LHR T5 Galleries access denied for additional child guest

[simongr]

I do think that people have some responsibility to check for themselves - far too often I see comments here about "Why can't I check in at QF when flying BA" or "But QF allowed so BA should". If you aren't travelling a vanilla flight and want to do something that is not covered by the standard T&C you shouldn't assume and should be prepared.

 

[tyrolean]

I would have seen this as a great excuse to lose the MIL...

More seriously though you should have been able to access the J lounge under the new (?) QF policy.

I always book my MIL on a different PNR and hope for an irrop. I nearly managed it on the last flight.

 

[tyrolean]

How many airlines do this? Hardly any. So it's either not that easy, or they don't think it makes good business sense.

Yes, Lufthansa does, but it is not a good solution.

As Sliver Member you get lounge access with no guest. You can buy extra guests and a family pass for still a prohibitive price.
I do not like it, as it has been free in former times.

As Gold you can take your own children under 18.

 

[dfcatch]

1/ Boys - take a breath and play nice.


2/ People - stop quoting the QF Lounge Access Rules. They apply ONLY at QF lounges - the reference to BA is NOT a reference to BA lounges.... It is a reference to BA flights (code) when using QF lounges.


3/ BA would prefer no kids in lounges... Period.


4/ BA don't care a toss about QF pax, and don't care for non status/COS pax.

 

[rechoboam]

I totally agree JohnM
Having gone through the same experience as your friend. The walk of shame down the escalators isn't very pleasant, kids think they have done something wrong "The ladies in Singapore were much nicer Mummy".
The best thing we can do as a community is to make people aware of the differing policies, continue to lobby QF to advocate on our behalf and post away in the meeting threads where travelling alone and able to help out our fellow travelers/ families.

The funny thing is that my little ones are experienced enough already to work out that an airline that does this is really bad and it would scare them off the airline for life. I flew J on ANZ as a little kid - toddler- and the CC were incredibly nice. 40 years on I still have affection for the airline!

 

[amaroo]

More seriously though you should have been able to access the J lounge under the new (?) QF policy.

Yes, we all went to the J lounge as we were all flying J.....my point is that all airlines have rules & all airlines enforce them.

 

[eastwest101]

We can go around in circles on this thread but the end result will be the same. BA will not change their inflexible guest rules to accommodate families. The best way forward is to have the correct information published on the QF website so that families can plan their trips in advance and devise their own workarounds ( which may include avoiding BA and/or QF altogether for those trips to Europe)

Well said Princess Fiona - perhaps as a suggestion QF could build an interactive travelling with kids function into their FF or booking site - where people could simply select their own status and other parent, plus & no. age of kids, flight numbers and class of travel and the site would simply match up which lounges (if any) are available - and even sell once-off lounge passes (yes yes I know BA does not want this). Could even have links to transit airports and what playgrounds/shops or other activities would be suitable for the layovers. Eg Singapore Zoo. Could even raise revenue or attract advertising?

As an interesting side benefit it would also force QF OW partners to be up-front about their lounge access policy.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

hmmm... a good start might be for those without kids to be able to enter in their status and see what lounges they can enter!!

 

[Flying mermaid]

Wow - 11 pages already! When I am travelling to London I tend to hang around in BAEC forums to pick up tips and traps and I have often seen threads like this. Usually started by an executive club member with status who has tried to take a partner and very young child into a BA lounge and been denied. This seems to be a rule which is quite strictly policed at T5, even with their own members. The threads generate a lot of passion, but there are a large no of EC members who really don't want it changed and any extra kids in the lounges.

All my sympathies are with the original family, but unfortunately when travelling you have to be aware of "cultural" differences. You know - dressing modestly when visiting a mosque in Istanbul, tipping large amounts in the USA and England tends to be less family friendly than Australia - just things you have to accept......

 

[medhead]

2/ People - stop quoting the QF Lounge Access Rules. They apply ONLY at QF lounges - the reference to BA is NOT a reference to BA lounges.... It is a reference to BA flights (code) when using QF lounges.

Does it? My recollection of looking yesterday (can't confirm today as the network is down) is that the QF families policy specifically states BA and oneworld lounges. It is not entirely clear on the QF website and I thought with the Oneworld reference it might have come from them. But I can't find a family policy on their website.

As much as I have negative thoughts about QF management, I'm not prepared to think they would just put up random stuff like this about BA lounge access. Hence I'm more inclined to think they have an agreement with BA for families but BA just will not honour it. (I think PF has hit the nail on the head in this regard)


Sent from the Throne

 

[simongr]

The threads generate a lot of passion, but there are a large no of EC members who really don't want it changed and any extra kids in the lounges.

Which is odd as BA are the only airline I have seen that have built Kids rooms in F lounges...

Does it? My recollection of looking yesterday (can't confirm today as the network is down) is that the QF families policy specifically states BA and oneworld lounges. It is not entirely clear on the QF website and I thought with the Oneworld reference it might have come from them. But I can't find a family policy on their website.

As much as I have negative thoughts about QF management, I'm not prepared to think they would just put up random stuff like this about BA lounge access. Hence I'm more inclined to think they have an agreement with BA for families but BA just will not honour it. (I think PF has hit the nail on the head in this regard)

The QF website is specific about BA, AA and other OW airlines

Eligibility and Access to The Qantas Club lounges

                                       	Child Age	Number of Children
Qantas owned and operated lounge 	3 to 17 years	2
American Airlines owned lounge       	Under 18 years	2
British Airways owned lounge            Under 12 years	1
oneworld lounge	                        Under 12 years	1
Associated Lounge                       varies*       	varies*

 

[Flying mermaid]

Which is odd as BA are the only airline I have seen that have built Kids rooms in F lounges...

Go and read some of the threads on the FT board in the BAEC section - makes this one look a model of niceness and politeness about kids access. (Generally I find this board much nicer and friendlier on all topics).

 

[simongr]

There is a reason I do not go to FT and the BAEC board is one of them. That and someone setting up a fake account in my real name and posting carp about me...

 

[Flying mermaid]

There is a reason I do not go to FT and the BAEC board is one of them. That and someone setting up a fake account in my real name and posting carp about me...

Not nice - unfortunately bulletin boards can sometimes get unpleasant

 

[Berlin]

Re: Galleries access... NOT quite 'reinstated'?

In 1998, those under the age of 18 were not permitted in BA lounges at all ...

Now there's a good rule- wish they implemented this in all OneWorld lounges straight away. Would make the time there so much more relaxed!

 

[medhead]

The QF website is specific about BA, AA and other OW airlines

Eligibility and Access to The Qantas Club lounges

                                       	Child Age	Number of Children
Qantas owned and operated lounge 	3 to 17 years	2
American Airlines owned lounge       	Under 18 years	2
British Airways owned lounge            Under 12 years	1
oneworld lounge	                        Under 12 years	1
Associated Lounge                       varies*       	varies*

Thanks, that's what I was referring to. It specifically says BA owned lounges, rather than flights only. Which was my point.


Sent from the Throne

 

[Pushka]

I think like most on this thread, if you know that what you want to do, is not within the rules of what is allowable (and these are well documented), then if you manage to achieve what you want, then you are fortunate. You shouldn't consider yourself unfortunate if things don't work out as planned. And I am not sure what the PhD stuff has to do with any of the decision. If anything, it makes BA's decision very fair as they obviously don't discriminate between "well heeled" customers, and mere mortals like us.

 

[serfty]

..,. if you know that what you want to do, is not within the rules of what is allowable (and these are well documented)... If anything, it makes BA's decision very fair as they obviously don't discriminate between "well heeled" customers, and mere mortals like us.

But is that the case? It is documented differently on qantas.com.

I'd stopped deeply reading this thread due to the copious and high frequency posting in it but these caught my eye - and checking back it had been mentioned, but to clarify, the Qantas site indicates access to the OP's Friend should have been provided.

If what Qantas have published is indicative of their agreements with BA then I think Qantas need to take this up with BA.

To re-iterate: (Eligibility and Access to The Qantas Club lounges)

Families

Qantas Lounges welcome you when travelling together with your family. In addition to your normal guest allowance you may also bring up to two children, between ages 3 and 17, into lounges operated by Qantas. There are no limitations for infants under 3 years of age. If you are travelling with more than two children, the Qantas lounge manager will try to accommodate them, subject to reviewing the space available in the lounge.
...


BA and oneworld lounges

When entering a British Airways or oneworld lounge, children over 12 years of age are counted as a guest and access is limited accordingly. This is with the exception of the oneworld Los Angeles Tom Bradley Lounge where Qantas Club members may be accompanied by two children up to 18 years of age in addition to their counted guests....

Child Access Guide
...

	Child Age	Number of Children
British Airways owned lounge	Under 12 years	1

...

The implication from the qantas site is that one child under 12 years of age per member should have been permitted access in addition to the normal guest entitlements of the OP's friends.

 

[oz_mark]

I'd stopped reading this thread due to the copious and high frequency posting in it but this caught my eye - and checking back it had been mentioned, but to clarify, the Qantas site indicates access to the OP's Friend should have been provided.

Pedantically, there were three children under 12. Had the 11 year old been 12, then yes, they should have had access.

(Hair splitting much)

 

[eastwest101]

If what Qantas have published is indicative of their agreements with BA then I think Qantas need to take this up with BA.
To re-iterate:

May not be an issue for the OP's friend as on current rate of progress on negotiations between QF and BA the 8yo twins and the 12yo will be adults by then....