Lounge Access - Unaccompanied 17½ yr old

[albatross710]

As out scheduled departures are coming closer for January we have to deal with the situation that our waitlists may not clear and we will travel separately on the BNE-SIN meaning we'll have a 17½ year old responsible young adult in SIN about 5 hours before the rest of the family arrive.

I had just assumed that he would have access to the Krisflyer lounge as he is travelling on a J redemption.

Does anyone have any experience on whether he will be permitted lounge access while in transit for his connecting flight later that day (at which time we all meet up?)

Alby

 

[im.daniel]

Yes, he should have no problems whatsoever accessing the lounge in SIN.

 

[Travelqueen]

Maybe a different situation, but my 17 yr old was refused entry to virgin domestic once when she was on her own. Reason given was that there is alcohol available, and that she was a minor.

Good luck

 

[albatross710]

Maybe a different situation, but my 17 yr old was refused entry to virgin domestic once when she was on her own. Reason given was that there is alcohol available, and that she was a minor.

Good luck

Actually thinking about it in SIN as people go through the door they seem more intent on checking the date of the service than checking the person. I think he will pull it off.

 

[atreides]

QP is a no go for Unaccompanied under 18s, SQ may be a different story. It could come down to his Poker Face.

Call and ask?

 

[Duffa]

My 16 yr old son wandered unaccompanied, in to Qantas Business lounge at Singapore a year ago - no problem!
I know it's not the SQ lounge but it is Singapore and maybe the licensing laws of the country apply and not the airline?
Hope this helps.

p.s. Same lad managed to extract a glass or two of Dom from cabin staff on Emirates F last July!!
As #atreides says, it's all down to the poker face!!

 

[albatross710]

maybe the licensing laws of the country apply and not the airline?

Yes I was thinking about that law of the land too. Singapore is officially 18 yrs for alcohol. Whether that is for consumption or purchasing I'm not sure.

I think base don what I've heard here I think he will be fine.

Hopefully stronger than the law of the land will be the family riot act if he has partaken given that he will be 'unaccompanied and in a foreign land.

 

[under the radar]

Yes I was thinking about that law of the land too. Singapore is officially 18 yrs for alcohol. Whether that is for consumption or purchasing I'm not sure.

I think base don what I've heard here I think he will be fine.

Hopefully stronger than the law of the land will be the family riot act if he has partaken given that he will be 'unaccompanied and in a foreign land.

....and we all know that a 17yr old listens to what their parents say!!! :shock: (PLEASE DONT INTERPRET THIS AS A JUDGEMENT ON THE OPs PARENTING..I'M GENERALIZING)

 

[albatross710]

....and we all know that a 17yr old listens to what their parents say!!! :shock: (PLEASE DONT INTERPRET THIS AS A JUDGEMENT ON THE OPs PARENTING..I'M GENERALIZING)

Don't worry, I'm the OP....we get much more than this parenting judgement. We get an almost unlimited amount of parenting advice and judgement from the two teenage boys!

BUT, it can't be too bad..we are happy to be spending three weeks holiday with them.

 

[under the radar]

Don't worry, I'm the OP....we get much more than this parenting judgement. We get an almost unlimited amount of parenting advice and judgement from the two teenage boys!

BUT, it can't be too bad..we are happy to be spending three weeks holiday with them.

i dont doubt that at all...good to know you have a sense of humour ...enjoy your hols

 

[Jack_OC]

I don’t know for certain, but I would expect it’s fairly standard for lounges to have a policy of “no under 18s unless accompanied by an adult”. Aside from possible legal issues surrounding alcohol availability, they are not generally going to want unsupervised teenagers hanging around, and obviously they always have the right to refuse entry for whatever reason they want.

Having said that, I’m guessing enforcement is likely to be highly variable. I’m open to correction on this, but as far as I know there will be nothing on your son’s BP to indicate that he’s under 18, so I’d say it will largely come down to the people on the desk and their perception of your son. If he looks like he’s at least 18 and doesn’t look like a hooligan (and I’m sure he doesn’t!) then I would guess he’s likely to be ok. But there probably is a risk of coming up against a particularly officious staff member. Just like in pubs/clubs in the real world, where some staff insist on seeing ID from people even if they look like they’re in their late 20s, while others happily serve already drunk 16 year olds. So I would say you should prepare your son for the possibility that he might not be allowed in, and work out an alternative plan if he’s unlucky. Hope it works out though.

 

[samh004]

I can think of a couple members here who have had lounge access before turning 18, and it's all depended on how they looked on the day I'm sure. You have to walk the walk and talk the talk.

 

[albatross710]

Having said that, I’m guessing enforcement is likely to be highly variable. I’m open to correction on this, but as far as I know there will be nothing on your son’s BP to indicate that he’s under 18, so I’d say it will largely come down to the people on the desk and their perception of your son. If he looks like he’s at least 18 and doesn’t look like a hooligan (and I’m sure he doesn’t!) then I would guess he’s likely to be ok.

Thanks for bumping this up. We are two weeks out from departure and still pending the WL to clear to have everyone travelling together. 17½ year old is of course hoping it doesn't clear.

You have reminded me to teach him about the walk-in with a crowd and assume that you have entry...not asking to be declined.

Blue skies and happy 2013.

Alby

 

[KLN]

from memory, only have to show boarding pass to access. but yes Poker Face is good too. Ms KLN Junior reguarly comes and goes in and out of international lounges, but she does good Poker Face and a front as big as Myers. she has been known to flash her boarding pass and mine to sneak other people in too

 

[albatross710]

Well the trip is all over. The unaccompanied 17 year old was "headed off" at BNE checkin where they advised he wouldn't get Brisbane lounge access. He was given a $15-$20 voucher to use at a food outlet at the terminal.

At the SKL lounge in Singapore no such problems and he had an enjoyable couple of hours in the lounge there.

Alby

 

[samh004]

Well the trip is all over. The unaccompanied 17 year old was "headed off" at BNE checkin where they advised he wouldn't get Brisbane lounge access. He was given a $15-$20 voucher to use at a food outlet at the terminal.

At the SKL lounge in Singapore no such problems and he had an enjoyable couple of hours in the lounge there.

Alby

They thought $15-$20 would feed a teenager?

Good that it all worked out.