Galleries access... NOT quite 'reinstated'?

[haydensydney]

Thank god RedRoo jumped in.

I thought we would have had to call in the bouncers to break you all up

 

[Cardinal]

Interesting developments. They come a little late for me, having already booked flights for May. The uncertainty (or was it certainty) over access to the lounge in T5 had completely altered the paradigm for approaching our trip. I think I can sum up the flow on effects for me of what appears to be still diminished QP access as:

* QANTAS and BA miss out on $5,000 plus worth of flights from my partner and I between them. Yes ok there’s some taxes, levies and a couple of JetStar Asia flights in this figure but you get my drift (at least Heathrow is not getting any of my money);
* as we had no reason to fly via Heathrow we are spending a week in Germany rather than England as a sidetrip – no need for pounds to stimulate the UK economy now; and
* get to try Royal Jordanian for something new.



I

 

[jojen]

jojen, per the BA website - British Airways' Speedbird Club: QF Club members - access to BA Galleries Club lounges
You are flying BA/QF via SIN thru connecting to a BA flight from T5, so you should be ok.


Note due to the wording "thru connecting" I suspect anyone doing a stopover in London prior to going to Europe will be out of luck...

So do the stopover on the way back, as you would still get T3 access then.

Thank you for that moa999. I thought that would be the case but needed someone with more experience than me !!!

I do hope this is resolved a lot faster than previously.

jojen

 

[Kangol]

This is a disgrace. What an outrage!

 

[NM]

It seems to me that BA is really intent on ensuring European-based passengers do not purchase a Qantas Club membership as a way of using their T5 lounges prior to taking BA flights in Europe. They are trying to ensure its only Qantas Club members based outside Europe who can use the lounge.

BA stopped paid lounge memberships several years ago. Some people who wanted access via a paid membership found they could get the same acess by purchasing a Qantas Club membership evern though they lived in the UK. So BA seems to have defined the access rules in a manner to specifically stop this practice, while allowing non-European members to still retain access.

It seems BA rule writers may have managed to trick QF into believing it was fixed without fully disclosing their intentions.

 

[samh004]

It seems to me that BA is really intent on ensuring European-based passengers do not purchase a Qantas Club membership as a way of using their T5 lounges prior to taking BA flights in Europe. They are trying to ensure its only Qantas Club members based outside Europe who can use the lounge.

If that’s true the requirement should be that you show an Australian passport too, to gain access. Surely all ports with a BA lounge are technically international, would solve the problem quite easily. Yes, you could still be a european resident with an Australian passport, but you’d be less likely to fly with it on 'domestic' sectors. It’d weed out the vast majority!

 

[BD1959]

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As I posted elsewhere .....

Stinks.

My last flights UK-Oz were LHR-DFW-BNE-MEL due to limited redemption availability into Oz. Luckily they were J but could have just have easily have been Y+ for one leg (as indeed one of the outbound legs were).

Don't BA/QF realize that not all of their UK/Australian revenue derives from the directest of Kanga routes - and that those that try to be most loyal to the brands will often opt for a slightly offbeat routing (eg via FRA previously) in order to earn/burn against said loyalty?

(again!) Stinks

Regards,

BD
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[Princess Fiona]

If that’s true the requirement should be that you show an Australian passport too, to gain access. Surely all ports with a BA lounge are technically international, would solve the problem quite easily. Yes, you could still be a european resident with an Australian passport, but you’d be less likely to fly with it on 'domestic' sectors. It’d weed out the vast majority!

Could be a bit problematic if you are an Australian Permanent Resident and not a citizen

 

[simongr]

The letter is dated today (9th Feb), and I was turned away, I guess about 2 weeks ago.

The new arrangement only came into place on jan 31 I thought so you actually didn't have access two weeks ago.

 

[samh004]

Could be a bit problematic if you are an Australian Permanent Resident and not a citizen

Hurry up and become a dual citizen then!

There must be another way, perhaps a drivers license, as a European resident isn’t likely to go to all the trouble (yet) of getting an Australian drivers license just to get into a BA lounge

 

[NM]

If that’s true the requirement should be that you show an Australian passport too, to gain access. Surely all ports with a BA lounge are technically international, would solve the problem quite easily. Yes, you could still be a european resident with an Australian passport, but you’d be less likely to fly with it on 'domestic' sectors. It’d weed out the vast majority!

What about a NZ passport?

Or a Singaporean passport?

etc

 

[oz_mark]

What about a NZ passport?

Or a Singaporean passport?

etc

Non - european passport?

Flight on same itinerary?

BA are obviously trying to limit it, so it will be interesting to see the next update to the wording though.

 

[dk4]

If that’s true the requirement should be that you show an Australian passport too, to gain access.

QFF has two ways of trying to weed out pesky interlopers at the moment -

• membership address restrictions (UK addresses refered to BAEC)
• four ~ qualifying flights per year (to earn status)

If BA were upfront with QF, if this is its rationale behind restricting QP access, then maybe Qantas could discuss implementing these same membership restrictions to Qantas Club as it does to Qantas Frequent Fliers?

 

[medhead]

It seems to me that BA is really intent on ensuring European-based passengers do not purchase a Qantas Club membership as a way of using their T5 lounges prior to taking BA flights in Europe. They are trying to ensure its only Qantas Club members based outside Europe who can use the lounge.

I did notice when poking about the BA website that the Australian version says executive club is closed and directs people to QFF. So this would be consistent with live in Australia = QF, live in UK = BA. (even if I think it is a bit of a strange attitude)

 

[Princess Fiona]

Hurry up and become a dual citizen then!

p

I already am

I think one possible solution (which might not be popular) is for QF to limit QP membership to those with an Australian address.
Would still be a few diehards who "reside" at their long lost Uncle Shane's beyond the black stump.
Since BA recently removed the Euro- cheat option for gaining BAEC status, I think like Flashware that this is a ham-fisted attempt to sort out Galleries access and limit it to Aussies and those on the Kangaroo routes.
The collateral damage is the QP members who planned to fly BA during their trip to Europe and transatlantic who in all likelihood will not now fly BA.
They appear to have made a business decision that they can do without those fares.
QF need some fresh negotatiors methinks

 

[anat0l]

I think one possible solution (which might not be popular) is for QF to limit QP membership to those with an Australian address.

Slow down there, Princess What about the Kiwis? (Who, like us, also have to put up with a joining fee for QFF, though it can be worked around)

Since BA recently removed the Euro- cheat option for gaining BAEC status, I think like Flashware that this is a ham-fisted attempt to sort out Galleries access and limit it to Aussies and those on the Kangaroo routes.

More like BA are trying to sound like they've done QF / QP members a huge favour. Yeah, right BA.

The collateral damage is the QP members who planned to fly BA during their trip to Europe and transatlantic who in all likelihood will not now fly BA.

Some will still do it because they have "little choice", especially with MA also in the toilet. They just won't be happy that their QP isn't giving them any benefit (although slightly changed now).

They appear to have made a business decision that they can do without those fares.

Maybe this whole saga on the BA side was somewhat related to IAG / Avios. A poor excuse at best, but then at least a boldfaced "sorry" would've been nice for QP members. From BA, that is.

QF need some fresh negotatiors methinks

Maybe BA could stop pulling rugs for a start...


FWIW most on the BA forums (FT I'm looking at particularly) couldn't care less. I hear that they're on a current worldwide search for the smallest violin they can find....

 

[FrankC]

jojen, per the BA website - British Airways' Speedbird Club: QF Club members - access to BA Galleries Club lounges
You are flying BA/QF via SIN thru connecting to a BA flight from T5, so you should be ok.


Note due to the wording "thru connecting" I suspect anyone doing a stopover in London prior to going to Europe will be out of luck...

So do the stopover on the way back, as you would still get T3 access then.

Any one got a pdf of that page? I can only get a 404 now

 

[anat0l]

Any one got a pdf of that page? I can only get a 404 now

Same here.

Oh great - now BA not only intends to deceive QP members with misguided terms, they intend to obfuscate by removing any available source of the terms!

What did we do to them to deserve this? (Yeah yeah yeah alright there was that thing about 200 odd years ago where 11 ships came to Botany Bay, but come on....)

 

[BD1959]

Methinks, time for reciprical action ....

QC Lounge Person: Sorry, sir, under oneWorld rules you're only allowed access if you're flying Business Class.
BA J pax: But everyone knows that ClubWorld is BA's Business Class by another name.
QC Lounge Person: Sir, if that were true, everyone would know that BA Galleries Lounges are BA Terraces, by another name.





Regards,

BD

 

[simongr]

I don't see why BA shouldn't be allowed to allow access to their lounges as they see fit. CX, MA, IB, RJ, Ay don't allow QP members access to their J lounges.