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

[Princess Fiona]

A great result Red Roo Whilst not affecting me directly at the minute I truly appreciate the work that QF has done in updating the QP to reflect the original intention of being able to access QF/AA/BA Business Lounges regardless of the nomenclature used by the Lounge Operators.
Hopefully the changes will quickly filter through to the BA Lounge staff.

 

[sarvowinner]

Your efforts and communications are much appreciated, Red Roo.

 

[scwappy]

Great news, was about to book a flight today from LHR to EDI in December. BMI are cheaper but I think it might be worth paying the extra GBP10 for the ticket to get lounge access at LHR.

 

[Danger]

Hi All,

Really sorry for all the inconvenience that the BA lounge access issue has caused. I would have liked to have been able to update you sooner but we have been working to get a resolution.

So, I can now (very happily) report that access to BA lounges including Galleries, Terraces and Executive Club lounges has been reinstated for Qantas Club members. This will be effective from Tuesday 31 January.

For further details on lounge access visit qantas.com/loungeaccess

Cheers,
Red Roo

Interesting choice of language: "reinstated".

Reports here suggested members were being told that Qantas Club members never received access to Galleries lounges.

Congrats for finally sorting this out. Shame it created such angst and took so long. Note that Terraces and Galleries are both specifically included in the updated web link.

This page hasn't been updated. Under "Access to Partner airline lounges" it still reads "In addition to Qantas Club lounges, you can relax in British Airways lounges (Terraces and Executive Club lounges) . . ." No Galleries there.

While I accept it may take some time to change the website, why would Qantas need to do such if they are simply reinstating a benefit that's been there all along?

 

[reductionist]

Excellent result.

I know of at least 2 people who will immediately go head with QP sign ups due to this. I had been telling them to hold off until now.

 

[bossreggie]

Well done Red Roo.

It didn't affect me but I am never happy to see benefits eroded.

Maybe the MODS need to now re-name this thread to avoid confusion?

Boss


Sent from my iPad using AustFreqFly App

 

[Flashback]

Good result, however hopefully communication will be a little better in the future.

I wonder how many battles people will have with the BA dragons over the coming weeks/months as this is (re)implemented!

I'll carry a printout if need be.

Just having a look at the URL posted by Red Roo though and don't see any mention of the new policy. Hm.

 

[Moopere]

Really happy to see a good and just resolution.

However, this is no way to run a business. Contractual stuff like this doesn't just break one morning when one wakes up to their first coffee. Someone at QF has dropped the ball, hope they are being "counselled" about that.

 

[Flashback]

I'll carry a printout if need be.

Just having a look at the URL posted by Red Roo though and don't see any mention of the new policy. Hm.

Unless said URL, on Jan 31 will be updated to reflect the new policy........

 

[NM]

Maybe the MODS need to now re-name this thread to avoid confusion?

I had added the word "Fixed" to the title to hopefully avoid confusion. Will also add a Mod Note to the first post in the thread.

 

[jojen]

Re: [Confirmed] No LHR T5 Galleries access for QP before BA/QF flights

Thank you Red Roo. Very happy that the desired outcome for all Qantas Club members has been achieved.
Mr jojen and I are looking forward to our 5hr visit in May.

jojen

 

[MEL_Traveller]

red roo... thumbs down that this situation had to occur. thumbs down that there was no resolution at one of the businest times of the year when people might be be more likely to be inconvenienced by this.

however, we were where we were, so please thank your colleagues responsible for taking this forward.

 

[JohnM]

Although this didn't affect me, it's a good result generally and for AFF.

However, I think some of the replies since Red Roo's post are a bit harsh on QF and Red Roo as I suspect the problem lay very squarely with an intransigent BA.

It was bad luck that it hit at a busy time of the year but the (justified) squeals would have occurred whenever it occurred.

There would not have been a lot of point in Red Roo posting every week that QF was still in negotiations with BA. We all knew that.

I reckon that this has caused people in QF to be as equally mad as hell with BA as folks here.

Anyway, good on you Red Roo for the efforts that you, and no doubt many colleagues, put into this .

 

[medhead]

Good result. I still reckon it would have been better to exclude club world from Qantas lounges on a semantic basis. At the least it might have helped the negotiations.

I suppose Club World could still be excluded anyway. :idea:

 

[amaroo]

However, I think some of the replies since Red Roo's post are a bit harsh on QF and Red Roo as I suspect the problem lay very squarely with an intransigent BA.

It was bad luck that it hit at a busy time of the year but the (justified) squeals would have occurred whenever it occurred.

I can see where you are coming from & like yourself the issue had no effect on myself.....however,

A) QP members have not paid membership fees to BA or anyone else other than QF.

B) If it was simply an issue that BA were in breach of their obligation with QF, I suspect the issue would have been rectified in a few days.

C) Customer service is never served well when information is drip fed.

D) Once RR made statements of deadlines or proposed deadlines - leaving the customer to stew is a dead set recipe for a PR disaster.

It's all sorted now - but I can't help have the view that "IT WAS" sorted because of the overwhelming negative view expressed by our fellow AFF members.

 

[Austman]

It should have been fixed within a few days. And fixed with appropriate offers (eg a Qantas Flounge pass) to those affected who complained or posted on this website.

NOT well done Qantas.

 

[Timba-Jet]

A very positive outcome, so thank you Red Roo for the good news.

However they way QF (in general not Red Roo) have handled this whole situation has been poor, with no respect for QC customers affected in this saga.

There was no official communication to explain why access had ceased. Those that blame BA, well the customer has purchased a produce from QF not BA.

Complaints made to QF customer care, tried to make out QC members never had access to Galleries lounge, and QF were never aware BA were granting access (yeah right).

If QF were proactive in looking after there customers, they would of updated the QC T&Cs and made any necessary wheeling n dealing with BA when galleries lounge were launched.

When my OW status no longer gets me lounge access, I look forward to using my QC to enjoy the BA lounges sometime in the future. Let's hope QF have learnt there lesson.

 

[Reggie]

Like others here, this didn't effect me, but I am glad to see it fixed.

Really shows AFF makes a difference

 

[anat0l]

It should have been fixed within a few days. And fixed with appropriate offers (eg a Qantas Flounge pass) to those affected who complained or posted on this website.

NOT well done Qantas.

Geez - where is the 'dislike' button when you need it?

Ungrateful...


Glad this has been sorted out; it did take rather long and was left in the dark, though I agree that

• A weekly post really would've been pointless if it just contained the same information. In effect, it probably would've just fuelled more posts on here of hatred than what we have right now.
• It was a rug pull by BA. QF can't just press things because BA ultimately have to make a decision (even if QF had to coerce them to do so). That means the ball is mostly in BA's court and not QF's. Yes it is a QF product, but if you were QF how would you flog out a resolution from BA in quick smart fashion if BA had no intention of acting quickly (or even willingly) on it? (I know you couldn't care because it matters not to you how QF have to do it, just that they need to do it and that's that - if it involved massacring 100 people then that's what it takes, I don't care, give me my product...)

For those of you who complain about QF's response time and compensation offerings, you don't want to hear stories about BA....



Also, sorry to spoil the party but I'm not convinced that AFF was a significant driving force in this resolution. We raised the issue, but I don't think we had anything to do with driving it to a resolution. We're just better informed than the public; if that stands as a de facto proof that we make things happen, then so be it.......

 

[dfcatch]

Well done Red Roo

Whilst of course we all would have preferred for there never to have been an issue - well done for a good resolution.

Unfortunately sometimes the wheels move more slowly than we would always like.

QF has achieved the right result in the end and should be congratulated for it.

Hopefully this is the end of problems in this regard with BA.