Galleries access... NOT quite 'reinstated'?

[medhead]

given the title of the previous thread was very specific to LHR T5 galleries and connecting to/from Australia to BA flights was discussed in detail, I would say this addresses the issue raised.

Now is a flight to Australia (LHR-SYD) also a flight to Asia?

under the new rules if you begin your return flight to Australia from Munich, Amsterdam or Milan... no access to the galleries club before departure.

But there is access in LHR on your transit.


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[Fantic125]

There does seem to be a bit of conflicting information;

From the Qantas site (linked in a post above);

Access to oneworld airline loungesAs an additional benefit, Platinum and Gold Qantas Frequent Flyers (Emerald and Sapphire oneworld[SUP]®[/SUP] members) may also enter the lounges of our oneworld alliance partners[SUP]##[/SUP] when travelling on eligible flights that are marketed[SUP]~~[/SUP] and operated by a oneworld alliance airline. You may also invite one guest. Note that both you and your guest need to be travelling together further that day on an eligible flight that is marketed[SUP]~~[/SUP] and operated by a oneworld alliance airline.[SUP]^[/SUP]

Qantas Club members with Bronze or Silver status are unable to access oneworld alliance airline lounges with the exception of British Airways (Terrace and Executive Club Lounges only) and American Airlines[SUP]®[/SUP] lounges (Admirals Lounges only) which can be accessed as part of our partner airline agreement.

From the OneWorld site;

Enjoy exclusive access to premium airport lounges around the world as an equivalent oneworld Emerald or Sapphire frequent flyer member. Members of oneworld airline frequent flyer programmes with the equivalent of oneworld Emerald or Sapphire status can use any lounge offered by any oneworld airline when departing on any flight marketed or operated by any oneworld member airline, no matter in which cabin class they are flying.

The following exceptions apply:

1. American Airlines and Qantas offer programmes enabling travellers to pay to gain access to their lounges. These programmes are not part of the oneworld agreement, and members of these programmes are not entitled to access lounges under the oneworld agreement.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

given the title of the previous thread was very specific to LHR T5 galleries and connecting to/from Australia to BA flights was discussed in detail, I would say this addresses the issue raised.

Now is a flight to Australia (LHR-SYD) also a flight to Asia?



But there is access in LHR on your transit.


Sent from the Throne (80% chance) using Aust Freq Fly app

I agree we are not denying a lounge while in transit at LHR flying to selected ports in Asia on QF/BA.

I disagree that the previous thread was limited to discussion on Heathrow T5. While that was the title of the thread, there was plenty of discussion on galleries being network wide and that access for those was not included. Any reading of that thread would have been taken to include the broader access issue.

 

[bcworld]

Hold on a second turbo, maybe I am reading this incorrectly, I have gone back and reread the OP just to make sure, but as I see it a QC member arriving into LHR from a QF or BA flight now has access to the Galleries lounge so long as connecting to another BA European flight, correct? So what is the issue?

Arriving from Australia and connecting to ANY BA flight? I do not see what the issue is?

If the issue is that you want access to BA lounges when not arriving on a BA or QF flight then I think that is a bit unreasonable.

Why is it unreasonable? Surely the impression that QF have given is that the current rules have been extended to Galleries? So as they haven't bothered to update their website we can still see the current siutation:

Eligibility and Access to The Qantas Club lounges
In addition to Qantas Club lounges, you can relax in British Airways lounges (Terraces and Executive Club lounges) and American Airlines[SUP]®[/SUP] Admirals Club lounges. For applicable lounge locations please visit www.britishairways.com and www.aa.com.
To access a partner airline lounge, simply present your Qantas Club card or Platinum or Gold Frequent Flyer card at check-in and again with your boarding pass at the lounge reception. You may also invite a guest. Note: both you and your guest must be travelling together and have onward travel that day on a flight marketed and operated by the partner airline whose lounge you wish to visit.[SUP]***[/SUP]
[SUP]***[/SUP] Marketed and operated means a flight operated by the same airline whose flight number appears on your ticket. Includes American Airlines® or British Airways operated flights with a 'QF' flight number on your ticket.

There is no indication that the pre 31-Jan rules applied only to flights connecting from or to specific BA/QF long haul routes. And if that had been the case lounge access would have been impossible at any airport other then LHR (and maybe FRA)...which clearly it wasn't.

So what everyone was expecting is that the statement above would be updated to the effect of British Airways lounges (Galleries Club, Terraces and Executive Club lounges).

I think that's certainly the impression that was given by RedRoo who had also previously mentioned that this would be a worldwide thing.

 

[pagingjoan]

[h=1]Too many of us checking up on this?
Or is QF updating the website?

Site Temporarily Unavailable.[/h] The site is experiencing difficulties at present. We apologise for the delay and will endeavour to restore operations as soon as possible. Try again shortly. Alternatively you can contact us on 13 13 13 within Australia; elsewhere contact your nearest Qantas office.

Thank you for your patience.

 

[tuapekastar]

If this is the ultimate outcome to an attempt to restore access levels to pre-Galleries levels then it has not achieved its objective.

Previously (pre-Galleries in fact, post-Galleries in practice), access was granted for paid QC members to any BA-operated business lounge, anywhere in the world, if departing on a BA flight that day.

Now, there is limited access to BA-operated business lounges, with certain route/lounge restrictions. Less limited than the last few months, but still not reflective of what existed prior.

Also, it is not clear from the link whether this new 'rule' supersedes the previous terraces/executive lounge rule (as per QF site, I cannot find any reference to it on the BA site), or is read 'in addition to'.

Surely two mature adults (looking at you BA and QF) can come to a sensible agreement that is acknowledged, clearly communicated, consistent, and easily understood by both parties and their customers, and reflects a return to what was originally granted and had been the case for years, and what most people here have been agitating about/for.

But perhaps not it seems.

 

[Danger]

So what everyone was expecting is that the statement above would be updated to the effect of British Airways lounges (Galleries Club, Terraces and Executive Club lounges).

I think that's certainly the impression that was given by RedRoo who had also previously mentioned that this would be a worldwide thing.

I agree. Well put.

 

[medhead]

I agree we are not denying a lounge while in transit at LHR flying to selected ports in Asia on QF/BA.

I disagree that the previous thread was limited to discussion on Heathrow T5. While that was the title of the thread, there was plenty of discussion on galleries being network wide and that access for those was not included. Any reading of that thread would have been taken to include the broader access issue.

I'm not trying to impose a limit on the range of the discussion just mentioning the genesis of the thread, the clear subject of the thread and the majority of the early discussion in the thread (say the first 40k posts )

It did range much broader than T5, but that might have been missed and I'm not sure that QF realise it is a network wide issue as the lounges are upgraded, going forward


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[eastwest101]

So we all agreee that as far as LHR T5 goes that its a partial restoration of access but not a complete restoration of the previous QC terms and conditions?

In my opinion it shouldn't matter if you rode into LHR on a donkey backwards for all I care - if you have a valid BA/OW/QF carrier flight departure for that day and paid QP membership then you should be entitled to use that lounge, whatever sign they decide to hang out the front.

 

[UP4014]

I can't understand why it's so hard for QF and BA to get it right.

I guess Willie must be focused on colluding and the resultant fine in Nigeria and Alan must be worried about his Airbus woes. :mrgreen:

Matt

 

[tuapekastar]

So what everyone was expecting is that the statement above would be updated to the effect of British Airways lounges (Galleries Club, Terraces and Executive Club lounges).

Yep, that would be the desired outcome, and as a communication, the simplest. Very succinctly said.

Though I guess if in a few years time BA decided to rename their business lounges again...:shock:

 

[medhead]

Thinking about this some more, if they have removed the previous terraces/executive club access rule the benefits of QC have been reduced and that would trigger the clause allowing a refund of QC membership.


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[pagingjoan]

So what everyone was expecting is that the statement above would be updated to the effect of British Airways lounges (Galleries Club, Terraces and Executive Club lounges).

I think that's certainly the impression that was given by RedRoo who had also previously mentioned that this would be a worldwide thing.

Or, even better:
....British Airways lounges
No qualification?

 

[The Rok]

RedRoo

I think right now RedRoo is going "oh cough, here we go again"

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Or, even better:
....British Airways lounges
No qualification?

except that that wording doesn't rule out third party lounges which might be the BA lounge in a port but are not owned or operated by them.

Sorry but I don't buy that RR did not see how this was a discussion much broader than just Heathrow T5. If there was any doubt clarification could have been sought. That is a fundamental basic of PR. That is what fora such as AFF and FT are such a valuable resource for.

 

[The Rok]

So we all agreee that as far as LHR T5 goes that its a partial restoration of access but not a complete restoration of the previous QC terms and conditions?

In my opinion it shouldn't matter if you rode into LHR on a donkey backwards for all I care - if you have a valid BA/OW/QF carrier flight departure for that day and paid QP membership then you should be entitled to use that lounge, whatever sign they decide to hang out the front.

Again, my understanding of the QC Membership is that it is a completely separate arrangement from One World? Qantas has individual agreements with certain carriers regarding Lounge Access for QC Members that has no bearing, reference or influence from OW.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Again, my understanding of the QC Membership is that it is a completely separate arrangement from One World? Qantas has individual agreements with certain carriers regarding Lounge Access for QC Members that has no bearing, reference or influence from OW.

correct. OW is separate.

 

[eastwest101]

Sorry about that - my bad. But my point about BA or QF flight remains.

Definition of reinstate:

re·in·state

(r

n-st

t

) tr.v. re·in·stat·ed, re·in·stat·ing, re·in·states
1. To bring back into use or existence.
2. To restore to a previous condition or position.

---

re

in·state

ment n.

 

[bcworld]

Sorry but I don't buy that RR did not see how this was a discussion much broader than just Heathrow T5. If there was any doubt clarification could have been sought.

From Red Roo on 12th Dec 2011:

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....rmed-fixed-no-lhr-t5-33938-37.html#post528779

"Yes, this does include worldwide Galleries access."

And as far as I'm aware...that was never contradicted by any later statement from RR before the announcement about the 'good news'?

 

[moa999]

I think RedRoo was somewhat loose in language.
Whilst the QC members had been given access to Galleries lounges, it was certainly not in the T&Cs.

But I think we leave this thread here lest it suffer the same fate as the other one.
Issue raised.
Time for QF/RedRoo to clarify the QF access page,
or for some real world experience from people