Qantas Club Guest Passes

[BARNABY]

I have recently seen Qantas Club Guest Passes (Complimentary Invitations) advertised for auction on ebay. Supposedly they are "valid until end October 2008".
i/ Has anyone had experience with these passes, sent from England?

ii/ Can legit QC Guest Passes be used solely by the holder (ie. without a QC member being present at the time?)

iii/ Do you have to present an airline ticket to use the Guest Pass?

I look forward to advice

Cheers
Barnaby

 

[turbo]

i) Haven't had experience with ebay ones but have seen them and wouldn't anticipate dramas providing they are within the expiry. i have friends who have used ones with the dates indecipherable but this may well be an exception.

ii) Yes, you can use them solely on your own - no QC member has to accompany you in.

iii) Yes, you need to have a boarding pass for onwards travel that day. I'm pretty sure it needs to be Qantas too. again, a friend on air pacific used one but did some pretty fast talking.

 

[simongr]

iii) Yes, you need to have a boarding pass for onwards travel that day. I'm pretty sure it needs to be Qantas too. again, a friend on air pacific used one but did some pretty fast talking.

It might depend on the pass. My parent's used mine to get into the QP whilst flying emirates (I wasnt traveling with them). They also managed to get two people in on on pas - but dont expect a repeat of that.

 

[serfty]

I have recently seen Qantas Club Guest Passes (Complimentary Invitations) advertised for auction on ebay. Supposedly they are "valid until end October 2008". ...

They are either "Guest Passes" or "Complimentary Invitations"; cannot be both.

If guest passes then they are worthless for gaining QP admission as Qantas ceased using them in June 2004.

 

[NM]

And the Complimentary Invitations have recently changed their terms and conditions. The newer ones clearly state that the invitations cannot be sold in any way. They also note the person using the invitation must be flying with Qantas or Jetstar on the day of entry. Any invitation with a 2008 expiry has the new restrictions relating to travel on QF or JQ.

See attachments for the front and back of such an invitation.

 

[NYCguy]

And the Complimentary Invitations have recently changed their terms and conditions. The newer ones clearly state that the invitations cannot be sold in any way. They also note the person using the invitation must be flying with Qantas or Jetstar on the day of entry. Any invitation with a 2008 expiry has the new restrictions relating to travel on QF or JQ.

See attachments for the front and back of such an invitation.

And they all have that little hologram on them? My BIL recently got some from eBay, and they don't have the hologram - is he in for a rude shock when he tries to use them?:shock:

 

[NM]

And they all have that little hologram on them? My BIL recently got some from eBay, and they don't have the hologram - is he in for a rude shock when he tries to use them?:shock:

I don't know the source of the ones for sale on eBay. The one I scanned was sent to Mrs NM from Qantas when she was re-statused from Gold (as my Partner Gold) to Silver. So I know that one is legitimate. As far as I know, QF only provide these invitations as the once-a-year membership pack for Silver members and now as incentives for various CC offers. How the UK-based eBay selled has managed to find a seemingly endless supply of invitations from any legitimate source is well beyond my comprehension.

 

[Optics]

I don't know the source of the ones for sale on eBay. The one I scanned was sent to Mrs NM from Qantas when she was re-statused from Gold (as my Partner Gold) to Silver. So I know that one is legitimate. As far as I know, QF only provide these invitations as the once-a-year membership pack for Silver members and now as incentives for various CC offers. How the UK-based eBay selled has managed to find a seemingly endless supply of invitations from any legitimate source is well beyond my comprehension.

And that would make me a little nervous in purchasing them (not to mention the price!). But the seller seems to have a good ebay history and recommendations, so they may be legit. I looked into these as I need a couple for the family when we take our US holiday in Sept. Mrs Optics has one from her restatus from SG to PS after me achieving Partner Gold (same as yours), but of course it expires 2 months prior to our trip (now that is poor planning ). Just to make it worse, I'm going to miss Partner Gold by 100 or so SC this year.

One other question, if you are WP and have a guest with a Complimentary Invitation (in addition to the 2 guests available under WP), does that guest get access to the F lounge?

 

[NM]

One other question, if you are WP and have a guest with a Complimentary Invitation (in addition to the 2 guests available under WP), does that guest get access to the F lounge?

The complimentary Invitations are not guest passes and the holder enters the lounge independently of you. So they only get to the business class lounge.

Platinum status entitles two guests for domestic lounges only. International lounges its only 1 guest. And all F lounges are international lounges.

 

[Optics]

The complimentary Invitations are not guest passes and the holder enters the lounge independently of you. So they only get to the business class lounge.

Platinum status entitles two guests for domestic lounges only. International lounges its only 1 guest. And all F lounges are international lounges.

You are correct of course. I really need to get my facts straight prior to posting, so many very knowledgeable people here .

 

[~B~]

I have purchased one off ebay before..for about $50 because i had an 8 hour transit at lax....it worked "shrugs"

 

[acampbel]

I have purchased one off ebay before..for about $50 because i had an 8 hour transit at lax....it worked "shrugs"

I recently passed through LAX and personally would not pay $50 for lounge access. The best you can get for your money is :-

• A shower
• 2 free drinks
• A few snacks
• Somewhere comfortable to sit
• Free internet terminal (though you may have to wait and they keep you standing to encourage turnover).

I know it's easy for me to say these things (as a QC member), but the L.A. Admirals/QC was a bit disappointing. If someone offered me $50 for my "seat" I would have taken them up in a flash and had a decent meal in the terminal.


Cheers,


Andrew

.

 

[simongr]

I recently passed through LAX and personally would not pay $50 for lounge access. The best you can get for your money is :-

• 2 free drinks
  
  Cheers,
  
  
  Andrew
  
  .

• 
  
  I believe you can go back downstairs and ask for more. Dont forget your free drinks do cost a $1 tip Its not a bad lounge but is always a little full.

 

[acampbel]

I believe you can go back downstairs and ask for more. Dont forget your free drinks do cost a $1 tip Its not a bad lounge but is always a little full.

Fine. You can go back to the counter and beg for more passes, but it is a bit demeaning. Didn't stop me doing it of course ....

No - the drinks are free and do not cost $1. If the barman is inadequately paid by his employer then serves him right for signing the AWA. And anyway, I found it quite amusing to watch the barman snatch the voucher from my hand with increasing irritation as the night wore on.


Cheers,


Andrew

.

 

[simongr]

I was very pleased that I sneaked F lounge access when I was in LAX for 7 hours - it would have been a nightmare otherwise - thankfully I should be EXP on my wauy out of the US in July.

S

 

[Optics]

Fine. You can go back to the counter and beg for more passes, but it is a bit demeaning. Didn't stop me doing it of course ....

No - the drinks are free and do not cost $1. If the barman is inadequately paid by his employer then serves him right for signing the AWA. And anyway, I found it quite amusing to watch the barman snatch the voucher from my hand with increasing irritation as the night wore on.


Cheers,


Andrew

.

While I understand your point re tipping, I think it is a case of "when in Rome ....". The pay for barman in the US is based on the generally accepted practise of tipping, so you can't blame him for the situation. I hate the situation here in Aust, where this is not the case really yet, and they still get snooty if you don't tip, regardless of the level of service they provide.

Also, if you don't tip, I imagine he will be snatching the vouchers from your hand much more infrequently than if you did tip, because he would come to serve you more infrequently.

 

[acampbel]

... While I understand your point re tipping, I think it is a case of "when in Rome ....". ....

So what is the exact point at which I am personally responsible for people's wages?

• Should I tip the check-out chick at Wal Mart? I certainly had a longer relationship with her than the aforementioned barman, as trying to put my 4-digit post code was confusing to their US-centric credit card machine.
• Should you tip the pimply kid at McDonalds, or the barista (sic) at StarBucks? Is it only when sitting down for food, or is a 10-second transaction for a beer at the lounge considered quality service?
• Should I tip the Avis guy who gives me my car keys, or the bloke I hand them back to at the airport?

Now don't get me wrong - if I have had a nice meal at a restaurant and the quality of the service over the hour or two has added to the experience, then I am happy to leave some cash on the table. But this tipping sickness in the US needs to be cured, not pandered to.

It may be my Scots heritage coming out .... not in the sense of frugalness but in the rejection of the underlying class-system in play here.


Cheers,

Andrew

.

P.S. I would have loved to have seen the guy refuse to serve me because I wasn't giving him a tip with each voucher. The subsequent conversation with his manager would have made my day!

 

[Optics]

So what is the exact point at which I am personally responsible for people's wages?

• Should I tip the check-out chick at Wal Mart? I certainly had a longer relationship with her than the aforementioned barman, as trying to put my 4-digit post code was confusing to their US-centric credit card machine.
• Should you tip the pimply kid at McDonalds, or the barista (sic) at StarBucks? Is it only when sitting down for food, or is a 10-second transaction for a beer at the lounge considered quality service?
• Should I tip the Avis guy who gives me my car keys, or the bloke I hand them back to at the airport?

Now don't get me wrong - if I have had a nice meal at a restaurant and the quality of the service over the hour or two has added to the experience, then I am happy to leave some cash on the table. But this tipping sickness in the US needs to be cured, not pandered to.

It may be my Scots heritage coming out .... not in the sense of frugalness but in the rejection of the underlying class-system in play here.


Cheers,

Andrew

.

P.S. I would have loved to have seen the guy refuse to serve me because I wasn't giving him a tip with each voucher. The subsequent conversation with his manager would have made my day!

I agree the system is lousy, and I am equally as confused on just when to tip. My point was meant to be that, it is not the barman's fault this system is in place. His base wage is very low because the system ensures it is supplemented by tips. Every customer that does not tip the usual amount (whatever that is these days), is like him having something deducted from his pay. Yes the system should be cured, but this should not be attempted by hurting the lowest rung on the ladder. The base pay needs to be increased first.

I would wish you luck in getting any sort of sympathetic hearing from the guys manager, they have grown up with this system as well, and were probably barmen before getting promoted.

 

[serfty]

Actually, If the bar staff are aware you come from Oz, they don't expect a tip so much.

In fact, one time last year in JFK, one seemed quite surprised that I actually did tip.

(Funny how those A/C vouchers are almost exactly the same size as a USD1 note. )

 

[straitman]

Actually, If the bar staff are aware you come from Oz, they don't expect a tip so much.

In fact, one time last year in JFK, one seemed quite surprised that I actually did tip.

(Funny how those A/C vouchers are almost exactly the same size as a USD1 note. )

..... and that the $1 coin has not gained any real acceptance.