For as long as Ive known the FB program, redemption tickets have always inherited the benefits of the account they were redeemed from. However, in recent months, this seems to either be changing or there is a bug effecting redemptions.
Within the app and website, nothing appears differentbenefits are still displayed, and the redemption accounts status is attached to the passengers name. Free seat selection, similar to what a Platinum or Ultimate account would receive, also seems to work. However, after check-in, the boarding passes no longer reflect any status information. Previously, when I redeemed tickets as a Platinum member, the boarding pass would show Platinum along with my Flying Blue number. This no longer happens, at least not since I've been Ultimate. Strangely, though, Zone 2 SkyPriority boarding still appears on boarding passes for Y redemptions.
While this may seem like a cosmetic issue, Ive encountered real problems as a result. Lounge access, which previously worked flawlessly at outstations, now fails. The same applies to extra baggage allowances.
For example, today, a family memberwho isnt a FB member but was traveling on a ticket I redeemed from an Ultimate accountwas denied the extra baggage allowance at check-in. The ticket included one checked bag, and because the ticket was redeemed from my account, status should have added two more. The app and website both displayed this correctly, and attempting to add extra bags even showed a 0 fee for the first two additional bags. However, the check-in agent claimed the system showed no indication of extra baggage allowance and insisted it had to be paid for. My wife, who was at the airport with them, pointed out that it was a redemption ticket. She tried to explain to the agent how redemption tickets work, and even showed information in the app as proof. The agent resisted for a while, but eventually, a supervisor intervened and waived the fee, selecting business class as the reason.
Has anyone else experienced this issue? Is it specific to redemptions from Ultimate accounts, or is this happening more broadly? Could it be that Ultimate wasn't a status until recently, and due to the change perhaps the system isnt recognizing the benefits properly? Or is this a larger issue?
Either way, this is quite troublesome since benefits, which should be part of the redemption ticketeven as per the app and websiteare being systematically denied at outstations. How does one go about getting this fixed?
Within the app and website, nothing appears differentbenefits are still displayed, and the redemption accounts status is attached to the passengers name. Free seat selection, similar to what a Platinum or Ultimate account would receive, also seems to work. However, after check-in, the boarding passes no longer reflect any status information. Previously, when I redeemed tickets as a Platinum member, the boarding pass would show Platinum along with my Flying Blue number. This no longer happens, at least not since I've been Ultimate. Strangely, though, Zone 2 SkyPriority boarding still appears on boarding passes for Y redemptions.
While this may seem like a cosmetic issue, Ive encountered real problems as a result. Lounge access, which previously worked flawlessly at outstations, now fails. The same applies to extra baggage allowances.
For example, today, a family memberwho isnt a FB member but was traveling on a ticket I redeemed from an Ultimate accountwas denied the extra baggage allowance at check-in. The ticket included one checked bag, and because the ticket was redeemed from my account, status should have added two more. The app and website both displayed this correctly, and attempting to add extra bags even showed a 0 fee for the first two additional bags. However, the check-in agent claimed the system showed no indication of extra baggage allowance and insisted it had to be paid for. My wife, who was at the airport with them, pointed out that it was a redemption ticket. She tried to explain to the agent how redemption tickets work, and even showed information in the app as proof. The agent resisted for a while, but eventually, a supervisor intervened and waived the fee, selecting business class as the reason.
Has anyone else experienced this issue? Is it specific to redemptions from Ultimate accounts, or is this happening more broadly? Could it be that Ultimate wasn't a status until recently, and due to the change perhaps the system isnt recognizing the benefits properly? Or is this a larger issue?
Either way, this is quite troublesome since benefits, which should be part of the redemption ticketeven as per the app and websiteare being systematically denied at outstations. How does one go about getting this fixed?
