Seat allocation and check in for code shares

I'm thinking of going to Chile. If I go to the LAN Chile website one of
the options it offers is LHR/MAD using a LA flight number operated by BA and
then MAD/SCL using a LA flight number operated by IB. Assume for a moment
I book it - which web site do I use to allocate my seats? LA, BA or IB or
a combination? If I can use the LA website to allocate both seats and
given that BA now charge for seat allocation does that mean I'm avoiding the
BA fee?

Then we move on to check in. If I ignore the online option then I'll go to
the BA desk at LHR and (hopefully) they will give me boarding passes for
both flights. If I want to check in online which website do I go to? I
would like to think LA but I'm doubtful.

Anyone know the answers?

"Graham Harrison" wrote in message
...
I'm thinking of going to Chile. If I go to the LAN Chile website one of
the options it offers is LHR/MAD using a LA flight number operated by BA
and then MAD/SCL using a LA flight number operated by IB. Assume for a
moment I book it - which web site do I use to allocate my seats? LA, BA
or IB or a combination? If I can use the LA website to allocate both
seats and given that BA now charge for seat allocation does that mean I'm
avoiding the BA fee?

Then we move on to check in. If I ignore the online option then I'll go
to the BA desk at LHR and (hopefully) they will give me boarding passes
for both flights. If I want to check in online which website do I go to?
I would like to think LA but I'm doubtful.

Anyone know the answers?

If you are ticketted by LAN, then it is via the LAN website that you should
check-in. You should be able to see your flights using the PNR on the BA
Website (and also through CheckMyTrip on Amadeus) but your contract would be
with LAN.

BTW, BA only charge for advance seat allocation. Check-in on their flights
(with a BA flight number) incurs no cost at, or later than, 24 hours before
flight time.
--
JohnT

"JohnT" wrote in message
...

"Graham Harrison" wrote in
message ...
I'm thinking of going to Chile. If I go to the LAN Chile website one of
the options it offers is LHR/MAD using a LA flight number operated by BA
and then MAD/SCL using a LA flight number operated by IB. Assume for a
moment I book it - which web site do I use to allocate my seats? LA, BA
or IB or a combination? If I can use the LA website to allocate both
seats and given that BA now charge for seat allocation does that mean I'm
avoiding the BA fee?

Then we move on to check in. If I ignore the online option then I'll go
to the BA desk at LHR and (hopefully) they will give me boarding passes
for both flights. If I want to check in online which website do I go
to? I would like to think LA but I'm doubtful.

Anyone know the answers?

If you are ticketted by LAN, then it is via the LAN website that you
should check-in. You should be able to see your flights using the PNR on
the BA Website (and also through CheckMyTrip on Amadeus) but your contract
would be with LAN.

BTW, BA only charge for advance seat allocation. Check-in on their flights
(with a BA flight number) incurs no cost at, or later than, 24 hours
before flight time.
--
JohnT

I agree that my contract is with LAN if I buy off the LAN website. And,
yes, I expect to be able to see my flights through the LAN website and also
1A check my trip. I'm not so sure about seeing it through the BA website
because even though the flight is operated by BA it is booked using the LA
flight number. If I go to the BA website and enter a locator that contains
only LA flights I would not expect BA to display it to me. Or at least
that was my thought until I learned from someone else that they had
retrieved a wholly KL PNR (no code shares) through BA simply because the
booking had his BA FF card number in it.

And, yes, I agree BA don't charge if I wait to check in but if I want to
allocate in advance via BA on a BA flight I have to pay (I'm not exempt).
So, going via LA to get my seat on BA do I avoid the charge?

Finally, if you think about the airport experience where I will go to BA for
the BA flight even if I have an LA flight number why would I go to LA to
check in online?

"Graham Harrison" wrote in message
...
I'm thinking of going to Chile. If I go to the LAN Chile website one of
the options it offers is LHR/MAD using a LA flight number operated by BA
and then MAD/SCL using a LA flight number operated by IB. Assume for a
moment I book it - which web site do I use to allocate my seats? LA, BA
or IB or a combination? If I can use the LA website to allocate both
seats and given that BA now charge for seat allocation does that mean I'm
avoiding the BA fee?

Then we move on to check in. If I ignore the online option then I'll go
to the BA desk at LHR and (hopefully) they will give me boarding passes
for both flights. If I want to check in online which website do I go to?
I would like to think LA but I'm doubtful.

Anyone know the answers?

Assuming the operating airline allows pre-seat selection/allocation (which
is not automatic in economy class), you should try first through the LAN
website, then the BA/IB on their specific websites (you'd probably have to
ring their reservations office to do it). I don't think BA generally allows
pre-allocation in economy and I just got back from MAD-BCN-MAD on an Iberia
code-share and they didn't allocate seats til check in.

On Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:35:17 -0600, "Jeff Hacker"
wrote:

I don't think BA generally allows
pre-allocation in economy

They do since recently, but only for a charge. This might not work
through the "foreign" airline's systems.

Neil

--
Neil Williams
Put my first name before the at to reply.