Platinum - QF card in transit??

[david870mdg]

Just looked at my QF summary and i've reached WP , as a SFSC .
Big thanks to everyone on this forum for your excellent advice on travel, flying, airlines etc....

I have a JQ flight next week from MEL intl, and assuming the card won't arrive during the week.
Can I still access the First Lounge with my SG card, or will the dragons say no (i'm assuming it can come up on the QF computer upon entry)?

Cheers


David

 

[drewbles]

Just take your BP and SG card and let them know you have since qualified for WP. They'll check it and it won't be a problem (My card took around 7 working days to arrive so hopefully you'll get yours in time).

 

[notzac]

Just looked at my QF summary and i've reached WP , as a SFSC .
Big thanks to everyone on this forum for your excellent advice on travel, flying, airlines etc....

Congrats!

I have a JQ flight next week from MEL intl, and assuming the card won't arrive during the week.
Can I still access the First Lounge with my SG card, or will the dragons say no (i'm assuming it can come up on the QF computer upon entry)?

Pretty sure their computer will tell them you're actually a WP and should be granted entry.

 

[straitman]

david870mdg,

You could log on to QF FF and print out a page with your status on it.

The summary page is probably best as it shows all the due dates etc.

It work as I have done it.

 

[Ned2au]

Just looked at my QF summary and i've reached WP , as a SFSC .
Big thanks to everyone on this forum for your excellent advice on travel, flying, airlines etc....

I have a JQ flight next week from MEL intl, and assuming the card won't arrive during the week.
Can I still access the First Lounge with my SG card, or will the dragons say no (i'm assuming it can come up on the QF computer upon entry)?

Cheers

David

David I am new here and I am not sure whet SG is. I have a Platinum card and I can tell you that you have to fly QF or JetStar and Platinum to get into First Lounge. You can fly any airlines and get into Business with Platinum.

I don't know here you are going, but let me tell you this... you can get into ANY One world lounge with it platinum or even gold, except in the "Enemy" territory where One world does not fly, in my case CX (CATHY PACIFIC lounge) in Kuala Lumpur.

I had to fly M'asin airlines because no One Airlines world goes to KL directly. Normally Platinum memebers can go to a nearest One world airlines lounge and get in, but not with Cathay in KL!

They have their own rules and Platinum or no platinum will not get you in that CX lounge.:evil: The front desk will tell you: "The rules have changed, you can only get in here if you are connecting to One world flight". That logic would dictate that I must fly to from KL to HK and then home to SYD if I wanted to get into the lounge to use my computer.

So, the moral of the story is: when you go somewhere and you fly with another airline check to see if you can get in. I think that the bean counters have tighten the rules and being a platinum member does not cut much ice any more.

I can tell you that Cathay is off my list ... I am going to HK soon and I will be flying QF and not CX even if the tickets are cheaper.

Ned

 

[Mal]

Can I still access the First Lounge with my SG card, or will the dragons say no (i'm assuming it can come up on the QF computer upon entry)?

Yeah will be fine. Print out your summary page from the Qantas website as a backup - but the staff can easily find your status on their computer.

Not sure about MEL, but SYD has a door greeter who checks status etc before letting people in. That's where a printout (and explanation) would help if MEL has the same.

 

[straitman]

Ned2au,

Welcome to AFF.

This should not be a problem for david870mdg as he is Platinum (WP) and was previously Gold (SG) and is travelling on a Jetstar (JQ) flight from the International terminal.

Have a look at The Ultimate Qantas Guide for a comprehensive list of abbreviations.

 

[Mal]

I had to fly M'asin airlines because no One Airlines world goes to KL directly. Normally Platinum memebers can go to a nearest One world airlines lounge and get in, but not with Cathay in KL!

Ned2au - welcome to AFF.

SG is an acronym used here for Qantas Gold FF. Have a look at this thread for some other acronyms often used : http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/community/your-questions/abbreviations-and-explanations-5056.html

I think you misunderstand one of the benefits of Qantas Platinum (WP). While WP gives you access to any Qantas International Business Lounge - even when not flying Qantas or oneworld, it does not give you anytime access to any other oneworld carriers lounges.

So in the KUL example, Cathay are correct in turning you away because you are not flying oneworld as your next flight. At SIN (Where there is a Qantas Business lounge), then you would get access even if flying Malaysian.

 

[Ned2au]

Ned2au - welcome to AFF.

SG is an acronym used here for Qantas Gold FF. Have a look at this thread for some other acronyms often used : http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/community/your-questions/abbreviations-and-explanations-5056.html

I think you misunderstand one of the benefits of Qantas Platinum (WP). While WP gives you access to any Qantas International Business Lounge - even when not flying Qantas or oneworld, it does not give you anytime access to any other oneworld carriers lounges.

So in the KUL example, Cathay are correct in turning you away because you are not flying oneworld as your next flight. At SIN (Where there is a Qantas Business lounge), then you would get access even if flying Malaysian.

Thanks for the explanation.

As far as the access is concerned: I have been travelling to KL many times and until last year had no problems with the CX people.

It appears that the rules have changed only last year... they even have printed page with highlighted lines which explain this.

As for access rules. QFF Platinum = Ruby One World which allows me access to most if not all One World airline lounges at some level. It should make no difference, and it didn't until recently, what airlines I am on. This is the only real benefit of having the Ruby level IMHO.

 

[BlueAU]

QFF Platinum = Ruby One World which allows me access to most if not all One World airline lounges at some level. It should make no difference, and it didn't until recently, what airlines I am on. This is the only real benefit of having the Ruby level IMHO.

Ruby does not give you access to First ... actually gives you access to NO lounges!

Emerald = Platinum
Sapphire = Gold
Ruby = Silver

 

[Mal]

It appears that the rules have changed only last year... they even have printed page with highlighted lines which explain this.

The oneworld lounge access rules haven't changed in the last few years (and probably longer). Cathay may have been either lax in applying them correctly, or giving a favour by allowing access. Now that they have their new lounge in KUL, perhaps they want to protect it more.

As for access rules. QFF Platinum = Ruby One World which allows me access to most if not all One World airline lounges at some level. It should make no difference, and it didn't until recently, what airlines I am on. This is the only real benefit of having the Ruby level IMHO.

QFF Plat = oneworld Emerald (Ruby is the equivalent of Silver). The alliance rules are pretty clear about lounge access oneworld - Lounge Access (although Qantas does grant some additional benefits at their own lounges to WP's see Fly - The Qantas Club - Lounge Access ).

 

[Ned2au]

Ruby does not give you access to First ... actually gives you access to NO lounges!

Emerald = Platinum
Sapphire = Gold
Ruby = Silver

Yes, sorry, my mistake, I got my colours mixed up. Platinum = Emerald (green oval).

All I am saying is that the rules have changed recently, so if you are not flying QF or One World you may be sitting in Starbucks at your next destination.

Someone said that I could have gone KL to SIN then home. Yep, that is one option, but it is only M'asian or their partners that fly directly to SYD. Paying extra money and spending time at airports is not my idea of fun.

Another options to pay some money and use Premier (I think), but I think that CX have simply gone cheap. Let me tell you that the CX lounge in KL is very basic and not worth it for any reason other than computer access.

 

[david870mdg]

I have a Platinum card and I can tell you that you have to fly QF or JetStar and Platinum to get into First Lounge.
You can fly any airlines and get into Business with Platinum.
I already knew this, hence the questions about status / card checking on the door. Only QF allows any time access for WPs to the QP.

I don't know here you are going, but let me tell you this... you can get into ANY One world lounge with it platinum or even gold, except in the "Enemy" territory where One world does not fly, in my case CX (CATHY PACIFIC lounge) in Kuala Lumpur.

Where did you get this idea?
You must be on O/W operated flight / flight no. And JQ is not OneWorld.
Also, CX has 3 flights ex KUL daily plus the two MH ones with CX flight nos.

So, the moral of the story is: when you go somewhere and you fly with another airline check to see if you can get in. I think that the bean counters have tighten the rules and being a platinum member does not cut much ice any more.

I can tell you that Cathay is off my list ... I am going to HK soon and I will be flying QF and not CX even if the tickets are cheaper.

CX is a FAR better airline IMHO.

Ned - Welcome to AFF

aaaaaaaaaa

 

[straitman]

All I am saying is that the rules have changed recently, so if you are not flying QF or One World you may be sitting in Starbucks at your next destination.

The oneworld lounge access rules haven't changed in the last few years (and probably longer). Cathay may have been either lax in applying them correctly, or giving a favour by allowing access. Now that they have their new lounge in KUL, perhaps they want to protect it more.

Ned2au,

I have to agree with Mal on this one. The rules relating to lounge access have not changed in recent times. It seems that CX have been generous to you in the past and are now sticking to the rules as written.

 

[djfuzz]

Dave beat me to it.

You can fly any airlines and get into Business with Platinum.

Normally Platinum memebers can go to a nearest One world airlines lounge and get in, but not with Cathay in KL!

As noted in the above posts, not so. Only Qantas J lounges. Not any other Oneworld airlines' lounge.

I can tell you that Cathay is off my list ... I am going to HK soon and I will be flying QF and not CX even if the tickets are cheaper.

A shame - as noted in my recent TRs, CX's service to OWE/WP (Oneworld Emeralds / Qantas Platinums) can be truly exceptional, far better than even on QF itself.

Someone said that I could have gone KL to SIN then home. Yep, that is one option, but it is only M'asian or their partners that fly directly to SYD. Paying extra money and spending time at airports is not my idea of fun.

You need to spend some time at The Wing or the SYD/MEL F lounges! That will change your mind!

Let me tell you that the CX lounge in KL is very basic and not worth it for any reason other than computer access

If their BKK F and J lounge is anything to go by, I can see what you mean!

 

[Ned2au]

Dave beat me to it.

...
You need to spend some time at The Wing or the SYD/MEL F lounges! That will change your mind!



If their BKK F and J lounge is anything to go by, I can see what you mean!

Yes, the local lounges are nice, but show me another OneWorld that comes close. Unfortunately they are wasted on me. My wife on the other hand enjoys them.

BKK is much nicer than CX in KL. As far as i can see the KL lounge has undergone a face lift, but that is all.


Let me correct my direction just a bit.

I am of the opinion that the real value of holding these expensive cards year after year is in being able to drop in and use the facility when I am forced to fly other airlines. I often fly for work, so I have earned them by doing a lot of miles and not always in convenient local or international locations. Just to let you know, my comments are not aimed at the local Qantas lounges.

Yes, check-in is good and getting priority in changing flights and upgrades when things are busy is all very nice, but for me, just being able to walk in any lounge at any time is where the value is for me.

It should not matter which boarding pass you are holding. I think that airlines who start to enforce the strict letter of the law are being badly advised.

In KL, there are no choices, there is only one OneWorld that I know about and no choice of direct flights. As a matter of curtesy CX and One World should recognise this and continue to allow access to the lounge. IMHO they are just being cheap and myopic to change their usual practice (or local rules, if you like).

I will be in HK soon. Which lounge should I use

 

[straitman]

I will be in HK soon. Which lounge should I use

Ned2au,

This will depend upon what you are doing.

Is it a transit :?:
How long will you be at the airport :?:
Which airlines are you flying :?:
What class are you flying :?:
and a whole bunch of other questions.

The wing and pier are great but may or may not be appropriate depending upon airline travelled and time available. From all reports the update QF lounge is also pretty good.

 

[simongr]

Y
I am of the opinion that the real value of holding these expensive cards year after year is in being able to drop in and use the facility when I am forced to fly other airlines. I often fly for work, so I have earned them by doing a lot of miles and not always in convenient local or international locations. Just to let you know, my comments are not aimed at the local Qantas lounges.

Yes, check-in is good and getting priority in changing flights and upgrades when things are busy is all very nice, but for me, just being able to walk in any lounge at any time is where the value is for me.

It should not matter which boarding pass you are holding. I think that airlines who start to enforce the strict letter of the law are being badly advised.

This is by far the strangest thing I have read on here. I have never heard of OW airlines allowing access to their lounges when not flying OW except for in the home ports like Australia with QF.

Generally all I read is the difficulty that people experience trying to access some lounges when actually flying OW 9BA being the best exampe of the dragons at the gate).

@Ned2au Apart from KL where else are you getting lounge access when not flying OW?

 

[trippin_the_rift]

If they swipe your SG card it will be fine.

I had the opposite example a few years ago when I had a WP card, but had just been downgraded to Gold. Gave the card to the agent and they looked confused for a second when the status on their computer didn't match the card type.

The card is a reference for the system to point to your account, which then pulls the status.

 

[AnonymousCoward]

It should not matter which boarding pass you are holding. I think that airlines who start to enforce the strict letter of the law are being badly advised.

I think airlines are very, very good at revenue management. They realise that as soon as they create a nice new lounge, every single FF, from every single alliance, will start using it *unless* they have restrictions stating that you have to be travelling on their airline (or an alliance airline).

Otherwise, every single Star Alliance Gold, Skyteam Elite Plus would be using the new QANTAS first class lounges in Sydney and Melbourne!

In KL, there are no choices, there is only one OneWorld that I know about and no choice of direct flights.

?!? JAL flies direct - to Japan. And CX flies direct - to HK.

It's just that there are no direct flights to Australia on QF. As a QF frequent flyer, flying on a non-OW carrier, I don't see why Cathay should allow you access to a lounge.

Instead, get status on MH or fly business/first on MH, and you can use their lovely lounge in KL