Confirmation of F Lounge Guest/Access Rules for QF FF vs Oneworld status

Status
Not open for further replies.

durbrain

Member
Joined
May 21, 2006
Posts
165
Hi everyone,

Following the never ending thread that was closed for circuitous arguments ("Does WP guest for Qantas F lounge need to be on same flight?" - http://www.australianfrequentflyer....yer-program/does-wp-guest-qantas-f-73290.html), I have finally received written clarification from a QF FF Supervisor.

The email exchange is detailed below:
[TABLE="width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TD][SIZE=+1]Qantas Loyalty SRxx_xx_x: Clarification of access rules to Qantas First Class Lounge[/SIZE][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

[TABLE="class: message, width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 2"][TABLE="width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TD][SIZE=-1]Dear Mr xx_xx,

Thank you for contacting The Qantas Club and Frequent Flyer Service Centre. I've tried calling you over the past week but have been unable to catch you at a good moment to talk.

Further to our brief discussion, you should have received a response from Red Roo on the AFF forums in regards to this. I'm the person who supplied the information for her response, so I can confirm:

As a Platinum member, you have lounge access rights as a QF Platinum Member and as a oneworld Emerald member. When you are travelling on a Qantas Marketed and Operated flight, the more generous oneworld Emerald guest allowance applies to you. If you are travelling on a codeshare with a non oneworld carrier and were accessing the Sydney First lounge, the slightly more restricted Qantas Platinum guest entitlement requiring they be travelling on the same flight would apply.

I apologise for the initial confusion--your query isn't one my team had come across before and we it was a while before we received confirmation that the more generous access rules applied.

I hope this email answers your question and sets your mind at ease.

Yours sincerely,


Yuhan
Supervisor
The Qantas Club and Frequent Flyer Service Centre

qantas.com/frequentflyer

[TABLE="width: 500"]
[TR]
[TH]From[/TH]
[TD]xx_xx_x <[email protected]>[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]To[/TH]
[TD]Qantas Frequent Flyer <[email protected]>[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Date[/TH]
[TD]Tue Mar 08 23:15:51 EST 2016[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Subject[/TH]
[TD]Clarification of access rules to Qantas First Class Lounge[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Body[/TH]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Hello Qantas,

My FF number is xx_xx_xx.

I am wondering whether I could be provided with some written clarification
as to the exact rules of guesting rights when accessing the first class
lounge.

My exact question is:
If I access the Sydney First Class International Lounge as a Qantas
Platinum member flying on a Qantas operated flight, am I able to bring in a
guest from another Oneworld carrier on the basis of the Oneworld
eligibility which states that a OW Emerald member can bring in a guest as
long as they are travelling on a OW marketed and operated flight on the
same day. The QF Platinum rules, however, state that a Platinum member can
only bring in a guest who is travelling on the same flight.

I initially asked this question via Facebook private message. The initial
response I got via chat was that, if flying a Qantas operated flight I am
only considered QF platinum but not OW emerald when accessing the lounge.
However, two weeks later I received a phone call from another agent who
rang me back and stated that he had to clarify the rules with others, but
the consensus they reached was that:

1. If flying on a Qantas operated flight, then I have both QF Platinum and
OW Emerald rights as it is also a OW flight and therefore can bring in a
guest from another OW flight.
2. If flying on a Qantas codeshare flight with a non-OW airline (e.g. China
Airlines with a QF flight number), then I can only utilise my QF Platinum
rights as it is not a OW flight and therefore can only bring in a guest on
the same flight.

That is also my interpretation of the rules. However, there is a discussion
on a large airline forum (Australian frequent flyer) where the majority
disagree with your agent's interpretation. They feel that when a QF member
flies on Qantas operated flights, they are not recognised as OW emerald
members at all (although this is not mentioned explicitly anywhere on the
Qantas or OW websites).

I would appreciate clarification as to who is correct, so that if the
former is true, I can show a written response to lounge agents in case I
wish to use the OW guesting rights but run into resistance at the lounge.

Sorry for the long winded email, but your response would be much
appreciated!

Regards
xx_x

[/SIZE][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]


So - it the answer is "YES, when flying QF metal, a QF WP is both WP and OWE and has the right to bring in a guest on another OW airline". For those of you who wish to utilise this benefit, feel free to refer to the above email or print it out in case you anticipate difficulties at the lounge gate as many (including staff) have struggled with interpretation of the rules as stated on the QF and OW websites.

For the pessimistic naysayers, who insisted I was wrong, you too are entitled to this benefit.
 
Hi everyone,

Following the never ending thread that was closed for circuitous arguments ("Does WP guest for Qantas F lounge need to be on same flight?" - http://www.australianfrequentflyer....yer-program/does-wp-guest-qantas-f-73290.html), I have finally received written clarification from a QF FF Supervisor.

The email exchange is detailed below:
[TABLE="width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TD][SIZE=+1]Qantas Loyalty SRxx_xx_x: Clarification of access rules to Qantas First Class Lounge[/SIZE][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

[TABLE="class: message, width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 2"][TABLE="width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TD][SIZE=-1]Dear Mr xx_xx,

Thank you for contacting The Qantas Club and Frequent Flyer Service Centre. I've tried calling you over the past week but have been unable to catch you at a good moment to talk.

Further to our brief discussion, you should have received a response from Red Roo on the AFF forums in regards to this. I'm the person who supplied the information for her response, so I can confirm:

As a Platinum member, you have lounge access rights as a QF Platinum Member and as a oneworld Emerald member. When you are travelling on a Qantas Marketed and Operated flight, the more generous oneworld Emerald guest allowance applies to you. If you are travelling on a codeshare with a non oneworld carrier and were accessing the Sydney First lounge, the slightly more restricted Qantas Platinum guest entitlement requiring they be travelling on the same flight would apply.

I apologise for the initial confusion--your query isn't one my team had come across before and we it was a while before we received confirmation that the more generous access rules applied.

I hope this email answers your question and sets your mind at ease.

Yours sincerely,


Yuhan
Supervisor
The Qantas Club and Frequent Flyer Service Centre

qantas.com/frequentflyer

[TABLE="width: 500"]
[TR]
[TH]From[/TH]
[TD]xx_xx_x <[email protected]>[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]To[/TH]
[TD]Qantas Frequent Flyer <[email protected]>[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Date[/TH]
[TD]Tue Mar 08 23:15:51 EST 2016[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Subject[/TH]
[TD]Clarification of access rules to Qantas First Class Lounge[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Body[/TH]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Hello Qantas,

My FF number is xx_xx_xx.

I am wondering whether I could be provided with some written clarification
as to the exact rules of guesting rights when accessing the first class
lounge.

My exact question is:
If I access the Sydney First Class International Lounge as a Qantas
Platinum member flying on a Qantas operated flight, am I able to bring in a
guest from another Oneworld carrier on the basis of the Oneworld
eligibility which states that a OW Emerald member can bring in a guest as
long as they are travelling on a OW marketed and operated flight on the
same day. The QF Platinum rules, however, state that a Platinum member can
only bring in a guest who is travelling on the same flight.

I initially asked this question via Facebook private message. The initial
response I got via chat was that, if flying a Qantas operated flight I am
only considered QF platinum but not OW emerald when accessing the lounge.
However, two weeks later I received a phone call from another agent who
rang me back and stated that he had to clarify the rules with others, but
the consensus they reached was that:

1. If flying on a Qantas operated flight, then I have both QF Platinum and
OW Emerald rights as it is also a OW flight and therefore can bring in a
guest from another OW flight.
2. If flying on a Qantas codeshare flight with a non-OW airline (e.g. China
Airlines with a QF flight number), then I can only utilise my QF Platinum
rights as it is not a OW flight and therefore can only bring in a guest on
the same flight.

That is also my interpretation of the rules. However, there is a discussion
on a large airline forum (Australian frequent flyer) where the majority
disagree with your agent's interpretation. They feel that when a QF member
flies on Qantas operated flights, they are not recognised as OW emerald
members at all (although this is not mentioned explicitly anywhere on the
Qantas or OW websites).

I would appreciate clarification as to who is correct, so that if the
former is true, I can show a written response to lounge agents in case I
wish to use the OW guesting rights but run into resistance at the lounge.

Sorry for the long winded email, but your response would be much
appreciated!

Regards
xx_x

[/SIZE][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]


So - it the answer is "YES, when flying QF metal, a QF WP is both WP and OWE and has the right to bring in a guest on another OW airline". For those of you who wish to utilise this benefit, feel free to refer to the above email or print it out in case you anticipate difficulties at the lounge gate as many (including staff) have struggled with interpretation of the rules as stated on the QF and OW websites.

For the pessimistic naysayers, who insisted I was wrong, you too are entitled to this benefit.

Well, I'm glad you got something in writing... it makes the effort worth it.
 
That's excellent news !!
Thank you for sharing it with us.
I have had no trouble guesting someone in on a different flight whilst I was travelling on QF.
Great to have this guest access confirmed.
 
Thanks for your perseverance, I did believe something different. I'm still concerned that most lounge dragons are not trained for that, but I'll keep a copy of that email.
 
Personally I see no need for gloating and see it as borderline acceptable at best.
People were simply expressing what has overwhelmingly been expressed as the policy by Qantas. This has been repeated time and again by numerous people in the Qantas system.
I applaud and thank you for getting the corrected answer.
 
Personally I see no need for gloating and see it as borderline acceptable at best.
People were simply expressing what has overwhelmingly been expressed as the policy by Qantas. This has been repeated time and again by numerous people in the Qantas system.
I applaud and thank you for getting the corrected answer.

Whilst it is good to have the answer in writing (OP), I also thank you for the proactive moderation. I think the gloating could have been seen as a red flag to a bull and could have resulted in some infractions if left to be.

Hopefully the lounge team act in accordance with the information handed to the OP.
 
Well done on the written response. Can't read it properly on the phone.
Now to use that letter to gain access.
 
So as WP the "must be on the same flight" rule seems redundant . As QF is a ow carrier, any other QF (same day) flight is a ow flight for the sake of the above rules ?
 
EXCLUSIVE OFFER - Offer expires: 20 Jan 2025

- Earn up to 200,000 bonus Velocity Points*
- Enjoy unlimited complimentary access to Priority Pass lounges worldwide
- Earn up to 3 Citi reward Points per dollar uncapped

*Terms And Conditions Apply

AFF Supporters can remove this and all advertisements

Now that I can read the letter, it would be useful to know who confirmed the information.
 
I'm wondering who provided that confirmation to Yuhan.

...probably someone who is about to lose their job for causing a blowout in the food and beverage budget for the two F lounges.

But seriously, this is good news and it's good to have it confirmed :)
 
So as WP the "must be on the same flight" rule seems redundant . As QF is a ow carrier, any other QF (same day) flight is a ow flight for the sake of the above rules ?

Nah, you can be on a QF flight that is not OW e.g. QF codeshare with China Airlines (with a QF flight number). So rule is not redundant. This was outlined in the email.
 
Good on you durbrain for getting an official answer. Some the members regulars need to avoid being so emotional.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
...probably someone who is about to lose their job for causing a blowout in the food and beverage budget for the two F lounges.

But seriously, this is good news and it's good to have it confirmed :)

I don't think so. This has been happening IME and others I know for quite some time. It's good to have it confirmed.
 
Good to see a clarification on this - of course final right of entry is going to be decided by the staff on any particular day who have final say.
 
So if I'm a QF WP flying CX metal on a CX flight number, which rules apply?
 
Good to see a clarification on this - of course final right of entry is going to be decided by the staff on any particular day who have final say.

Hence the suggestion to keep a copy of the email on hand in case you run into difficult staff
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Become an AFF member!

Join Australian Frequent Flyer (AFF) for free and unlock insider tips, exclusive deals, and global meetups with 65,000+ frequent flyers.

AFF members can also access our Frequent Flyer Training courses, and upgrade to Fast-track your way to expert traveller status and unlock even more exclusive discounts!

AFF forum abbreviations

Wondering about Y, J or any of the other abbreviations used on our forum?

Check out our guide to common AFF acronyms & abbreviations.

Currently Active Users

Back
Top