Guesting strangers into the lounge

[Mattg]

I was wondering - has anyone invited a random person/people from the airport terminal into the lounge as their guest?

I often wonder if I should do this as I head to the lounge with an unclaimed guest spot. Sometimes I will guest in friends/family/travelling companions. I also usually post my flight details on the AFF lounge meetups forum, and over the past few years have guested numerous AFF members into various lounges.

But often I find that I'm using the lounge on my own and feel that the guest spot is going to waste. I have been tempted to offer it to a random stranger in the terminal that I happen to pass on the way to the lounge. But I'm not really sure who you would offer it to, or how to approach them.

Does anyone have any experience here? Is the gesture appreciated?

 

[moa999]

I have guested people I got talking to in the checkin queue before, but it was more as a result of a conversation rather than a direct offer.

 

[Ausbt]

I like the idea but it usually doesn't work out that well. Last time for me was CBR. Whole bunch of PAX at the gate and a delay of 1.5 hours was announced due to a plane 'going tech'. No drama - I'll head back to the lounge. Noticed a man and his elderly mother approach the gate staff for a chat, so I paused. Thought to myself "I should invite these two up, I'm sure they would appreciate waiting in comfort with a cup of tea". So proceeded to do that and the guy just looks at me and says "No" as flatly as possible with a stare like I'm some sort of freak. Ok, fine then. But on reflection, I realised they were likely to be stressed out about making a connnecting flight or missing an appointment. I had all the time in the world that day myself, so no drama.

This was the VA lounge, and I was actually paged to the desk after a while and invited onto another flight. Stupidly, I said no someone else can have that spot I'm in no rush. Yep, well my techo ATR-7 did not come good for a long while that day. Geeze I've logged a lot of time in CBR's VA lounge, hell I've run all-day meetings there on a couple of occassions actually. As an aside, they have the best staff of any VA lounge I've been to.

Once at MEL, I was checking into the Lounge when a mother and daughter were 'negotiating' for access, rather unsuccessfully. I turned to the lounge-bouncer and said "I"ll sign them in". Copped the stare-of-death from the dragon over that little effort.

 

[smckay]

Every time I have tried to pick a random at the airport I get a no. First you have to find someone on the same flight as you, then you need to assess whether they are worthy or may be prone to trouble.

I even thought about asking the check out folks at duty free last time I was in Auckland if anyone had been through in the last few minutes, but the image of "STALKER" flashed through my mind so I slunk off alone....

 

[Dr Ralph]

Tried it once and got turned down. Never bothered again.

 

[juddles]

NO NO NO! That guest spot is not "going to waste"!!

Unless you actually know the person, or at least have chatted to them long enough to know something about them, I really feel that guesting strangers is a bad idea.

And call me selfish or whatever, but it takes me a lot of cold hard cash, and millions of km flown, to earn and keep my status. And that my lounge experience would involve sharing that with people you just plucked out of the terminal at random?? Not happy :/

 

[esseeeayeenn]

I suspect to the invitee as unsolicited invitation would appear as if you were asking them to have a coffee or a drink with you.

 

[harvyk]

I've tried a couple of times, but it took me asking a good 5 or 6 people first before I got a yes.
So many people thought it was either some sort of scam or I was hitting on them (neither being true).

Since then I don't bother, it's not worth my time or effort which could be better spent getting a drink.

 

[Hvr]

<snip>

Once at MEL, I was checking into the Lounge when a mother and daughter were 'negotiating' for access, rather unsuccessfully. I turned to the lounge-bouncer and said "I"ll sign them in". Copped the stare-of-death from the dragon over that little effort.

You've come into a situation part way through without knowing what has previously occurred and basically undermined the efforts of the lounge entry staff to preserve the facilities for legitimate entrants.

I have guested people into lounges before but will never guest in someone who asks (AFF pre-booking excepted) especially if they are hanging around the door.

 

[opusman]

I tend to think the average punter has no idea what this "lounge" is of which you speak; they probably just think you're trying to scam them somehow.

 

[mannej]

It's a pity people are so skeptical to this - it's really a form of paying it forward isn't it?

 

[opusman]

It's a pity people are so skeptical to this - it's really a form of paying it forward isn't it?

"Paying it forward" only works in trashy feel good American movies, in the real world people just think you're slightly odd.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

in the real world people just think you're slightly odd.

And the serious AFFer isn't a bit odd? Can I enlist your services to explain that to Cruiserette? She has met a bunch of AFFers at MEL social functions - she is convinced they are ALL odd!

 

[opusman]

And the serious AFFer isn't a bit odd?

I definitely never said that

 

[pmdg7444]

Personally I would if during the course of conversation the topic surfaced. But wouldnt just pluck someone out of the blue,...

 

[njba]

I frequently think it would be very nice if some kind stranger took pity on me and invited me in as their guest.

We need a system of winks. Or maybe a badge.

 

[awkwardpaws]

being mainly a whY traveller, would love it when in a situation that no AFF lounge meetup could be worked out, that someone come up to me and say "hey, would you like to come into the QF F lounge with me?"

but I understand that some would view this situation as being asked for a coffee or a drink at a bar..

 

[Denali]

We need a system of winks. Or maybe a badge.

Or a thread that's titled, Im in the lounge or Lounge Meet ups... oh wait

No, I haven't offered to guest someone in. I feel guilty but I try not to make eye contact with strangers, it invites conversation that Im faking interest in

 

[clazman]

as others have said, have tried many times and always a no, so stopped trying

 

[gaz0303]

Travelling to ARM, often other people I know are on the flight. Ill detour by the boarding gate and see if there is somebody I know to guest in (and dressed accordingly). Ive once guested in a random mum and baby and used the line "hope someone would do the same for my wife". Once through the entry we departed ways.