[Confirmed Fixed - Maybe Not!] No LHR T5 Galleries access for QP before BA/QF flights

[Coathanger]

Keep in mind that BA does not offer a paid membership program, and their Executive Club members earn no status for the heavily discounted fares. So it is my belief that BA wants to ensure that their BAEC membership is not incented to purchase a Qantas Club membership for the purpose of gaining access to their Galleries Lounge in T5 when choosing to purchase very cheap fares and never earning eough BAEC status for access.

A controversial solution would be to limit Qantas Club membership to Australian and New Zealand residents only (or exclude EU residents) in the same way that the South West Pacific is excluded from the Executive Club.

Alternately a compromise would be to limit the number of free visits per year like Priority Pass (but without the option of subsequent paid visits). Obviously the tracking of visits would be extra work (and therefore cost).

Access to BA lounges are an important but infrequently used benefit (as I only visit Europe every couple of years) so I would rather see this limited than removed.

 

[ajw373]

That is an absolutley terrible response, however I guess we've come to expect that from Qantas.

To try to pin it all on BA is very poor form, especially going as far as stating that "they are powerless".

Only terrible because it isn't what you want to hear. Looks like the response is pretty frank and honest which is good to see.

 

[N860CR]

My personal opinion is that it's very poor form for a company to straight out say "nothing to do with us, not our problem and we can't change it" when it's about a product that they sell and market.

BA & QF have a long standing relationship. In fact, much of QF's international restructure has revolved around BA picking up the slack. If QF wanted to fix this issue I'm 100% sure they could, however it just seems like it's not a priority. That's fine if that's how they want to do it, however to straight out say "it's 100% BA's fault" doesn't sit well with me.

 

[bcworld]

From what I have seen and from my reading of the situation, its not matter of BA asking QF to pay for the access, but a matter of BA standing firm on their desire to not provide a means of access to Galleries Lounges for paid memberships.

If BA are saying 'your QC members can't enter regardless' then the statement made in the response about being 'powerless to the demands of British Airways' doesn't make any sense...what demands?

 

[JohnM]

I don't know the commercial arrangements between airlines for lounge access, and I expect it varies between airline parnerships. I know that as an AA/oneWorld status member I can walk into a Qantas domestic lounge just by showing my boarding pass. Its not swiped or any record taken of my entry so I assume there is no cross charging between the airlines for OneWorld access to lounges.

As a QF/oneWorld Emerald, my BP is always scanned going into an AA lounge. I have been informed by a lounge dragon at LAX that QF is billed for each entry so I assume that is why they always scan BPs.

As for the T5 lounge access for QClub members, I think it's pretty clear from the recent traffic that it's not going to work out as those folk had hoped.

 

[Flashback]

As a QF/oneWorld Emerald, my BP is always scanned going into an AA lounge. I have been informed by a lounge dragon at LAX that QF is billed for each entry so I assume that is why they always scan BPs.

As for the T5 lounge access for QClub members, I think it's pretty clear from the recent traffic that it's not going to work out as those folk had hoped.

I find generally this to be the case for international, but domestically they don't seem to track.

Sent from my HTC Desire using AustFreqFly

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I find generally this to be the case for international, but domestically they don't seem to track.

Sent from my HTC Desire using AustFreqFly

I've always had my boarding pass scanned at AA clubs... and most of the time my card is asked for as well. (sometimes they just accept the status printed on the boarding pass).

 

[NM]

I've always had my boarding pass scanned at AA clubs... and most of the time my card is asked for as well. (sometimes they just accept the status printed on the boarding pass).

Even as an AA member my BP is scanned at Admirals Club lounges. CX also always scan it (and generally stamp it), as do QF international. This could be for a whole range of reasons such as statistics gathering or just knowing where you are in case you fail to board. Just because the BP is scanned does not mean there is charge tracking happening.

 

[NM]

If BA are saying 'your QC members can't enter regardless' then the statement made in the response about being 'powerless to the demands of British Airways' doesn't make any sense...what demands?

The "demand" may be that paid members will not be permitted access due to BA's policy.

 

[moa999]

My personal opinion is that it's very poor form for a company to straight out say "nothing to do with us, not our problem and we can't change it" when it's about a product that they sell and market.

Where did QF or a QF Rep say this.
All I can find are posts from RedRoo stating that they are looking into the issue.
As addressed in a number of posts above this is the only paid access to BA T5 lounges available anywhere in the world, so many here are 'speculating' that the discussions/negotiations/chat between friends with long standing relationship are not that easy/ and maybe not as easy as RedRoo initially appreciated.

If QF wanted to fix this issue I'm 100% sure they could, however it just seems like it's not a priority. That's fine if that's how they want to do it, however to straight out say "it's 100% BA's fault" doesn't sit well with me.

Again I haven't seen a QF Rep say this, and as per above if I was maintaining access to an exclusive VIP club that only my top customers could access, I'm not sure how I'd feel about granting access to the great colonial unwashed who pay a few Aussie pesos for the privilege.

 

[awilcockson]

Where did QF or a QF Rep say this.

Look up a bit ...

Just an FYI updated, I did ask just that of Qantas (IE, for a refund on the balance of membership) and was told a couple of things over 2 emails:

On Refund:

I understand that it is frustrating that British Airways has suddenly enforced this ruling and conveniently suggested that Qantas have changed their access guidelines, when in fact we haven t at any stage.

Generally

Regrettably, the British Airways Galleries lounge in T5, won t allow Qantas Club members to access, even when travelling on a British Airways service.

I regret that we are unable to do anything further on this occasion, as we re completely powerless to the demands of British Airways.

 

[Cardinal]

Things change, but without lifetime gold, reduced access to lounges in Europe is something a lot of us can look forward to. My QP is paid up for another three years, but I'll be seriously looking at other options now for the annual trip to Europe - I need my airport showers. I'll probably look at priority pass.

At least one benefit of not being chained to QP access is avoiding using Heathrow as a hub with its nasty taxes and charges.

Helsinki is fine, but I'm tempted to have a stop over in Amman (although the lay overs would be bad on the way back - particularly given lack of lounge access).

Anyway, thanks AFF, I would have ended mighty upset to have paid extra for the privilege of learning the hard way at T5.

 

[dk4]

Don't put all your eggs in one basket

Things change, but without lifetime gold, reduced access to lounges in Europe is something a lot of us can look forward to.

Even with "Lifetime Gold", there is no guarantee of continued lounge access.

Given their track record of loyalty to customers, I think it's a fair bet, that at some future point, a (not-so) bright-spark Qantas executive will decide to enhance "Lifetime Gold" in some cost-saving manner.

The one thing that Qantas is consistent at telling us, is - just because we value the benefit of a certain product feature today, doesn't mean that it will be around tomorrow!

For goodness sakes, who even knows if "Qantas brand" will even be flying on more than a handful of international routes (& exclusively out of SYD) by the end of the decade, if at all?

 

[The Rok]

I think a lot of people will just have to come to terms with the fact that Lounge Access at LHR T5 is just not going to happen. I cannot see a resolution to this.

I suspect people who complain to Qantas about the value of their life time QC Membership will be pointed in the direction of the Terms & Conditions which basically state that Qantas can do whatever they want and maybe be given a bottle of wine or a F Lounge voucher as a "Go Away"gift.

That is one of the risks of buying a Left-Time Membership to anything I guess.

 

[bcworld]

I think a lot of people will just have to come to terms with the fact that Lounge Access at LHR T5 is just not going to happen.

It would be nice to get an update from Qantas of course.

 

[nicko_mv]

Just to weigh in on this very long conversation....

Used the lounge at T5 in October. No problems. Went to use it a week ago, no go. Interestingly enough, I handed the dragon my QP card and boarding passes, she then indicated that QP has no access anymore to the lounge - flashing me an internal looking document from BA HQ indicating its not valid. What was interesting, was that while I was having this discussion with her, she scanned both our boarding passes after she said we had no access. Now IF Qantas is getting charged for every scanned ticket, I wouldn't be too impressed if the dragon scanned my ticket in order to revenue raise.... but we could speculate over that for days....

Looking forward to an official comment from Red Roo.........

 

[Vinny]

Twelve weeks on after the original posting and still waiting for a resolution to be announced.

 

[JohnM]

I'm afraid there is already a clear resolution: no access for non-status PAX.

 

[docjames]

The lack of update or acknowedgment from QF is pathetic.

 

[mannej]

The lack of update or acknowedgment from QF is pathetic.

Not making excuses but there is every chance Red Roo is still away.