Qantas digital lounge invitations and access issues

[sudoer]

I just want somewhere to sit for a couple of hours between flights - an advertised benefit of my credit card for which I pay a hefty fee

Which Amex did you get the passes from? It may also get you into the Sydney Amex Lounge before your flight to Manila. I haven't been post-refurb but I'm told it's nicer than QF J lounge.

 

[opusman]

What are the access conditions shown on your passes? SIN-CGK would presumably be operated by 3K, not JQ - maybe the pass isn't valid for Jetstar Asia flights?

 

[Mr H]

Which Amex did you get the passes from? It may also get you into the Sydney Amex Lounge before your flight to Manila. I haven't been post-refurb but I'm told it's nicer than QF J lounge.

Good thinking - although the Amex card will be in an 18 month fallow period when I fly.

What are the access conditions shown on your passes? SIN-CGK would presumably be operated by 3K, not JQ - maybe the pass isn't valid for Jetstar Asia flights?

That might be the source of one of the problems. Is 3K really not treated as Jetstar? Unfortunately I can't see the terms of the invitations as I can no longer access the lounge invitations section of their website because of their cookies settings.

 

[big_RED]

That might be the source of one of the problems. Is 3K really not treated as Jetstar? Unfortunately I can't see the terms of the invitations as I can no longer access the lounge invitations section of their website because of their cookies settings.

I gifted some passes to my sister for a Jetstar flight from Sydney to Japan but we found out the below:
JQ flights out of Narita leave from T3, the LCC terminal. The Qantas lounge is in T2, and you can only enter T2 with a valid boarding pass. The terminals aren't connected airside, so there's no way for a JQ pax to access the QF lounge.

Perhaps this could be a similar issue for you?

It doesn't help that this information isn't visible on the Qantas website anywhere!

 

[Mr H]

I gifted some passes to my sister for a Jetstar flight from Sydney to Japan but we found out the below:
JQ flights out of Narita leave from T3, the LCC terminal. The Qantas lounge is in T2, and you can only enter T2 with a valid boarding pass. The terminals aren't connected airside, so there's no way for a JQ pax to access the QF lounge.

Perhaps this could be a similar issue for you?

It doesn't help that this information isn't visible on the Qantas website anywhere!

In my case, the QF lounge is located in Changi T1, the same place as the Jetstar flights leave. Besides, you can travel airside between terminals at Changi. I am thinking the most likely problem is that Jetstar Asia is not treated as being Jetstar. It's really annoying as I am travelling on (and paying for) a first class redemption but the Jetstar Asia sectors won't recognise this and give me lounge access.

Still also doesn't explain why I can't link a QF flight to an invitation.

 

[opusman]

Still also doesn't explain why I can't link a QF flight to an invitation.

I think you can probably just blame Qantas IT for that Try again a bit later, it might work fine.

 

[sudoer]

I am thinking the most likely problem is that Jetstar Asia is not treated as being Jetstar. It's really annoying as I am travelling on (and paying for) a first class redemption but the Jetstar Asia sectors won't recognise this and give me lounge access.

Complimentary passes are also valid for use when flying 3K.

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I think the problem is to do with the 'Have a Jetstar flight?' form on the complimentary invite page not listing Singapore as a valid city. If you can be bothered contacting QFF again, you may need to phrase the complaint in that way specifically. I wouldn't go into the fact you are flying 3K - this issue would exist for all JQ group flights.



That aside, if you are transiting from a QF First flight, you may find that boarding pass gets you into the SIN F lounge for your onward flight anyway. Certainly would be the case if the onward flight was oneworld operated. I'd try your luck at the QF SIN F lounge first, regardless of whether you manage to attach a lounge pass.

 

[Mr H]

Thanks sbor. The lounge access rules are clear that transfer from a QF to Jetstar flight does not secure lounge access, regardless of the class of the QF flight. The lounge dragons may be generous to me, but I won't know until I try it - by which time it would be too late to link the invitation. And I think I recall others saying that they are strict in applying the rules.

Apart from this flight, the only QF flights I expect to make during the validity of the invitations are MEL-SYD-MNL return. Both the MEL-SYD flights are early morning and I've never felt that I've got much value from early morning lounge visits. Hence, I might as well link to the 3K flight even if I might have blagged my way in anyway.

 

[Mr H]

Finally managed to toggle the cookies settings to get the QF flight linked to the invitation. I got the following screen message:

Congratulations​

​

Your lounge invitation was redeemed successfully. We’ve sent an email to you at *****@*****.com with your confirmation and what to do when you get to the airport.​

​

We’re looking forward to welcoming you into the lounge.​

I am pleased that Qantas correctly recognises the magnitude of the achievement in doing so.

 

[sudoer]

Finally managed to toggle the cookies settings to get the QF flight linked to the invitation.

Have you configured some particularly strict cookie blocking settings? The complimentary invitation portal has always worked fine for me with default Chrome cookie handling.

 

[Mr H]

Have you configured some particularly strict cookie blocking settings? The complimentary invitation portal has always worked fine for me with default Chrome cookie handling.

Mostly I can't use the Qantas website at home or at work. After I have visited a page, it locks out. After I have visited the site about three times, it won't even load. I have to delete cookies and close all other windows, come out of the browser (Chrome at work, safari at home) and restart the browser, using Qantas.com as the first website I open. Then I have to make sure I don't have the box ticked to remember me or the website won't function.

 

[sudoer]

Same issue when using incognito? Very odd issue to have across multiple computers/browsers.

 

[dylarr]

Myself and my parents are having the same issue with qantas.com - predomenantly with Safari, for months now. Sometimes the entire page doesn't load, sometimes it does but you can't search for flights (the origin/destination dropdown don't appear, etc). It's been happening for months now so I can +1 to the issues that Mr H is having. Usually the only way to fix it is to clear cookies / cache.

 

[Mr H]

In my case, the QF lounge is located in Changi T1, the same place as the Jetstar flights leave. Besides, you can travel airside between terminals at Changi. I am thinking the most likely problem is that Jetstar Asia is not treated as being Jetstar. It's really annoying as I am travelling on (and paying for) a first class redemption but the Jetstar Asia sectors won't recognise this and give me lounge access.

Still also doesn't explain why I can't link a QF flight to an invitation.

So an update.

I rang the call centre and after a couple of hours on hold, they told me they would report the issue to their IT team and fix it so I could link to this Jetstar flight. A month later and no progress. So I wanted to avoid another couple of hours on hold so I tried the Facebook Messenger service. First time they replied it was 3am so I wasn't aware my opportunity to reply had come up. Tried again, and managed to be online at 9pm yesterday when they answered. After a bot of back and forth, they said they don't have the ability to deal with lounge invitations on the Messenger service. They suggested calling the call centre. When I objected, they gave me an email address. I got a reply from them today saying:

Please be advised that passengers can only access the Singapore International Business Lounge when their next onward Jetstar flight is on Business Max fare type.​

I have gone back to them to ask where this rule is written because when I look at the terms and conditions, they say that a general invitation "can be used at any Qantas Club domestic lounge, Qantas International Lounge or Qantas operated International Business Lounge (excluding Los Angeles Tom Bradley Terminal) when departing on a Qantas or Jetstar flight number". The Singapore Lounge is not excluded, and is a Qantas International Lounge, and the flight on which I am departing is a Jetstar flight. I have a valid general lounge invitation. So from where I am sitting, it looks as though my request is bang in the middle of what is allowed (and what the lounge invitations are designed to do).

There is literally no attempt to engage with the issue - they just make up rules to justify the problem.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

So an update.

I rang the call centre and after a couple of hours on hold, they told me they would report the issue to their IT team and fix it so I could link to this Jetstar flight. A month later and no progress. So I wanted to avoid another couple of hours on hold so I tried the Facebook Messenger service. First time they replied it was 3am so I wasn't aware my opportunity to reply had come up. Tried again, and managed to be online at 9pm yesterday when they answered. After a bot of back and forth, they said they don't have the ability to deal with lounge invitations on the Messenger service. They suggested calling the call centre. When I objected, they gave me an email address. I got a reply from them today saying:

Please be advised that passengers can only access the Singapore International Business Lounge when their next onward Jetstar flight is on Business Max fare type.​

I have gone back to them to ask where this rule is written because when I look at the terms and conditions, they say that a general invitation "can be used at any Qantas Club domestic lounge, Qantas International Lounge or Qantas operated International Business Lounge (excluding Los Angeles Tom Bradley Terminal) when departing on a Qantas or Jetstar flight number". The Singapore Lounge is not excluded, and is a Qantas International Lounge, and the flight on which I am departing is a Jetstar flight. I have a valid general lounge invitation. So from where I am sitting, it looks as though my request is bang in the middle of what is allowed (and what the lounge invitations are designed to do).

There is literally no attempt to engage with the issue - they just make up rules to justify the problem.

It might not be the answer, but I do remember a little while ago, may be two years ago now, Singapore Lounge was not allowing single use passes link/enter due to capacity issues. With Singapore being the transit point for flights to London, this has made the capacity issue worse hence the need for a First lounge there.

For what it’s worth I agree with your reading of the T&C.

 

[dylarr]

The line around Jetstar passengers only getting access to the Singapore lounge when flying Business on a Business Max Bundle is false.

I've used the Singapore Lounge many times when flying out on a cheap Jetstar economy fares, both with lounge passes and status. Since the recent lounge refurb the restrictions around using lounge passes has also been removed.

It's an issue with the lounge pass linking system. It used to work OK for Jetstar flights but is buggy as hell now.

 

[onelongflight]

The line around Jetstar passengers only getting access to the Singapore lounge when flying Business on a Business Max Bundle is false.

I've used the Singapore Lounge many times when flying out on a cheap Jetstar economy fares, both with lounge passes and status. Since the recent lounge refurb the restrictions around using lounge passes has also been removed.

It's an issue with the lounge pass linking system. It used to work OK for Jetstar flights but is buggy as hell now.

Agreed,my partner and I have Business flights (I) from Syd > SIN > SGN (QF but is Jetstar - Econ) in August, we have had no issues in linking passes for the connecting flights to SGN.

 

[Mr H]

Agreed,my partner and I have Business flights (I) from Syd > SIN > SGN (QF but is Jetstar - Econ) in August, we have had no issues in linking passes for the connecting flights to SGN.

I suspect you are able to do it because you have a QF flight number so it shows up on your list of available flights. With a 3K flight number I have to enter details manually and the Singapore lounge is not a valid option.

It is frustrating not to be able to use this pass in the way the terms and conditions clearly intend. But it is even more frustrating that it takes literally days to get each response out of QF, and when the response is nonsense it just sends me back to the start of the queue. There is no opportunity to actually discuss anything with them because in the rare occasion that you get to engage with a human, they are in the wrong Department and cannot deal with your issue.

All companies have IT glitches and sales agents who make mistakes. But I have never come across a company as difficult to engage with as Qantas.

 

[Mr H]

Got through to QFF on the phone today - straight through four times (!) but the first three calls disconnected. The first one told me that lounge invitations could not be used on Jetstar flights and I was disconnected when I told the agent that the terms and conditions said they could.

Second and third calls were disconnected when I was outlining the issue.

Fourth call - the agent initially said that there was a technical upgrade happening now which meant some people could not access the system. I said that this had been going on for weeks now, so that was probably not the problem (incidentally, the technical upgrade was the excuse given to me right at the beginning of all this). So the agent pressed on and asked for my flight number. He would not believe that my flight (on 3K) was a Jetstar flight because "all Jetstar flights begin with JQ". He insisted I was reading him my PNR, even though I gave him my PNR which is quite different. He said he was not able to access the lounge invitations but would email the relevant department with my flight date/number and they would manually link my invitation within 24-48 hours. Just what the first agent promised so many weeks ago...

Paper invitations were so much simpler.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Got through to QFF on the phone today - straight through four times (!) but the first three calls disconnected. The first one told me that lounge invitations could not be used on Jetstar flights and I was disconnected when I told the agent that the terms and conditions said they could.

Second and third calls were disconnected when I was outlining the issue.

Fourth call - the agent initially said that there was a technical upgrade happening now which meant some people could not access the system. I said that this had been going on for weeks now, so that was probably not the problem (incidentally, the technical upgrade was the excuse given to me right at the beginning of all this). So the agent pressed on and asked for my flight number. He would not believe that my flight (on 3K) was a Jetstar flight because "all Jetstar flights begin with JQ". He insisted I was reading him my PNR, even though I gave him my PNR which is quite different. He said he was not able to access the lounge invitations but would email the relevant department with my flight date/number and they would manually link my invitation within 24-48 hours. Just what the first agent promised so many weeks ago...

Paper invitations were so much simpler.

I’m sorry to say but I think Qantas won’t link it in 24-48 hours. As you’ve noted the same promise the first time...

The only thing I can think of is clear your computer caches and just try linking it.

Please keep us updated.