Qantas Status based Lounge Access before Fiji Airways Flights

[leaving on a jet plane]

Okay. Time for a straw poll. I need to know if I am being unreasonable about my expectation and anger here.
The situation is this. I have Platinum frequent flyer status with QANTAS. I booked 2 business class seats on a direct flight from MEL to NAN. The redemption E-Ticket showed FJ934 despite their being a QANTAS code share flight number QF3867. (For background ALL QANTAS booked passengers on direct flights from MEL - NAN are on the same Fiji Airways operated aircraft as QANTAS do not operate their own hardware on the route.....And Fiji Airways has special status as a "One World Connect" partner. Probably because QANTAS part owns them).
So here's the source of my anger. When I called to confirm that I would be able to use the MEL First class lounge as a Platinum member flying on a QANTAS code share flight with Business class seats booked with QANTAS Frequent flyer points, on a One World Connect partner... I was told NO.!!!

Thoughts?
JC

 

[serfty]

Thoughts?
JC

It sucks ... but it is what it is. (although I do not consider you to be being unreasonable here.)

It is rare that awards can be booked using Qantas codeshare flight numbers.

You may ask pleasantly at the First reception and they might make an exception for you.

I have the same situation in June; I hold faint hope that by then FJ would have fully joined oneworld but I doubt it. Once that does happen, Emerald Access would apply for the First lounge.

https://www.qantas.com/au/en/qantas-experience/at-the-airport/airport-lounges/qantas-lounge-access-eligibility.html#international-first-lounge

https://www.qantas.com/au/en/frequent-flyer/status-and-clubs/status/platinum.html

 

[markis10]

There is the published rules and there is the likelihood reality is different as reported on an occasional basis eg

I flew FJ yesterday out of SYD as a Platinum (on an economy classic award). Consequently the flight carried an FJ flight number instead of a QF flight number, meaning I was somewhat concerned that I wouldn't get access on the basis that Fiji is still technically a OneWorld Connect partner (and thus doesn't provide the same range of benefits to OneWorld elites flying them). Fortunately, after clearing security I headed straight for the First lounge, the agent scanned my boarding pass and that was it. No need to show my Qantas card or anything. A very seamless process indeed.

Lounge Access Help Desk

As always YMMV

 

[leaving on a jet plane]

Thank you for your replies. I will chance my hand at the lounge in August as you both suggest.
BUT the whole thing sounds very pedantic and petty minded on QANTAS part to me. Same plane, same Platinum Status, same business class seat, paid for to the same airline (QANTAS) using their own currency (QFF Points). The only difference is the actual currency I paid with...theirs or cash is depth they are drilling down to to deny access. Seems they still don't value their most loyal clients that much....no lessons learnt after all.

 

[SYD]

As mentioned above, there are several reports here of WP being allowed access to the F lounge on FJ code (including the very recent one in SYD).

Which seems to have started on or around FJ announcing the transition to full OW membership and ditching the silly OW Connect (which is a complete dogs breakfast when it comes to lounge access).

Thank you for your replies. I will chance my hand at the lounge in August as you both suggest.

There’s a chance that FJ will have completed the transition to full OW membership by mid 2025. So before your August flight.

 

[serfty]

There’s a chance that FJ will have completed the transition to full OW membership by mid 2025. So before your August flight.

I'm hoping by June - but given the pace of Royal Air Maroc joining it's

 

[Mwenenzi]

Are other threads on access to QF lounges on FJ marketed and operated flights. Far from the first time this has been asked
Google

• "ow connect lounge access policy 1218"
• "fj-oneworld-connect-faqs-v20 b"

Shows a complicated table.

 

[SYD]

Are other threads on access to QF lounges on FJ marketed and operated flights. Far from the first time this has been asked
Google "ow connect lounge access policy 1218"
Shows a complicated table.

Yes, but the other threads and reported actual access experiences recently in SYD (at least) suggest QF are following a more liberal approach leading up to FJ full entry into OW (and may e that’s just QF elites flying FJ).

I thought about asking the SYD F front desk what the policy is (when I was there a couple of weeks ago but forgot to ). I’m back there next week and may ask then.

 

[tdimdad]

BUT the whole thing sounds very pedantic and petty minded

At the end of the day, the rule is pretty straightforward: you are flying on a non-OW coded flight. It'd be similar than you rocked up with an LH ticket to ask for lounge access. To QF, it makes zero difference who sold the ticket or how you paid for it.

The fact that different payment options (cash vs points) open up different native vs codeshare flight numbers and resulting benefits sure is annoying and confusing. But the rulebook still should be kept simple enough to follow without a hundred exceptions (though, who are we to talk of that in the land of million exceptions and loopholes in rules and regulations???). Hopefully FJ is close enough to OW full membership by August that you'll get into the lounge, at least as a courtesy.

 

[leaving on a jet plane]

Thanks. I feel vindicated.
It's not the end of the world if I don't get access to the first class lounge for this trip.. its more a matter of principle. Its the same plane (all Qantas direct flight from MEL - NAN are on FJ hardware... it has a Qantas code share number for that very reason), I am in the same J class seat, I booked the flight with Qantas, using their own currency (QFF points). The only difference is that I booked that same seat on that same flight with Qantas FF points rather than cash.
This displays a level of pedantic thinking to find reasons NOT to rather than TO look after your most loyal customers that belongs in the Joyce rear vision mirror in my opinion.
I hope Qantas learned something from that era...but I am obviously dubious.

 

[im.daniel]

As mentioned above, there are several reports here of WP being allowed access to the F lounge on FJ code (including the very recent one in SYD).

Correct. There have been LOTS of reports of QF WP being able to access QF F Lounges on a FJ code. Myself included.

I managed to bring in family of 3 into QF SYD F, LAX OW F lounge on a FJ CODED flight in August. No questions asked. Welcomed with a smile. Even proactively offered 2x QF QF33/34 PJ's.

So yes, you have a good chance of access. YMMV.

 

[Aggi]

I’ve done an annual trip to Fiji using points for the past 3 years and as a WP have always been given access to the First lounge without any issues (despite traveling on an FJ flight) so you should be okay.

 

[clifford]

I think you should be OK (depending on the dragons on the desk of the FCL). After all, we're in the Qantas charm season.

A couple of years ago I was flying MEL-KUL in J on MH metal but on a WY codeshare. No problems getting into the lounge, and they even tried to have the points credited to QF (without success).

 

[SYD]

I’ve done an annual trip to Fiji using points for the past 3 years and as a WP have always been given access to the First lounge without any issues (despite traveling on an FJ flight) so you should be okay.

You were probably very lucky in those earlier years. I’ve seen many people turned away on points AND paid FJ flights (booked direct) turned away by Nestor only to then do the walk of shame from the QF J lounge also if only booked in whY.

Anyway, pretty confident that’s no longer the case and the advice at OP was dud (or out of date).

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Just thought I’d chime in here. Last Saturday I flew SYD > NAN in economy as a classic award so FJ flight number and had no issues accessing the F lounge at SYD. Whatever the agent told you may have been the case several months ago but note that FJ ids more or less a full OneWorld member Qantas seems quite content letting platinums into their lounge

 

[sudoer]

FJ ids more or less a full OneWorld member

No they're not. They're still a oneworld Connect member.

 

[SYD]

No they're not. They're still a oneworld Connect member.

But it’s within QFs own control to let their own status members in on FJ code - which is what I assume has happened and I will endeavour to verify (unless someone else reading this is there now or before I get back next week).