Now that I'm sick... no Qantas Club access

[waltervp]

In the past 25 years I have usually been a Silver or Platinum flyer and received Qantas Club access when flying on almost any OneWorld Alliance service and my QC fees were often waived due to status.

Then my health declined and I no longer travel that much. Also my budget is a lot tighter as I am not working and often cannot afford the Qantas flights or the Qantas routes do not suit me. Not to mention I have enormous difficulty in accessing Qantas specials when they are advertised.

Now that I need to nebulise medicine into my lungs every 10 hours or so, especially in between long flights, and inject insulin and take other drugs, I absolutely need access to the lounge bathrooms for 45mins. But now I have no access. Doing this in public areas is not on, it involves a lot of coughing, huffing and puffing (lung clearance techniques) ad people are shocked when they see or hear me. Not to mention injecting insulin. Doing this in a public bathroom is not on due to infection danger. I travel with an oxygen concentrator as well, making travel quite inconvenient. I can use baby change rooms but often have desperate mothers knocking impatiently after only 5 minutes of my 45-minute procedure.

When I beg lounges to give me access they often (reluctantly) allow me in just for bathroom use. Qatar recently drove me to their airport clinic which was a major mistake as it was outside security and almost made me miss my flight (luggage was offloaded and arrived 24hr later). If I don't nebulise I cough non stop for the next flight making 100 passengers very nervous and make myself very sick.

I have contacted Qantas and attempted to contact OWA but cannot find answers. What am I to do? Finding paid for lounge access in airports is often difficult, plus I am slow moving and carrying lots of had luggage (meds and oxygen).

Surely I have done my bit, I have been pretty loyal for 25 years and even received an Order of Australia medal. Obviously, my QC membership is overkill for the few flights I have each year now, but the bathroom access alone (when I can get it) flying domestically is worth it. How do I gain access when flying other airlines internationally?

 

[mannej]

With that many years of status, would you not have lifetime status with QF?

 

[GoldCanyon340]

You posted the same question on August 17, 2014:

Qantas Club disappoints

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Can't you join/rejoin with QP via here?
There discount does exist.
I mean, if you know what you need, and QP are the only places that have showers that have a toilet included, and quite secure, you have got to decide, pay up, or do your self medication in the public loos where sometimes there is no ledge or anything to put your items, so where do you put them, sometimes the hangers on the loo doors have been removed, or not hangers at all.
I know the price to join/rejoin QP is not cheap, and that some airports do not have PP lounges, and that VA does not have any international lounges, its up to you to work out which the best way.
VA the Lounge membership itself does not give access to KF lounges either, (I don't think), so that QP annual fee, in the end is the most apt.
Edit: also after Oct this year, the VA & Air NZ agreement is broken up, so the Lounge membership will not get you access to the Air NZ Koru lounges if flying over to NZ, or from airports that Air NZ flies into and out of in Australia.
Not for me to say, then don't fly.
Its hard.
Aud$850 or so, or you might get discounted via credit card providers, and then $5xx each year, ...
Personally, I would pay to continue QP, either join/rejoin up.
Public loo floors (in the open zone or past domestic/international security) are also yucky and wet.
At least in the QP, it can be (most of the time), 95% clean. There is always the attendant who comes once in a while to clear up messes in the QP.
Sorry for the waffle.

 

[tea&coffee]

If you don’t need it very often just either swap credit cards every couple years for ones that include the 2 free passes or find a credit card that includes lounge access (Plaza Premium etc).

 

[ric_melb]

I think you will find members here are sympathetic to your health needs, but essentially your issue relates to flying in general, and is not specific to Qantas Club.You may well have flown Qantas for many years, but this does not entitle you to complimentary Qantas Club access.
If you are essentially wanting to use Domestic lounges with Qantas then you need to rejoin Qantas Club. This can be done more cheaply through AFF Corporate membership. But be aware this may not entitle you to lounge access when flying overseas on airlines other than Qantas.
You could as tea and coffee says obtain a credit card that gives complimentary Priority Pass lounge access, though this is often limited to a certain number of visits.
Alternatively you could apply for Priority Pass membership direct, this gives access to 1200+ lounges worldwide, including some in Australia.
Membership costs USD99 a year with each visit costing USD27; or USD249 for 10 free visits, with a fee of USD27 for additional visits.

 

[Boca68]

With that many years of status, would you not have lifetime status with QF?

With 25 years of at least Silver, you should easily be Lifetime Gold.

Edit: definitely LTG.

 

[muppet]

With 25 years of at least Silver, you should easily be Lifetime Gold.

Edit: definitely LTG.

Hmmm. Check your math.

At 250 status credit renewal I get 54.8 years of Silver equalling Lifetime Gold..... after one year of getting Silver at 300 credits.

 

[Boca68]

Hmmm. Check your math.

At 250 status credit renewal I get 54.8 years of Silver equalling Lifetime Gold..... after one year of getting Silver at 300 credits.

Ooops! my bad. Was calculating on gold, 600 minimum. Duh! But throw in a few years of Platinum, as stated, maybe not far off the mark

 

[trooper]

I can see the problem....a Lounge bathroom (particularly a shower room) would be more private/user friendly.. I do wonder however just how much more sanitary a lounge bathroom is to a public one.... or a public baby change room.....just sayin.....

 

[love_the_life]

Waltervp, whilst I can see your problem, I'm not exactly sure what you are wanting. If you often cannot now afford to buy Qantas flights or they don't suit you (as posted in your original post), you wouldn't be able to access the lounge anyway as you are not flying QF. Did you want to have access if flying Tiger for example? That's not going to happen. Besides there is not a lot of access overseas for QC membership only if not on QF metal.
Credit card churn as a way to get complimentary access may won't work as you say you are now not able to work so you may not meet the income thresholds required for some of them.
The only suggestion I can make is to research the airports before you travel and look for a suitable area to be able undertake your medications. One point, people in a lounge would be equally shocked (as you say) as those in a public area, so in my mind, it would be finding a clean area.

 

[waltervp]

Priority Pass is a possible solution i think. I am paying for my QP in any case as i do fly qantas domestically. But probably the best solution is a cc that gives those QP passes (if QP lets me.in when flying other OWA flights), or even buying them on internet. I only travel internationally once or twice a year at most. Thanks for suggestions.

 

[waltervp]

The QP SHOWER facility (sorry i did not mean toilets!) as in most lounges is perfect for me. Noone really hears me.and they are very private. The procedure i do also.makes me sweaty so a shower after is ideal. Previously flying OWA i was allowed to use most member lounges. Now i can't. I believe this to be because of my FF bronze status. Maybe I'm wrong or out of touch.

 

[love_the_life]

Priority Pass is a possible solution i think. I am paying for my QP in any case as i do fly qantas domestically. But probably the best solution is a cc that gives those QP passes (if QP lets me.in when flying other OWA flights), or even buying them on internet. I only travel internationally once or twice a year at most. Thanks for suggestions.

Hopefully that will work for you then.

 

[cwphoto]

I can see the problem....a Lounge bathroom (particularly a shower room) would be more private/user friendly.. I do wonder however just how much more sanitary a lounge bathroom is to a public one.... or a public baby change room.....just sayin.....

Zero difference.

You could always pay for a J ticket.

I really can't see why you need access to the lounge - I don't see any practical difference from public amenities.

 

[waltervp]

Zero difference.

You could always pay for a J ticket.

I really can't see why you need access to the lounge - I don't see any practical difference from public amenities.

One day you'll find out. When you have a machine that sucks in air and delivers it deep into sick and decrepit lungs that catch infections from compost bins and garden soil, and you cough and gasp and bring up phlegm and blood... and youre standing in a toilet facility next to people washing their hands.. nah thanks. Baby change room works but sad for mothers with crying children.

Perhaps i should accept that i cant fly those really long sectors anymore.

Can't afford J class.

 

[11sjw]

Can't you just pay for Qantas Club?

 

[mannej]

Priority Pass is a possible solution i think. I am paying for my QP in any case as i do fly qantas domestically. But probably the best solution is a cc that gives those QP passes (if QP lets me.in when flying other OWA flights), or even buying them on internet. I only travel internationally once or twice a year at most. Thanks for suggestions.

The QP SHOWER facility (sorry i did not mean toilets!) as in most lounges is perfect for me. Noone really hears me.and they are very private. The procedure i do also.makes me sweaty so a shower after is ideal. Previously flying OWA i was allowed to use most member lounges. Now i can't. I believe this to be because of my FF bronze status. Maybe I'm wrong or out of touch.

I think you need to check what QP membership entitles you to access wise, as it is separate to OW lounge access through status.

 

[Pushka]

One day you'll find out. When you have a machine that sucks in air and delivers it deep into sick and decrepit lungs that catch infections from compost bins and garden soil, and you cough and gasp and bring up phlegm and blood... and youre standing in a toilet facility next to people washing their hands.. nah thanks. Baby change room works but sad for mothers with crying children.

Perhaps i should accept that i cant fly those really long sectors anymore.

Can't afford J class.

I’d ask if you are currently well enough to travel by plane. It sounds very difficult to manage safely.

 

[cwphoto]

One day you'll find out.

Maybe, maybe not - or maybe I already have. Assumptions are dangerous.