Children in QF F Lounge as OWE

[Matt_01]

Maybe for BA flights, but as a general rule kids under 18 years do not count as a guest.

Whilst I agree with your statement, this is mainly in the Domestic lounges. The OP is in international. I believe the OP should get access to the F lounge based on:

Their children are 0-3 so they do not included in the guest count, the criteria on the QF web site make no mention of the number of children so they are not on the count.

As a OWE the OP in able to bring in one guest that is on a OW marketed and operated fight, it doesn't state it must be the same flight.

When you read the OW lounge access criteria from either the OW site or other program members sites they all use the same type of wording. Also the OW website is very specific about what lounges are not included in the program e.g. QR F and J. From experience I was given entry to the QF F lounge when my child was about 3.5 but refused F lounge by JAL as children count as guests after the age of 2.

What I have noticed at both SYD and MEL international, QF seems to be enforcing the criteria a little more than they did 12-18 months ago. I asked a CSM in the lounge if this was the case and I was advised that over the past couple of years there has been a dramatic increase in the number of complaints to do with overcrowding, so it makes sense to tighten up.

From the information provided by the OP, IMO, access should be given and as an OS visitor who wouldn't want to visit QF F if it is within the program and carrier rules. I think it will come down to the CSM, how full the lounge is, and just plain asking nicely..

I would be keen to know the outcome

 

[Matt_01]

As a OWE on a BA flight you should be fine to get into the Qantas F lounge, the child access policy for QF lounge access is infants 0-3 do not count as a guest.

Sorry, my wording may not have been clear. Maybe this is what I actually meant.

QF access criteria - children 0-3 do not count as a guest. BA is part of OW. So here is another attempt.

OP as you would like to gain access to a QF lounge, as stated on the QF website, children 0-3 are not counted as a guest, as you are flying on a BA flight, a OW partner I think your family may be granted access to the QF F lounge as your wife is your guest (subject to available space etc., etc., etc.).

 

[neilmeister]

I was refused access several times to BA lounges as 'OW rules didnt apply', so it always depends.

I think the main problem is that you cant choose OW rules to let your wife in and QF rules to let your children in.

I would definitely try to get in though, the F lounge staff are much nicer to OWE level than the business lounge you may find yourself in the strange situation of being able to get into the F lounge, but not the J.

Please update us with what happened, it is of particular interest to me.

 

[JohnK]

May I ask why you're flying long haul with your 6 month old?

I've noticed a rise in young babies (under 1yo) being flown around the world on long haul which never used to be the case. Personally I wouldn't fly long haul with children until they were at least two.

My daughter has already had one long haul and she is only 4 months old.

She will be flying with my wife and I back to Thailand via SIN next month and then I will go and get them both again in March to come back here via SIN again.

She is also commuting SYD-BNE with her mother because I cannot think of another solution. It is a little stressful on her but the alternative is for me to live in Brisbane or to leave them in Sydney and only see them on weekends. I don't fancy either option.

 

[amaroo]

May I ask why you're flying long haul with your 6 month old?

I've noticed a rise in young babies (under 1yo) being flown around the world on long haul which never used to be the case. Personally I wouldn't fly long haul with children until they were at least two.

Granted I've only got a sample of 2 (kids) - I'd say 6 months was the best time to fly!

 

[ermen]

I was refused access several times to BA lounges as 'OW rules didnt apply', so it always depends.

I think the main problem is that you cant choose OW rules to let your wife in and QF rules to let your children in.

I would definitely try to get in though, the F lounge staff are much nicer to OWE level than the business lounge you may find yourself in the strange situation of being able to get into the F lounge, but not the J.

Please update us with what happened, it is of particular interest to me.

Will report back on the outcome - I am due to fly on 11 Feb.

Im not worried about getting into the J lounge given I am OWE and daughter is OWS... but the problem is the QF J in Syd is not really of standard lol... if it was on the level of Pier J i wouldnt be so hung up on the F

 

[Princess Fiona]

Will report back on the outcome - I am due to fly on 11 Feb.

Im not worried about getting into the J lounge given I am OWE and daughter is OWS... but the problem is the QF J in Syd is not really of standard lol... if it was on the level of Pier J i wouldnt be so hung up on the F

FWIW given the very young age of your kids I don't think you'll have any problems at all.



As an aside, I must admit I feel a bit like amaroo, having been refused access with my kids on multiple occasions to BA Lounges whilst seeing BA Golds swan into the QF F lounge with an entire footy team of their offspring.
(True story : There was a family playing footy outside our suite).

 

[ermen]

FWIW given the very young age of your kids I don't think you'll have any problems at all.



As an aside, I must admit I feel a bit like amaroo, having been refused access with my kids on multiple occasions to BA Lounges whilst seeing BA Golds swan into the QF F lounge with an entire footy team of their offspring.
(True story : There was a family playing footy outside our suite).

Shame that BA are very strict with the children - I havent been to the BA lounge before but do not look forward to that day if I have to visit with children...

I used to be QF WP - but found it easier to maintain BA Gold with my travelling patterns

 

[Flying mermaid]

Shame that BA are very strict with the children - I havent been to the BA lounge before but do not look forward to that day if I have to visit with children.

They are very strict about counting children as guests (which I think is customer driven), but I have never found staff unpleasant to children. Been awhile of course since we have been in their lounges with young children, but we used to visit Europe often with 3 children.

 

[2tall4Y]

Apologies for hijacking the thread, but does anyone have experience with how strictly JAL apply their child policy at their HND and NRT first class lounges?

While the lounge access rules on the JAL website only refer to JMB members, they state:

'Lounge access is subject to availability. When accompanied child is over two years old, a child is counted as one guest.'

 

[amaroo]

Apologies for hijacking the thread, but does anyone have experience with how strictly JAL apply their child policy at their HND and NRT first class lounges?

While the lounge access rules on the JAL website only refer to JMB members, they state:

'Lounge access is subject to availability. When accompanied child is over two years old, a child is counted as one guest.'

Based on our experience a couple of weeks ago - I think you're in for a poor result.

Family of 4 flying JL business class HND-SIN - checkin agent went to the trouble of informing me that I could only guest 1 into the F lounge ... the kids had access to the J lounge only. Invitations issued accordingly, and handed to me with the boarding passes. On approach to the F lounge desk we were given the same message.

This is where knowing the rules comes in handy! We gained access to the F lounge based on the OW rules I pointed out that we were connecting to a BA F flight (SIN-SYD), showed the 4 x F BA boarding passes and the mood completely changed - Sir, welcome to the First Class lounge.

It's a nice lounge ... I posted plenty of photos in my TR. Good luck!

 

[2tall4Y]

Based on our experience a couple of weeks ago - I think you're in for a poor result.

Family of 4 flying JL business class HND-SIN - checkin agent went to the trouble of informing me that I could only guest 1 into the F lounge ... the kids had access to the J lounge only. Invitations issued accordingly, and handed to me with the boarding passes. On approach to the F lounge desk we were given the same message.

This is where knowing the rules comes in handy! We gained access to the F lounge based on the OW rules I pointed out that we were connecting to a BA F flight (SIN-SYD), showed the 4 x F BA boarding passes and the mood completely changed - Sir, welcome to the First Class lounge.

It's a nice lounge ... I posted plenty of photos in my TR. Good luck!

Thank you for the thorough response amaroo - I will adjust my expectations accordingly, as we won't have any onward connections in F to help us out (flying AY out of NRT and QF out of HND, both in J). Will also track down your TR to see what we will be missing out on

 

[ermen]

Based on our experience a couple of weeks ago - I think you're in for a poor result.

Family of 4 flying JL business class HND-SIN - checkin agent went to the trouble of informing me that I could only guest 1 into the F lounge ... the kids had access to the J lounge only. Invitations issued accordingly, and handed to me with the boarding passes. On approach to the F lounge desk we were given the same message.

This is where knowing the rules comes in handy! We gained access to the F lounge based on the OW rules I pointed out that we were connecting to a BA F flight (SIN-SYD), showed the 4 x F BA boarding passes and the mood completely changed - Sir, welcome to the First Class lounge.

It's a nice lounge ... I posted plenty of photos in my TR. Good luck!

Wow - what OWE rule was that? I did not even know that rule existed! I was only aware that you could get access to the F lounge if arriving in F

 

[amaroo]

Wow - what OWE rule was that? I did not even know that rule existed! I was only aware that you could get access to the F lounge if arriving in F

Here is the rule. I posted it on the lounge thread to see if my thinking was correct - it was

• 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 traveling between an international long haul* and an international short haul or domestic flight (and vice-versa). (* 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)
  • 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.

The Q had a few responses in the negative however, the master (serfty) responded in the positive - so did the JL F lounge angels!


http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ge-access-help-desk-59405-23.html#post1558798

 

[ajw373]

My experience is if you are flying Qantas then they will apply the Qantas lounge access rules, in which case the OP's family would be welcome. But flying another carrier they would apply that carriers rules.

I had the situation recently where due to U/S plane in Canberra me, my wife and two kids (aged 1 and 3) missed our QF23 SYD-BKK connection so were rebooked on the EK flight later that day. But when we tried to get access to the Qantas J lounge in Sydney we were denied access as they were applying EK's access rules, which was one guest only and kids count for guests. It wasn't until I pointed out that we were originally booked on QF23 but missed it due to their fault that they reluctantly allowed us in (this time...)

In other words as we were not flying Qantas, the Qantas rules, which would have let our children in didn't apply.

PS Qantas Gold flying Y, wife Qantas silver.

 

[ermen]

My experience is if you are flying Qantas then they will apply the Qantas lounge access rules, in which case the OP's family would be welcome. But flying another carrier they would apply that carriers rules.

I had the situation recently where due to U/S plane in Canberra me, my wife and two kids (aged 1 and 3) missed our QF23 SYD-BKK connection so were rebooked on the EK flight later that day. But when we tried to get access to the Qantas J lounge in Sydney we were denied access as they were applying EK's access rules, which was one guest only and kids count for guests. It wasn't until I pointed out that we were originally booked on QF23 but missed it due to their fault that they reluctantly allowed us in (this time...)

In other words as we were not flying Qantas, the Qantas rules, which would have let our children in didn't apply.

PS Qantas Gold flying Y, wife Qantas silver.

Thanks for your feedback.... my circumstances are similar to yours - so looks like i may not be in a good position (unless of course EK rules are different from OW rules... but prima facie... they are not...)

 

[Pushka]

So amaroo - J on a QF flight MEL - DXB on Qantas; in Dubai transfer to Qatar in Y then Doha to Stockholm in J on Qatar. (WP and SG)

I think Qatar airlines flouts the rules?
(Sorry hijack)

 

[amaroo]

So amaroo - J on a QF flight MEL - DXB on Qantas; in Dubai transfer to Qatar in Y then Doha to Stockholm in J on Qatar. (WP and SG)

I think Qatar airlines flouts the rules?
(Sorry hijack)

How many kids will you be travelling with?

 

[Pushka]

How many kids will you be travelling with?

Mmm, do I count MrP? (zero) so.....

 

[amaroo]

Mmm, do I count MrP? (zero) so.....

Not sure where the confusion is! WP with no kids, and only one guest has the magic flying carpet experience..