In this post:
What is the issue?
When BA gutted its Executive Club, pushing status out of reach for many previously loyal customers, naturally, people looked around for the best alternatives. Within the oneworld programs, other FF schemes like Finnair and Iberia, can make earning status easier. However, unless you have managed to do a oneworld status match (which was only offered by Royal Jordanian), it presents a conundrum. If you want to credit to your new scheme but use your benefits of BA, how do you do it? After all you have earned those benefits over the last year to use this year, so why shouldn’t you?
Technically, there are two fields that can be entered for loyalty programs, one to credit miles and one that shows status. But many airlines don’t use this properly, including BA.
So what has been happening so far?
Rumour has it on Flyertalk that BA has deliberately decided to stop customers changing their frequent flyer number from April this year. Qatar also makes it pretty difficult, although I managed to do it by phone when it had my Qatar number instead of BA before I flew or checked in.
The simple answer to swapping FF numbers on a booking is that there is no straightforward way to change numbers that is foolproof. What you should be able to do is add your BA number, select your seats, and check in any luggage, then change the number after check-in to the correct frequent flyer scheme you wish to credit to. However, this is not working as it should with BA in two ways.
The first reason this no longer works is that even if you change your crediting loyalty scheme away from British Airways at check-in, it still seems to be crediting most people’s flights to British Airways. Once you have booked with your BA number, it appears to stick even if you change it later, and tier points/Avios will be credited to your BA account. This is probably because they are adding a second FF number and not removing the BA one first.
The second issue is that if you then try to access the First Wing security by showing your BA card after changing the number at check-in, there have been multiple reports of people being turned away and told that they need to have the BA number on the boarding card for it to work. There are also reports of denied lounge access. However, these reports are not consistent. Personally, I think this is completely wrong to deny access. If you have status, you are entitled to access, provided you meet all the rules and can prove your status. Although at least it may ease lounge overcrowding!
The BA T & C says “The member should produce the card or membership number at any time whilst travelling or otherwise utilising any services at the request of British Airways or a service partner. Members should add their membership number to all bookings at time of booking, or prior to arriving at the airport.”
What are the ways around swapping FF scheme numbers on a booking?
Most of the methods do not seem to show a 100% success rate. There is one way around it, which is risky. Once you have flown, you can ask BA to have the tier points/Avios removed. Then you would have to put in a claim with the program you want to credit it to, like when you are missing miles/points. It’s all a bit risky as there have been several instances where people have then tried to claim from their other program and have been denied, as the new FF scheme have said it has already been credited to BA!
If you are trying to change to American Airlines Advantage, then previously, if you had your AA booking number (on a BA codeshare) you could change it via the AA manage my booking. To do this, select “change seats” on BA, and it will give you the AA booking reference number. You should then be able go to AA and add your number.
The Royal Air Maroc website used to offer a workaround around but that disappeared 4 weeks ago. Finnair and Royal Jordanian also no longer work.
The easiest way is to pass into the lounge with your BA number still on the booking, and then ask BA to remove the BA Club number and then add the new FF number. Make sure to say remove or it may not work if they simply add an extra FF number. You can do this by using Live Chat on the BA website (you will need to type “speak to agent”), Twitter, Lounge desk or the gate staff (obviously well before boarding starts).
Obviously, if this is the outbound flight, you will have the same issues in reverse on the way back.
Have you managed to change your frequent flyer number during your journey? Or have you struggled to get this to work? Let us know in the comments below.
15 comments
I’m transitioning to finnair. Not had a problem getting into T5 first wing or emerald lounges globally by showing my BA gold card
Same here. Had no issue at T5 first wing or with getting into the CCR. I just didn’t get group 0 boarding, which is fine as that’s a benefit I’m going to lose anyway.
I’m very proud to have zero new TP credited to my BAC account.
I am going through this at the moment – I flew FCO – DOH – BKK booked with QR on Saturday. At check-in I asked to have my BA number on the booking in order to use lounge access (I am gold with BA, burgundy with QR but switching to them). Once in the lounge I rang QR and the 40 Q points credited within 24 hours.
As BA are DtM now, I changed my FF number at the gate with Qatar. They happily changed it in seconds and the ooonts credited within hours of landing. I did have a short halt at the First Wing Security on a BA flight to ABZ as my boarding card was white instead of gold, but a few checks later I was allowed to proceed.
BA have no right to deny or moan about any of this. It’s all their own doing
I’ve had a few issues doing this, one particularly strict person at first wing insisted on adding my BA number but then I changed it back in F lounge. The other is that as soon as I load a flight into the app – with my AY number in from booking the BA number takes over. Talking to Gold line this seems to be a known thing. I had to get that flight removed from BA post trip and then send the confirmation email saying this to Finnair and then they credited. I had none of these problems when going from AA EXP to BA so it seems very one sided on BA’s side….
I’ve had this issue for the last couple of times I’ve flown with BA and Finnair. Even when I asked to change my FF number at check-in and only had my AY FF appear on my boarding pass, all my Tier points and Avios still went to BA. This is very frustrating as there is nothing you can do after the Tier points are awarded. BA refuses to cancel them or help you resolve this issue in any way.
I have the opposite – using Royal Jordanian to be able to allocate seats and then change back to BA for flight. Seems only way is a live chat or phone call..
It’s the usual veritable BA sh!tshow.
I’ve no problem using lounges and priority security thus far, but points going to BA rather than AY is the real stinker!
This is exactly the problem I’m battling at the moment! Been meaning to ask TLFL readers if anyone else had the same issue – and, surprise, surprise, I’m not the only one…
After all the BA loyalty changes I also decided to change airline. Signed up with Qatar beginning of the year (have just reached Gold). As mentioned in this piece, BA has removed the facility to change loyalty number on their site – which I find pretty hostile towards its customers and makes me feel happy I’ve voted with my feet/money and am now avoiding BA when I can, particularly on long haul.
With existing bookings, at check-in, I’ve asked for the FF number to be changed and this keeps generating a surprising amount of drama with BA check-in agent and statements along the lines of “we can’t do it” or “the system won’t accept your number”. And yes, on a few occasions my BA account been credited despite giving correct Qatar information on check-in and this clearly being stated on the boarding card.
Even after managing to get BA to reverse these incorrect credits (and it reflecting on my account) they keep telling Qatar that credit has been made so prevents correct credit to be given. Infuriating.
Oh, and another thing. Is anyone else finding that, when making a booking directly on ba.com, the site doesn’t accept a Qatar FF number to be input? In the booking flow I keep getting an error message and the only way to proceed is inputting no number at all – and then only once the reservation is confirmed can I add the QR number. Are they REALLY trying to punish people who are members of other OW member airlines??
It just shows how dumb BA is. Or more likely, their £1M a week consultants. I’m GGL and GFL and about to book a return to SYD in July (so massively off-season), and they are still much more expensive than much better airlines. I’m very lucky that I can make a choice, but from now on it is QR or CX all the way for me.
Dear Michele
On a separate note, a massive thank you to you, for a historic posting from Aug 2022, you highlighted and suggested routes to BA elite status using the BA holidays double tier point offer which I absorbed at the time with much interest.
The time was not good then for us to book, but in Nov last year when I knew BA had extended the double tier point offer out to June 2025, once everyone had been aligned with the same collection year end dates, I booked two 5 night long Europe holidays in CE. For us both, we paid in total little over £3000 for both holidays and within seven days of returning last week were both credited with BA silver status – thank you as I would not have known this without your posting.
Secondly, on both trip we both really enjoyed the serenity of the T5B lounge which I had learnt about from another of your posts. Thanks for the clear advice to take the lifts outside Boots to minus 4 and walk back!
Now both silver until 30 April 2027, we both make sure we raise a glass to you everytime we travel. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. Kevin x
So glad it is not just me. In Mid May I booked a flight to Belfast and having checked in for the outbound (on BA number) I then used the Air Maroc technique to change to Iberia and all was well and good. Used my BA Card on App in the F wing and again when returning in Belfast and the points credited to Iberia.
Zoom forward 2 weeks and I tried the same with a trip to Dublin. The Air Maroc option had disappeared so I got Customer Services in the F lounge to alter my FF number. My boarding pass showed Iberia and my boarding group went to 5.
Woa and behold my points didnt appear on Iberia and they declined to add them (although trying to find out the reason is unfathomable) but I noticed that they have been creditted to my BA account.
I called the Gold line and they eventually agreed to reverse them out and they said credit to IB. They also said in future to be able to do this they needed to wipe my BA number from by account and put the Iberia one on so I get no Status perks when at the airport. I pointed out that a One World Emerald Card entitled you to all of the perks what ever (One World) carrier you were flying on. There was a rather shifty mumbled response from the agent. I also pointed out that the BA site didnt let me change my FF number and he admitted the only way NOT to have your BA FF number on the booking is to not log in when you book.
Yes another BA IT sh*t show. Did they really not see this scenario coming and seem to be going out of their way to p**s off customers even more.
lcsneil
Changed from BA to Qatar at Qatar check in, and they automatically changed for the return flight. Tier points credited to Qatar
Urgh, I too have been caught up with this.
I joined Royal Club or RJ and thought myself very clever with my strategy. I would book using my BA Club, use the benefits of that then switch the account to the RJ number.
I have no ethical qualms with this – my current BA Status is a reward for loyalty in the past year, not my current loyalty to BA (which commuting up and down from MAN I have no choice but to maintain).
It hasn’t quite panned out as planned. I would hazard a guess that 50% of flights that I take with BA and change the number to RJ (either via ‘X’ on social media, at the check in desk or in the BA LHR lounge) do not end up crediting. I ALWAYS REQUEST A NEW BP SHOWING THE RJ FF number printed on it as evidence.
It has become almost the default that I have to do a retro claim with RJ who then advise it will take 3 working days to resolve and a week later – nothing. So then, I have to email them again raising the issue and I will have a reply to give them another 7 working days to contact BA. And finally (usually a month or more after the flight) half of the retro claims I actually make will credit.
Honestly, I am at a stage where the hassle is far exceeding the benefits or crediting to RJ.
Just to add to Po’s comments –
I have never received any resistance to BA staff changing the FF number at check in or the lounge.
Actually, quite the contrary with most of them being extremely helpful even encouraging to a degree. The last time I did it in the F lounge the agent replied to my request with ‘absolutely! You need to be strategic these days! Here is your new BP with the RJ number printed on it although obviously use the old BP with your Gold Card number to board with Group 1’.
There is definitely some system/IT glitch though. When the BA staff enter the RJ number manually they have to also select the RJ tier in the system. But the RJ tiers in the BA system do not correspond to the tiers RJ currently has. An example, the default question I am asked by BA staff is ‘is it Club Royal Blue?’ but Club Royal Blue Dows not exist. I have Club Royal Bronze but BA advise this does not show in their system. Which I hypotheticise is leading to the uncredited flights.