[Check in Staff not] Understanding QF/OW Tier Benefits.

[sudoer]

I think you way over simplified the complete response needing to be given.

What about x lounge closes at 1800, y lounge doesn't open for an hour, z lounge doesn't have free alcohol, u lounge is being renovated and half the usual size, t lounge will be full because there are 2x A380s on the stand.

Let's run through how this will actually play out for OP's friend on their recent NRT-MEL flight. QF80 departs at 8:05pm so let's say they are checking in at 5:30pm.

Ma'am here's your boarding pass - now buckle up, here are all the lounges you can access:

QF - This is the lounge we recommend you go to. It has a QF service desk, QF boarding announcements, is right next to the gates QF usually uses, and has no queue for the showers. It is otherwise unremarkable.
CX - Arguably the worst lounge at Nari- actually never mind, this lounge closes in 30 minutes so let's skip this one.
AA - Hidden in a corner and down a set of escalators, this isn't the worst lounge at NRT but also far from the best. Keep track of time because you won't get any boarding calls here, and it's a 15 minute brisk walk to your gate over in the Satellite terminal.
JL (Main) - We've recently renovated this lounge, it's a lot larger now BUT we are currently renovating the showers. There is usually a queue in excess of three hours if you want a shower here. No boarding announcements, allow 20 minutes to get to your gate.
JL (Satellite) - Not as large at the JL Main terminal lounge, but equally packed with the afternoon NRT rush trying to get a shower. No boarding announcements here, but that won't matter because we'll ask you to leave at 7:20pm when we close the lounge.
EK - This lounge is nice, but it doesn't open for another 30 minutes so maybe walk around aimlessly for a while. Oh, you're also looking for the not-immediately-obvious elevator in the main terminal to get here, and it's a 15 minute walk to your gate. No boarding announcements.

Oh, Ma'am I just noticed you're a Platinum member - thanks for your loyalty! In that case let me suggest two more lounges!

JL First (Main) - Newly renovated, this lounge has an amazing food selection - made to order sushi, ramen and a la carte plates of the day. Showers? You're looking at a one hour wait (yes, this is what I was quoted last month)
JL First (Satellite) - No queue for showers, better whiskey than the Main terminal, but no a la carte food and we'll kick you out before your flight boards.

This would add a good three minutes (if not more) to each lounge-eligible pax the check-in agent needs to process, and they'll need to keep track of what time each lounge opens/closes - which for some lounges (EK!) depends on what day of the week it is. Expecting this is nothing short of unreasonable.

Imagine if your ideal check-in agent said "You have access to the Cathay Business lounges". Your next question is likely to be "Where are they?" then perhaps "Does the lounge make boarding announcements, have a shower, providing complimentary Aesop facials and allow me to make noisy handsfree calls to my mates on holiday in Bali?"

Heaven forbid the QF check-in agent accidentally says the CX NRT lounge does have showers (hint: it doesn't) we might never hear the end of it.

 

[sudoer]

Can you provide reference to where OW lists this?

Airport Lounges: oneworld Lounges & Airport Lounge Access

Enjoy airport lounge access at nearly 700 airport lounges worldwide through your oneworld Priority tier. Exceptions may apply.

www.oneworld.com

Indulge yourself before departure in a wider range of airport lounges when you fly First Class or Business Class with any oneworld member airline.

• Customers flying First or Business Class have access to the equivalent class of lounge regardless of their frequent flyer status. First Class passengers may use a Business Class or frequent flyer lounge if a First Class lounge is not available.
• First Class passengers may invite one guest to join them in the lounge. The guest must also be travelling on a flight operated and marketed by a oneworld airline.
• Connecting between oneworld marketed and operated flights:
  • First and Business Class customers connecting on the same day of travel, or before 6am the following day, can access the lounge when travelling between an international long haul (a oneworld international long haul flight is defined as an international flight marketed and operated by any oneworld carrier with a scheduled flight time longer than 5 hours) and an international short haul or domestic flight (and vice-versa).
  • Lounge access will be determined on the international long haul ticketed flight (either First of Business Class) regardless of the ticketed class of travel on the international short haul or domestic flight.
  • You must be prepared to show your boarding pass or itinerary showing travel in First or Business class on the international long haul flight, in order to access the lounge before your international short haul or domestic flight.

 

[mannej]

Airport Lounges: oneworld Lounges & Airport Lounge Access

Enjoy airport lounge access at nearly 700 airport lounges worldwide through your oneworld Priority tier. Exceptions may apply.

www.oneworld.com

That doesn’t answer my question, where does OW state that status benefits (I.e lounge access) applies to each member of a booking?

 

[sudoer]

That doesn’t answer my question, where does OW state that status benefits (I.e lounge access) applies to each member of a booking?

It's not a status benefit. It's a CoS benefit as @verduzzo's family was connecting from J to Y... that's how I read it anyway.

 

[RooFlyer]

This would add a good three minutes (if not more) to each lounge-eligible pax the check-in agent needs to process, and they'll need to keep track of what time each lounge opens/closes - which for some lounges (EK!) depends on what day of the week it is. Expecting this is nothing short of unreasonable.

Agree, so let's do away with the silly examples. Just a list of the list of lounges would make the pax aware of the choices, maybe with 'you need to check opening times'. Now. Would that be so hard, even for contacted staff?

BTW contacted staff aren't necessarily dummies ( not that you said they were). It's Down to how much the contracting airline wants to invest in training, for the benefit of their premium passengers.

 

[mannej]

It's not a status benefit. It's a CoS benefit as @verduzzo's family was connecting from J to Y... that's how I read it anyway.

You are probably right, I was going off what I could see on my phone so missed that bit of information

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Agree, so let's do away with the silly examples. Just a list of the list of lounges would make the pax aware of the choices, maybe with 'you need to check opening times'. Now. Would that be so hard, even for contacted staff?

BTW contacted staff aren't necessarily dummies ( not that you said they were). It's Down to how much the contracting airline wants to invest in training, for the benefit of their premium passengers.

Why would they want to invest anything at all in enabling lounge shopping?
It costs them money everytime we go to a different lounge. What if suddenly everyone wants to try every option?
And obviously no one is going to change their mind about a booking once they get to the checkin counter and discover the agent is not as informed about how they can leverage lounge access rules to their benefit as they might like them to be.
So where is the incentive to risk incurring the extra costs?

 

[sudoer]

Agree, so let's do away with the silly examples. Just a list of the list of lounges would make the pax aware of the choices, maybe with 'you need to check opening times'. Now. Would that be so hard, even for contacted staff?

Yes, because which lounges the pax can access also depends on their FF program and flight number.

QF can access all the lounges I listed
OWS/OWE can access all except EK
EK can access EK/QF only
FJ can access QF when travelling on an FJ marketed QF operated flight
AS can access QF only and can bring their whole immediate family (spouse + any children U21) OR two guests (link)
etc

It's truly a dog's breakfast.

 

[RooFlyer]

It's truly a dog's breakfast

I agree, but the number of possibilities for a pax checking in on a particular flight isn't impossible to cover on a A4 cheat sheet. Like I said, just a matter of how much the airline wants to invest. I think wd'd agree the answer is'not much'.

 

[RichardMEL]

For some people there is a psychology where too many options can be stressful or confusing unless they've asked for it. Specially in a busy airport environment. Vast majority of passengers will be happy to go to whatever the operator designated lounge for the flight is - ie QF lounge at NRT. Some pax then faced with the notion of JL Main or Satellite or AA or CX might actually feel more stress through the airport process of choice. Those interested in such things would likely have already done their research, or use an app like LoungeBuddy or whatever to have an idea. Being given a list of, what, 5 options (QF, AA, CX, JL-m, JL-s) would then face multiple choices... and it's going to be subjective in some cases as to which lounge would be "better" or "worse" to use anyway.

 

[RooFlyer]

For some people there is a psychology where too many options can be stressful or confusing unless they've asked for it. Specially in a busy airport environment.

For some, but maybe not . WoUld "Would you like to know your lounge options" be OK?

We are talking about premium pax here ( status or CoS). The point I'm belabouring here is that they should be granted a smidgen of courtesy to let them know of the things they are entitled to use.

 

[Ade]

For some people there is a psychology where too many options can be stressful or confusing unless they've asked for it. Specially in a busy airport environment.

Can say that this happens to me.

Every time I'm in HKG, I'm confused as to which CX lounge should I go .. should I try the wing, then pier, then bridge? or Should I start small, go to Bridge first, then pier, then wing. Or should I ditch CX and go to the QF lounge?

But if I go to the QF lounge - I wouldn't get the amazing teas served in CX lounge. But if I don't go to the QF lounge, I might miss the brownies they serve.

But that being said, I wouldn't mind to know what options I have as a status/premium passenger and if the agent isn't too busy, a quick recommendation? Maybe I'm asking too much

 

[verduzzo]

It's not a status benefit. It's a CoS benefit as @verduzzo's family was connecting from J to Y... that's how I read it anyway.

Read correctly, @sbor90.
Apologies for the confusion @mannej, I did not mean to imply my status should have allowed extra guests into the lounge.

Just as a reference, has anyone, ever, anywhere, had any success with the particular OW lounge access rule @sbor90 has correctly linked to, above?

 

[mrsterryn]

Every time I'm in HKG, I'm confused as to which CX lounge should I go .. should I try the wing, then pier, then bridge? or Should I start small, go to Bridge first, then pier, then wing. Or should I ditch CX and go to the QF lounge?

But if I go to the QF lounge - I wouldn't get the amazing teas served in CX lounge. But if I don't go to the QF lounge, I might miss the brownies they serve.

I so need to do this lounge crawl !!!!
Ooohhhhh status run to Hong Kong lol

 

[esseeeayeenn]

I so need to do this lounge crawl !!!!
Ooohhhhh status run to Hong Kong lol

Seriously you haven't lived until you have tried the First Wing Lounge.
I still love the champagne bar, even though other lounges do have them (the Moët et Chandon bar in Dubai is another of my favourite haunts).
But the cabana bath suites are unsurpassed.
The name "bath suite" doesn't do justice to them - they are more spacious and luxurious than the name suggests.
And the nicest touch is the magic wardrobe.
On entry, just hang your clothes in the wardrobe and press the button.
Unseen hands will open the secret door from the corridor and whisk your garments away.
By the time you finish your bath they will be returned, freshly pressed.
The dining isn't the best of the first class lounges but in my mind this unique experience more than compensates for it.

 

[mrsterryn]

@esseeeayeenn my rotten husband has been a few times now
*Grumble grumble * actually was there earlier today
Ooops no he hasn't arrived yet lol
His flight will be in a couple of hours
He was in Cathay lounge in London

 

[KevinR]

Actually I had not thought of that - good point!
But from a product and process point of view, pretty shabby... I mean, in some industries, deliberately with holding info from customers is considered naughty...

The OW website lists all the lounges at each airport and allowable access.

Actually I had not thought of that - good point!
But from a product and process point of view, pretty shabby... I mean, in some industries, deliberately with holding info from customers is considered naughty...

I've found the OW website useful in working out what lounge services are available at most airports and what access is allowed

 

[p--and--t]

Just for the record, no check-in agent is ever going to know what I am entitled and my specific requirements on that day at that airport which change markedly.

They don't know what Black Visa Card I hold, my Diners Reward Card, my AMEX rewards, my paid lounge memberships or status with other airlines.

That's why I have down loaded a free copy of LoungeBuddy for iOS which tells me exactly what I am entitled to, where the lounge(s) are located in the airport (terminal number, approx location, before or after security etc), a rating from other travellers pictures from inside the lounge, and all the facilities available either for free or for a fee inside each of those lounges.

I can look at all these details quickly and conveniently before I commence my journey or as I disembark at a transit airport.

Depending on whether I am at my home port, beginning a journey or in transit and the length of time in transit, my priorities for lounge facilities, location and convenience will change dramatically.

I want the check-in agent to quickly and accurately, change my seat allocation to extra legroom if available and applicable, issue the boarding pass, label my bag to the correct destination, tell me the gate number, boarding time and any anticipated delays in a polite and efficient manner.

Edit: In addition, it lists all the available lounges I can buy my way into if there is no suitable freebie available.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Just as a reference, has anyone, ever, anywhere, had any success with the particular OW lounge access rule @sbor90 has correctly linked to, above?

Yes! Every time I have attempted to use it, flying across CX, BA, and AA.

CX is on top of it, even flying separate tickets and separate airlines (welcomed into the CX F lounge arriving QF F and connecting to JL J, separate tickets).

Whether officially, or intentionally, QF seems to have changed their lounge access requirements. The recent email advertising cheap trans-tasman fares said lounge access is ‘based on next onward flight’.

This completely ignores the OW rules. if staff have all been sent some ‘training circular’ with this new interpretation, it means a lot of folk missing out on their true lounge entitlements. Any training session proposed by this thread would be completely useless if QF has decided to take an incorrect view.

 

[RooFlyer]

The OW website lists all the lounges at each airport and allowable access.

We'll it should, but it's hopelessly inaccurate and can't be relied on.

Just for the record, no check-in agent is ever going to know what I am entitled and my specific requirements on that day at that airport which change markedly.

They don't know what Black Visa Card I hold, my Diners Reward Card, my AMEX rewards, my paid lounge memberships or status with other airlines

Cards are irrelevant to check in and the topic at hand. All the check in people should be across, or be able to direct you on, is your lounge entitlement based on your cabin class or status. That's all.