American Airlines has suspended codesharing with LEVEL, the low cost transatlantic carrier within IAG, parent of British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus.
Currently American codeshares with LEVEL between Barcelona and Boston, New York JFK, Los Angeles and San Francisco. However that has to be put on ice, because the carrier is transitioning from being operated by Iberia simply as a brand to being its own standalone airline.
Credit: LEVEL
LEVEL has 7 Airbus A330-200 aircraft, in a varietty of configurations. Premium economy is their top cabin, and their planes hold between 275 and 311 total passengers. You’ll pay separately for everything from seat selection, to full-size carry-ons, and to inflight meals.
Credit: LEVEL
As part of the transition, IAG has assigned majority (50.1%) ownership to the Iberia subsidiary, so that it could be ‘Spanish-owned’.
And since it’s moving to its own air operator’s certificate, it’s going to have to go through audits (including safety audits) and it must pass those before American can codeshare with it. Then it’ll operate under IATA code LL rather than Iberia’s IB.
Credit: LEVEL
Here’s the internal detail from American Airlines:
So American Airlines passengers booked on their codeshares with LEVEL in May need to be rebooked. That means they’re getting an upgrade – by not flying LEVEL.
“That means they’re getting an upgrade – by not flying LEVEL.” Well said, Gary.
Similar thing happened to me back in the day when Air Berlin went under. Had booked a codeshare via AA on FCO-BER-JFK, and when they ceased operations, got FCO-JFK, nonstop, on AA. Far better. So, you never know, these things can work out in the end!
It’s not an upgrade if you go from being able to fly on a nonstop flight to having to make a connection.
@Jason — Maybe. Let’s see, Level flew nonstop BCN to BOS, JFK, MIA, SFO, and LAX, depending on the day. So, for example, American Airlines and it’s OneWorld partners fly nonstop on the same route for BCN-JFK on AA and Iberia, so depending on the day, there may be two alternatives available. Also, AA flies BCN-MIA; and, IB flies BCN-BOS. Less luck on SFO/LAX. Or, were you just being a contrarian because it’s fun to do that sometimes.
@1990- no, you’re wrong.
Iberia does NOT fly from BCN to jfk. It’s American. But as the article points out, level still does, though with the IB code. On BCN-Boston, Iberia does not fly it. It’s again, level with the Iberia code.
Basically, when I read this article, I realize that Gary is sloppy again in his reporting and creating a false impression of what’s happening.
American is just pulling its code from Level flights for the month of May. Per the notice in the article, agents can either rebook passengers using the IB code on the same exact flights, or book them on other flights likely requiring a connection.
So people can just book on the same flights in May, but they won’t have the AA code. Who cares?
Sloppy reporting again, Gary
it says that oneworld’s position in the US-BCN market will weaken for 2025
@Jason — So confident! Ah, so, there are indeed alternative nonstops within OneWorld (American operates BCN-JFK, AA67). On IB 2627, not ‘wrong’ so much as ‘nuanced’–they market this flight as ‘plane and crew by Iberia for Level Spain.’ Yet, I see based on aircraft registrations that often the livery (exterior paint of the aircraft) has… Level on it, or Iberian, or does it merely depend on the day? Anyway, no need to defame Gary. He’s doing his best, and his post was just fine, too.
Where’s @OneTrippe and @Mike Hunt? @Jason’s comment: “@1990- no, you’re wrong.” Would be music to their ears! If only @Jason had considered sharing poetry, like @Mike Hunt. Oh well.
@Jason, you are wrong. Level flies JFK-BCN. American does too. Currently seasonal only, from March extended to December.
@shoeguy- I never said Level didn’t fly BCN-jfk. I said they did and continue to do so. Go read it again. I said Iberia doesn’t. Though I a lmk so said that Avery’s flies it with and IB code, and that American also flies it. Go read it again
@Jason — Your main contention or complaint above (your first comment) was “It’s not an upgrade if you go from being able to fly on a nonstop flight to having to make a connection–NOT whether Level vs. Iberia is flying BCN-JFK.
Since American also flies BCN-JFK, separately, AA67, as I said, and as is publicly available information, there *should be* a nonstop alternative for affected passengers (who may have booked the Level/Iberia option, but are no longer covered because of the end of the codeshare).
Feel free to continue your unnecessary, semantic argument with me and others. Some of us do like to ‘engage’ on here. Please call me silly names, too, if you wish–I really enjoy that.
@1990. I could care less. I waste enough time on this website as it is. I’m not going down the rabbit hole of minutia . . . you sir, knock yourself out and “you be you.”
@One Trippe
It’s I couldn’t care less.
Not “I could care less”.
(English teachers and grammarians will say that “could care less” is wrong because it should mean the opposite of “couldn’t care less.” Logically, if you could care less, it means you do care some. But in informal speech people often use “could care less” to mean they don’t care at all.)
I missed an AA flight on the JFK-BCN route and was rebooked on Level and was basically 9 hours on Spirit. My return on AA was so much better that I’d take the connection over an ULCC transatlantic experience. Level might have been my worst inflight experience ever. The only thing even came close was the time I flew NK PHL-LAS.
@One Trippe — Never a ‘waste’–it’s part of the journey!
@Sylvia Sparkles — Perhaps, @One Trippe does care, after all. Aww…
@ Sparkles. Thank you for the formal English lesson for an informal post. I’ve noted and it’s very doubtful that I will do better.
@ 1990. WTH, are you getting lazy? I’m hurt. It took you 15+47 to issue an admonishment, mind you a mild one but nevertheless a rebuke of sorts (have at it Sylvia) . I don’t refute the journey comment. “Happiness is not a destination, it is a journey.” (another one for Sparkles)