
Click to expand...
Re point 2:

"Access to the Chelsea lounge at New York JFK Terminal 8 is available for customers who are: Flying on a scheduled long haul or Transcontinental flight with British Airways or American Airlines in First. British Airways Gold Members with 65,000 tier points (and 40,000 tier points each year thereafter) and American Airlines Concierge Key members are invited to use the Chelsea lounge when flying on select routes."
 
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hutch said:
Re point 2:

"Access to the Chelsea lounge at New York JFK Terminal 8 is available for customers who are: Flying on a scheduled long haul or Transcontinental flight with British Airways or American Airlines in First. British Airways Gold Members with 65,000 tier points (and 40,000 tier points each year thereafter) and American Airlines Concierge Key members are invited to use the Chelsea lounge when flying on select routes."
Click to expand...
Q: for future reference how does that work with code share? Do you need to book AA or BA direct? Or will QF coded share 1st class work?
If I had taken the AA upgrade offer would I get access?

Just trying to see how the system works. Most travel has been in Asia and I know the rules and planes there. This new!
 
RooFlyer said:
Welcome to AFF @Korijekup . an informative first post especially regarding the change of code in going to 1st. Regulars with AA probably know that but many here would not.
Click to expand...
I was surprised it was even offered!

I wonder if we get an offer on AA16 later in the year? But it’s a QF whY CR! Happy with MCE at the moment but a cheap J or F upgrade would be nice - plus bonus SCs! 😂
 
Is there a reference to the shorthand on this forum? TBH 😁 it is a bit daunting.
I can follow/ work out some but not all
CR ??
MCE ??
LTG = Life Time Gold

And the rest

Thanks
 
First on AAs premium transcon services would have gained you access to the Chelsea Lounge, as well as International, (just not any short haul F)

Note in elite status parlance this would be more equivalent to Qantas Platinum One status (or P1 as used here).

But as it's an additional tier above Sapphire and Emerald there are no oneworld requirements and the airlines can set the rules as they want for these extra lounges (much like QR Al Safwa Lounge, BA Concorde Room).

While the alcohol and food is meant to be very nice, Chelsea is also a relatively small and windowless lounge by reviews I've read.
 
RooFlyer said:
Welcome to AFF @Korijekup . an informative first post especially regarding the change of code in going to 1st. Regulars with AA probably know that but many here would not.
Click to expand...
Here is an update
Response from Qantas on how points and Status Credits are applied in the case of an upgrade.

"I can confirm that Qantas Frequent Flyer points and Status Credits are credited based on the original fare class purchased. In your case, although you will be upgraded to First Class, your original booking was in Business Class, so your points and Status Credits will reflect that fare type."

Obviously does not change the fact that recovering status and points may be "difficult" when booking changes
 

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On a lot of routes that QF flies, with partners also flying that route, on a QFF flight #, you will earn the most.
Even if the plane is an AA plane, if it carries the QF flight #, it will be as if its a QF flight earning the full range of QFF points and QFF SC.
And yes, its a known thing, on QF, you only earn QFF points and QFF SC on the original fare booked and paid, and paid upgrades, or operational upgrades, ie you find you have been upgraded at the gate, you dont earn more QFF points or QFF SC.
If QF also flies the route, ie, Aus to SIN, and then to other parts of Asia, and MH flies them too, under the MH flight #, you will earn much less QFF points and QFF SC, only under 2 subclasses in QFF, flexY even if flying MH J, or discY on flying MH any class of Y.
CR=Classic Reward
CM=Cabin Manager
FA=Flight attendant
MCT=Minimum Connection Time
Yes, LTG=Life Time Gold
There is an acronym decoder somewhere on here, ie, this website.
---
QF website does have a QFF points and QFF SC calculator, if you toggle between the flight provider, ie, the airline flight code, you can see how many QFF points and how many QFF SC is earnt.
Watch for LA(TAM) and EK, who are outside of OW, so you will earn no QFF SC if you book any of the flights under these 2s flight #. even if you had entered your QFF # into the booking.
 
Korijekup said:
"I can confirm that Qantas Frequent Flyer points and Status Credits are credited based on the original fare class purchased. In your case, although you will be upgraded to First Class, your original booking was in Business Class, so your points and Status Credits will reflect that fare type."
Click to expand...
After a couple of hundred AA flights, this can be true.

As for the points, often with an upgrade, you can move to a non earning award fare bucket and points/SC would not automatically post. When that happens a manual claim is required.

However, if this happens (and I have had to do so on the past), reread what is in the screenshot, and you posted:
... original booking was in Business Class, so your points and Status Credits will reflect that fare type
Click to expand...

Personally, ~AUD350 is far more than I'd pay to so upgrade.
 
SYD said:
In the glory days of YUPPS I’d agree but currently, A$350 transcon on AA is a bargain.
Click to expand...
I have experienced First in these transcons.a couple of times.

For me, $350 may be a bargain if from Main Cabin, but not at an incremental cost from Business or even from MCE. The product difference is not that great.
 

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