OWE Lounge Access - Qantas vs oneworld rules.

[Mal]

The following statements about OWE and access to International lounges are on the Qantas/oneworld/British Airways sites:

Qantas: Fly - The Qantas Club - Lounge Access

As an additional benefit, Platinum and Gold Qantas Frequent Flyers (Emerald and Sapphire oneworld® members) may also enter the lounges of our oneworld alliance partners## when travelling on eligible flights that are marketed~~ and operated by a oneworld alliance airline. You may also invite one guest. Note that both you and your guest need to be travelling together further that day on an eligible flight that is marketed~~ and operated by a oneworld alliance airline.

oneworld: oneworld - Lounge Access

Emerald: When travelling on any of the oneworld member airlines, any customer who has earned Emerald tier status, is welcome (with one guest travelling on a flight operated and marketed by a oneworld airline) at any oneworld airlines' pre-flight lounges, including First Class, Business Class and frequent flyer lounges regardless of the class they are travelling in.

Qantas appears to suggest you have to be travelling together, while the oneworld rule doesn't make that stipulation.

British Airways has a similar view to oneworld:

As a Gold member, you and one guest¹ can enjoy access and the facilities of over 250 lounges worldwide² whenever you fly with British Airways and our oneworld partner airlines - whatever cabin you are flying in. You can also enjoy the lounges even when not flying with British Airways.³

¹Guest access is subject to capacity. The guest must fly with British Airways or our oneworld partner airlines.
²Lounge access is not available on Alaska Airlines - except when members are flying on a oneworld partner codeshare flight with a British Airways flight number prefix.
³Available for the Gold card holder only. Excludes access to lounges owned by third parties. The other carrier must depart from the same terminal as the British Airways flight.

So do people think that Qantas is wrong? Or am I reading too much into the statement on the Qantas site? "Together further" implies same flight doesn't it?

 

[Dave Noble]

The QF rule seems pretty reasonable to me. The intent of the guest is that if you are travelling with someone, that they can join you in the lounge and QF also allows them to join you at the 1st/business check in too

It does seem to be different to the OW description, but individual airlines do have their own rules and it would be a reasonable intent that where it describes that the member has to be travelling on OW as does the guest , that they are travelling on the same OW airline

Dave

 

[serfty]

Actually, Qantas are quite specific for international Qantas lounges. Like AA, they differentiate between their own elite members and other oneworld elites.

If you are WP or SG (and travelling with Qantas as such), your guest needs to be travelling with you to access a Qantas lounge.

If you are travelling as a non Qantas oneworld Emerald or Sapphire then you guest merely needs to be travelling to access a Qantas lounge.

So, non Qantas elites have a freer guest access rule for Qantas lounges than Qantas elites.

E.g For International Business Lounge Access:

Fly - The Qantas Club - Lounge Access - Qantas Club and Frequent Flyers

• Platinum
  Member and 1 guest can access lounge any time.^ Guest must be travelling with member.
  
  ^ Must be travelling, not necessarily on Qantas, British Airways or Jetstar to access the lounge.​
• Gold
  Member and 1 guest can access lounge on day of departure.+
  Guest must be travelling with member.
  
  +next onward flight that day must be on a Qantas, British Airways or Jetstar flight number.​

Fly - The Qantas Club - Lounge Access - oneworld Airlines Member (Qantas lounge access)

• Emerald & Sapphire
  
  
  Member and 1 guest can access lounge on day of departure of a oneworld flight.#
  
  # next onward flight that day must be on a oneworld Airline Members operated and marketed flight.Note: a oneworld marketed flight refers to a flight with a oneworld flight number, eg QF1 or AA222. A oneworld operated flight refers to the actual aircraft or 'metal' on which you fly, eg Finnair aircraft.​

 

[dajop]

If you are WP or SG (and travelling with Qantas as such), your guest needs to be travelling with you to access a Qantas lounge.

In practice though, how rigidly is that enforced? I've gone to the SIN FCL a couple of times as a WP (me travelling on CX to HKG) and brought a guest in who has been travelling on SQ (to HKG also), without any hint of being questioned.

 

[obrienja]

It is enforced in Sydney J Int lounge. Last year I was travelling on QF to LHR as WP and my colleague on BA and I was told my guest would be admitted "just this once" as we weren't on the same flight.

I've also got a question about an earlier post regarding BA Gold access to BA lounges even when not flying BA. Does the same privilege extend to QF Platinum and other OWE top tiers or is it a BA only privilege? I'm assuming it's BA only given the wording is "Gold card holder only" but that might just be implying no guests.

It's never arisen that I haven't been flying OWE & tried to get into a BA lounge but it would be useful when I'll be having to fly regional Euro carriers this year (e.g. Air Malta).

 

[Dave Noble]

BA Open Doors is for BA Gold members only and not for other OW Emerald members

Dave

 

[Mal]

I've also got a question about an earlier post regarding BA Gold access to BA lounges even when not flying BA. Does the same privilege extend to QF Platinum and other OWE top tiers or is it a BA only privilege? I'm assuming it's BA only given the wording is "Gold card holder only" but that might just be implying no guests.

The BA website rarely distinguishes between OWE and BA Gold, which is very unfortunate as people have to start guessing what BA means when they say BA Gold. That rule though, is just for BA Gold's, and is the equivalent of the Qantas 'Anytime' access rule to domestic QP's / Intl J lounges for WP's.

 

[Dave Noble]

The BA website rarely distinguishes between OWE and BA Gold, which is very unfortunate as people have to start guessing what BA means when they say BA Gold.

To be fair though, the site is written for use by their own members; members of other FF schemes have the sites of their own airline / membership guides to determine their benefits

Dave

 

[Evan]

I just went to check the J lounge in HKG, the new one, and it looks really so much better than the old, impressive, and good range of food.

But at the door i showed my QF WP card and was told i could not enter unless i had a boarding pass, i said that my anytime access would allow me access but she was really quiet insistent that i show her my boarding pass regardless, just so i could look i gave over the CX J boarding pass and was on my way to check it out.

So if your a QC member you and don't get access to the CX F lounges then the new QF J is really a nice step up

 

[dajop]

But at the door i showed my QF WP card and was told i could not enter unless i had a boarding pass, i said that my anytime access would allow me access but she was really quiet insistent that i show her my boarding pass regardless

Actually for the "International Business Lounge" you don't have anytime access you must be travelling (from the QF website):

Must be travelling, not necessarily on Qantas, British Airways or Jetstar to access the lounge

Most would think that's a moot point, but there is one place that someone who is not travelling (outbound) can still easily access the lounge, and that's SIN ...after arrival. I arrived back in SIN and had an hour to kill before my partner arrived from MEL on EK .... and went to access the lounge. They indicated I needed to be travelling outbound, but made an exception for me!

I guess that rule is there specifically to prevent SIN being used an arrivals lounge, but really if one was to be pedantic "must be travelling" does not indicate whether you are travelling out or travelling in...

And, sounds like I'll have to check out HKG lounge next time I'm there.

 

[JohnK]

In practice though, how rigidly is that enforced? I've gone to the SIN FCL a couple of times as a WP (me travelling on CX to HKG) and brought a guest in who has been travelling on SQ (to HKG also), without any hint of being questioned.

Sometimes serfty likes to quote terms and conditions but there was this time when serfty and mrs serfty (Jenny) used the SIN F lounge as an arrivals lounge.

SYD F lounge is a different story. I was travelling SYD-MEL on QF73 and had a guest who arrived SIN-SYD and then travelling SYD-MEL on the same flight as me. I had a QF printed boarding pass in SYD and my guest had a green striped boarding pass printed in SIN. The lady at reception did not want to let him through as we were not on the same flight. She went to the trouble of printing him another boarding pass just to satisfy her confusion....

 

[serfty]

... But at the door i showed my QF WP card and was told i could not enter unless i had a boarding pass, i said that my anytime access would allow me access but she was really quiet insistent that i show her my boarding pass regardless, just so i could look i gave over the CX J boarding pass and was on my way to check it out. ...

That is SOP for international anytime access. They always ask for your BP - even used to to this back in the days when access included the First Class lounge.

Actually for the "International Business Lounge" you don't have anytime access you must be travelling ...

Exactly !

 

[serfty]

Sometimes serfty likes to quote terms and conditions but there was this time when serfty and mrs serfty (Jenny) used the SIN F lounge as an arrivals lounge. ...

Yes, it's good to know the rules, the T&C's and how they are applied - that gives you a basis to start from. One can negotiate from there.

e.g. In the specific circumstance you note, it was only when I showed my WP card that the agent relaxed and permitted access.

 

[Mal]

It does seem to be different to the OW description, but individual airlines do have their own rules and it would be a reasonable intent that where it describes that the member has to be travelling on OW as does the guest , that they are travelling on the same OW airline

Here is where I have issues with the Qantas "definition". I don't care what they imply for WP's accessing their own lounge - but, should they be telling other OWE's that they're not welcome? Especially when their information conflicts with oneworlds definitions?
And should they be telling WP's that they are not subject to the same oneworld rules as everyone else?

 

[Dave Noble]

Here is where I have issues with the Qantas "definition". I don't care what they imply for WP's accessing their own lounge - but, should they be telling other OWE's that they're not welcome? Especially when their information conflicts with oneworlds definitions?
And should they be telling WP's that they are not subject to the same oneworld rules as everyone else?

It depends on whether it conflicts with the information given by that airline's FF programme. I wouldn't say that it does conflict to be honest

As far as QF applying rules to its own members that it perfectly ok. The airline can have its own rules for its own members, such as QF allowing anytime access to its own members or allowing additional luggage allowance or AA restricting lounge access to its own members when travelling internationally

Dave

 

[Mal]

As far as QF applying rules to its own members that it perfectly ok. The airline can have its own rules for its own members, such as QF allowing anytime access to its own members or allowing additional luggage allowance or AA restricting lounge access to its own members when travelling internationally

Maybe I should re-phrase:

Should Qantas tell WP's that they are not eligible to enter overseas lounges, not related to Qantas (eg BA or CX lounges), in such a way as to conflict with the rules given on the oneworld site?

I think this sums up my original issue with the Qantas advice.

 

[serfty]

... Should Qantas tell WP's that they are not eligible to enter overseas lounges, not related to Qantas (eg BA or CX lounges), in such a way as to conflict with the rules given on the oneworld site? ...

Maybe not. Is it deliberate or is it an oversight? I am not sure.

In any case the oneworld rules would ordinarily override those of Qantas' when accessing non Qantas oneworld lounges as a Qantas Sapphire/Emerald.

 

[Dave Noble]

It may also be their interpretation of the rules that the member's guest has to actually be travelling with the member. Whether another lounge will enforce this will be down to the lounge

 

[JohnK]

Yes, it's good to know the rules, the T&C's and how they are applied - that gives you a basis to start from. One can negotiate from there.

e.g. In the specific circumstance you note, it was only when I showed my WP card that the agent relaxed and permitted access.

And I guess that is what I am saying. Terms and conditions are really only a guide. We all have different experiences and it never hurts to ask. They can only say no....