AA's Admirals Club 30-day Membership: QF lounge access?

[mannej]

Can anyone confirm no problems with guesting in 2? The site states two guests, so just want to check before my parents use it with my sister. I have the print out in any case.

 

[grussellt]

In BNE I was allowed access for my wife and two guests who weren't travelling (but the nice lady on the desk used a bit of discretion). Two guests should be fine.

 

[robd]

Can anyone confirm no problems with guesting in 2? The site states two guests, so just want to check before my parents use it with my sister. I have the print out in any case.

Used it at Easter in MEL J lounge and also SIN QF lounge for myself and 2 adult children. No problems at all.

 

[mitti]

Has anyone had any experience with JQ flights and the 30 day pass at all? Looking at doing SYD-CNS-TYO-OOL-SYD later this year, with the CNS-TYO-OOL-SYD all in JQ. Hoping some lounge access would be possible!

 

[grussellt]

The terms of use state:
"Must present your membership card (or 30 Day Membership receipt) and boarding pass at check-in counter for same day travel on Qantas operated flight."

If you are travelling SYD-CNS on QF you will be fine in SYD and CNS but otherwise I think you will be out of luck.

 

[mannej]

My mother has been asked to change her QFF number out for her AA number at the QP in PER.

They are adamant this has to occur but they could only use recording purposes as reason, not any other reference. It's not been a good start to the family holiday flying out of PER today. Can only hope it picks up from here.

 

[Kangol]

My mother has been asked to change her QFF number out for her AA number at the QP in PER.

They are adamant this has to occur but they could only use recording purposes as reason, not any other reference. It's not been a good start to the family holiday flying out of PER today. Can only hope it picks up from here.

Change it back then? If not by the lounge staff, then online on the RJ/AB/other OW airline websites? You can always ring up QF.

Actually, I had an issue once where the lounge staff member did not change my number properly and the points got credited to the wrong program. I followed it up with a lot of correspondence with the QF phone staff and the advice was to always check with the phone team with regard to which number is entered. They acknowledged that many of the lounge staff do not have the ability to do the right thing, even if they have the right intentions. You are within your rights to change the FF number when you want prior to boarding.

 

[_TheTraveller_]

Headed to the US with the Mrs in the unfortunate whY SYD-LAX-JFK-LAX-SYD. AC pass looks like a pretty decent deal. It looks like there's access in LAX and JFK? what is the AC equivalent to in terms of QF, QP?

Can you get access to QF J lounges in SYD or is it strictly QP?

 

[Kangol]

Headed to the US with the Mrs in the unfortunate whY SYD-LAX-JFK-LAX-SYD. AC pass looks like a pretty decent deal. It looks like there's access in LAX and JFK? what is the AC equivalent to in terms of QF, QP?

Can you get access to QF J lounges in SYD or is it strictly QP?

Yes, the AA equivalent to the QP is the A/C. However their food offerings aren't quite the same (read: generally not as good). You can ask for drink chits (vouchers - one at a time) which can be used for premium beverages and can go back and ask for another as many times as you wish.

You can't access dom J lounges in Australia - only QP.
For SYD international, it is only int J (ie the "lower" offering - not F)

 

[Coley]

My brother has a current 30 day AC membership and presented the receipt at the BNE International Business Lounge. His onward Qantas flight was to Hong Kong and the CSA at the lounge advised that access to the lounge for AC 30 day members is only for onward Qantas flights to the US.

After some continued "discussion" I believe he was let on due to the CSA's/Qantas's "commitment to American Airlines members" but was advised it would not happen again.

Has anyone had this experience? From the posts in this forum and from over at FT, I thought that access was for all QP or Qantas operated International J lounges as long as you have an onward Qantas flight to any location. How would they explain Domestic QP lounge access when you clearly are not flying to the US?

 

[grussellt]

I suggest your brother contact QF and ask them to explain to BNE lounge staff the rules for access for AC members. Does your brother have the name of the relevant staff member as that may help. I have always found BNE staff very helpful and lounge access hasn't been a problem.

 

[Coley]

Thanks for the reply grussellt, just wanted to make sure I had my facts correct. I'll get him to follow up through QF. Hopefully he doesn't have the same problem at the Hong Kong lounge on the way back.

 

[RooFlyer]

Unfortunately these days you've got to carry with you a copy of any particular scheme's rules and access rights to show the lounge agents what they should know about access rights.

I've taken to capturing an image of all my FF scheme's privileges and putting them handy on my iPad, with a link to the live page if there is wi-fi access available.

 

[grussellt]

Thanks for the reply grussellt, just wanted to make sure I had my facts correct. I'll get him to follow up through QF. Hopefully he doesn't have the same problem at the Hong Kong lounge on the way back.

Interestingly AA has now added the International Business lounges in SYD and MEL as available to AC members (they were missing from the AA list for a long time on the website) but they haven't yet got around to adding BNE and ADL. It's probably worth a call to check HKG in advance, but I don't see why it should be excluded.

 

[ajd]

Tried to get into QP at CBR yesterday and was asked to put my AA number on my booking - I didn't feel like arguing at the time so I just gave up and left.


Sent a message to AA via their online contact form yesterday, and to their credit they got back to me very quickly:

If you present a ticket or boarding pass showing travel on Qantas and your current Admirals Club membership card or 30-Day Membership receipt, you can be admitted to the Qantas lounges. Reciprocally, Qantas Club members may access Admirals Club lounges when they present a boarding pass for travel on American Airlines-operated flights and their Qantas Club membership card.


We apologize that you were asked for your Aadvantage number on your booking for access. Your 30-Day membership receipt and your boarding pass on a Qantas flight should be all that was necessary. Accordingly, we will follow up on this matter and thoroughly review the circumstances with the representative to ensure there is no misunderstanding about what is expected.

Will see what happens at SYD T1 today.

 

[grussellt]

You should have no problems at SYD T1 (as long as you are flying QF) but stand your ground and ask them to have a look at the T and C's online. It might also be worth mentioning the problem you had in Canberra to the SYD lounge staff.

 

[ajd]

You should have no problems at SYD T1 (as long as you are flying QF) but stand your ground and ask them to have a look at the T and C's online.

The T&Cs online, at least that I could find, don't explicitly say anywhere that you don't have to use your AAdvantage number. Will have the email from AA on my phone though to back up my claims.

It might also be worth mentioning the problem you had in Canberra to the SYD lounge staff.

Indeed, will keep that in mind. Hopefully the SYD staff are better than CBR!

 

[serfty]

Qantas Staff continue to confuse the arrangements with Qantas/Emirates with those of Oneworld; and, now Admirals Club Members.

 

[mannej]

Qantas Staff continue to confuse the arrangements with Emirates with those of Oneworld and, now Admirals Club Members.

It is frustrating and can be quite Embarrassing should they choose to hit you up over this.

 

[ajd]

SYD T1 lounge staff didn't bat an eyelid, got in without any trouble. (Am very much enjoying the free WiFi!)