Lounge Access changes pending that affect all?

[JohnK]

He said no access in continental Europe. He said patchy access in LHR - ie up to staff in lounge.

Does not leave many places left to use Qantas Lounge membership.

He suggested that I fly business class or higher with BA to guarantee lounge access with them!

And why would one need Qantas Club membership if flying business class?

And yes I do agree that Qantas should have had a response in this thread by now. Simply not good enough....

 

[EmilyHoward]

Like Princess Fiona I flew into LHR arriving last Friday morning and I got access to the AA arrivals lounge. When arriving at the lounge entrance I was asked if flying Qantas J or F as this was the only access allowed. I was flying Qantas F so all was good!

EH

 

[Danger]

The March e-newsletter from QF is out and there's no mention of changes to lounge access arrangements.

That said, there seems to have been some further updates to the updated lounge access page overnight. First thing I see is that Platinum members accessing the domestic Business lounges are once again able to take two guests who do not need to be travelling (the last few days it's been one guest who needed to be travelling). 'Arrivals' access has also been reinstated. Eligibility to access the LHR AA T3 Arrivals lounge is now back to simply QF F and J customers. For Qantas Club and Jetstar (!) passengers who had a couple of days there where they could use the Arrivals lounge, no more.

If I was to be a pessimist I would say not to plan whether or not you'll have lounge access for a particular flight on a particular day flying a particular carrier from a particular airport . . . Just wake up the morning of your flight and see what the QF website says that day.

 

[kevrosmith]

The March e-newsletter from QF is out and there's no mention of changes to lounge access arrangements.

That said, there seems to have been some further updates to the updated lounge access page overnight. First thing I see is that Platinum members accessing the domestic Business lounges are once again able to take two guests who do not need to be travelling (the last few days it's been one guest who needed to be travelling). 'Arrivals' access has also been reinstated. Eligibility to access the LHR AA T3 Arrivals lounge is now back to simply QF F and J customers. For Qantas Club and Jetstar (!) passengers who had a couple of days there where they could use the Arrivals lounge, no more.

If I was to be a pessimist I would say not to plan whether or not you'll have lounge access for a particular flight on a particular day flying a particular carrier from a particular airport . . . Just wake up the morning of your flight and see what the QF website says that day.

What I'm hearing from this is go by the eligibility and access rules, not the the warm-and-fuzzy front page screens, at the moment at least anyway... good call medhead (wasn't that your argument...?)

.

 

[Flying mermaid]

'Arrivals' access has also been reinstated. Eligibility to access the LHR AA T3 Arrivals lounge is now back to simply QF F and J customers. .

I always thought it was an error - but nice to have it corrected!

If I was to be a pessimist I would say not to plan whether or not you'll have lounge access for a particular flight on a particular day flying a particular carrier from a particular airport . . . Just wake up the morning of your flight and see what the QF website says that day.

It is even worse than that - it might change mid flight, so maybe checking just before approaching the desk is the only safe option

 

[medhead]

What I'm hearing from this is go by the eligibility and access rules, not the the warm-and-fuzzy front page screens, at the moment at least anyway... good call medhead (wasn't that your argument...?)

.

Indeed, something like that.

I haven't checked those rules every 30 minutes, but they seem to had stayed pretty much constant when I have checked over the last few days.


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

 

[Danger]

medhead, I don't disagree with your argument and I concur with some others that the new fancy page is a work in progress.

However, I'd make two points. First, if it's a work in progress, why is it a live webpage? I'm no IT expert but others who are seem to indicate that these things can all be out in the background, before putting it in the public domain. Second, while a passenger might refer to the existing eligibility table page, what's to stop a lounge agent from saying 'I'm sorry sir/m'am. The lounge access rules are very clear on this page [as he/she brings up the fancy new page] and you don't have access because". My point is, you and I might argue the eligibility table is correct but the lounge agent may argue, seemingly quite legitimately, that the new page is 'more correct' because it's, well, new.

 

[kevrosmith]

medhead, I don't disagree with your argument and I concur with some others that the new fancy page is a work in progress.

However, I'd make two points. First, if it's a work in progress, why is it a live webpage? I'm no IT expert but others who are seem to indicate that these things can all be out in the background, before putting it in the public domain. Second, while a passenger might refer to the existing eligibility table page, what's to stop a lounge agent from saying 'I'm sorry sir/m'am. The lounge access rules are very clear on this page [as he/she brings up the fancy new page] and you don't have access because". My point is, you and I might argue the eligibility table is correct but the lounge agent may argue, seemingly quite legitimately, that the new page is 'more correct' because it's, well, new.

I concede that is the scary part about this.... there's too much subjectivity involved in these things... the "human factor", shall we say... though many times this has worked in my favour.

Someone mentioned having the work-experience kid being tasked with the responsibility of updating the pretty-pages. I wouldn't be surprised if that's what happened!

 

[medhead]

medhead, I don't disagree with your argument and I concur with some others that the new fancy page is a work in progress.

However, I'd make two points. First, if it's a work in progress, why is it a live webpage? I'm no IT expert but others who are seem to indicate that these things can all be out in the background, before putting it in the public domain. Second, while a passenger might refer to the existing eligibility table page, what's to stop a lounge agent from saying 'I'm sorry sir/m'am. The lounge access rules are very clear on this page [as he/she brings up the fancy new page] and you don't have access because". My point is, you and I might argue the eligibility table is correct but the lounge agent may argue, seemingly quite legitimately, that the new page is 'more correct' because it's, well, new.

They're fair points. In answer to the first question I say incompetence, minor or otherwise. To the second question it would be a difficult situation. The obvious answer would be that the new page is a significant reduction in access and as such I should have been notified, which hasn't happened. The old access rule should have been remove, which they haven't. Hence the only safe conclusion is someone made a mistake because the old rules haven't been removed. Basically, the old is correct because it hasn't been changed, which it should been if there the new page is correct. Impasse!


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

 

[JohnPhelan]

And it is really irrelevant to Lounge Dragons/Angels what any airline's website says, anyway - the lounge staff will ALWAYS go by their own airline's Lounge Admission rules - a separate, often very detailed document that is provided for staff reference. That is their bible - not what is showing on a website.

(Some AFF members have asked to see these and been shown them; most recently one member even took a photo of the updated BA admission rules when shown them by the LHR T5 lounge staff).

 

[cmon0005]

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

I just noticed on the MEL Intl Business lounge page, that it mentions "* Effective 24 March 2012, the lounge will be open from 04:30 to 17:30 daily".

​I thought there were flights after 17:30? eg. MEL-HKG @ 23:55 ??

 

[oz_mark]

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

I just noticed on the MEL Intl Business lounge page, that it mentions "* Effective 24 March 2012, the lounge will be open from 04:30 to 17:30 daily".

​I thought there were flights after 17:30? eg. MEL-HKG @ 23:55 ??

MEL-HKG is midafternoon departure from 24th.

 

[cmon0005]

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

MEL-HKG is midafternoon departure from 24th.

Ohh I see, so last flight out of MEL Internationally is QF9 MEL-SIN @ 5pm?

That's strange, considering we don't have curfew as such here why would they finish off their flights by 5pm?

 

[JohnPhelan]

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

Ohh I see, so last flight out of MEL Internationally is QF9 MEL-SIN @ 5pm?

That's strange, considering we don't have curfew as such here why would they finish off their flights by 5pm?

It's because QF has dropped the onward flight HKG-LHR. That means, to achieve optimum utilisation of the aircraft (and not have a plane sitting on the ramp all day), the timing of the MEL-HKG leg had to change.

 

[cmon0005]

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

If the timing of the MEL-HKG leg had not changed, it means the aircraft would have been sitting on the ramp at HKG all day - not good utilisation of the aircraft.

Ahh that makes sense, I am sure that will mean scraps of food left for QF9 passengers with QF lounge staff getting ready to go home in 30 mins after the flight departure, eg stop making hot food @ 4:30pm and quickly cleaning to get out of there on time? hope not....

 

[serfty]

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

Ohh I see, so last flight out of MEL Internationally is QF9 MEL-SIN @ 5pm?

That's strange, considering we don't have curfew as such here why would they finish off their flights by 5pm?

Actually, the last flight is generally the QF133 to AKL at 17:30 daily, so those PAX may get the 'scraps'.

Same same though.

In reality, going forward Qantas have decided to not have any later international flights out of MEL.

 

[markis10]

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

I just noticed on the MEL Intl Business lounge page, that it mentions "* Effective 24 March 2012, the lounge will be open from 04:30 to 17:30 daily".

​I thought there were flights after 17:30? eg. MEL-HKG @ 23:55 ??

LOL so which lounge will you be using if on a business max to Bali with JQ at 1830?

 

[cmon0005]

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

LOL so which lounge will you be using if on a business max to Bali with JQ at 1830?

They'll push you out the door at 5:30pm, and make you wait at the gate with the stampede! ... or they'll open an aweful J*-Lounge with a pack of biscuits and instant coffee as the only 'food and bev' options...

 

[serfty]

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

They'll push you out the door at 5:30pm, and make you wait at the gate with the stampede! ... or they'll open an aweful J*-Lounge with a pack of biscuits and instant coffee as the only 'food and bev' options...

Not far from the Truth!

One Friday evening back in August for my 11:50pm JQ AKL flight, I had to leave the FL when the 10:50pm QF29 to HKG boarded. I was then able to hang out in the Business Lounge until the 11:20pm FJ flight to Nadi boarded. Waited at the gate for the last 30 minutes before boarding.

 

[MelUser]

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

So where will Business Class passengers travelling on FJ flight which leaves at 11:30pm go? Or economy passengers clever enough to have booked a QF flight number who are Plat, Silver or Qantas Club (perhaps?)

THere is the CX lounge but they are a bit funny and seem to want an "invite".