QP members diverted from LAX TBIT Lounge until upgrade Complete - "Next Year"

[serfty]

Re: QP Members Barred from LAX TBIT Lounge until upgrade Completed - Sometime "Next Y

...
Examples of compensation could be:

• Some extra SC’s / a meaningful amount of points
  
• An FLounge pass for SYD / MEL (it’s an almost since you couldn’t see the best of what QF have to offer at TBIT, experience the best of what QF have to offer anywhere).
  
• 2 TBIT lounge passes for use once the TBIT lounge can be opened back up to all eligible customers.

...

A am thinking the USD50 vouchers / sending to the T4 lounge are costing QF as much as any of those.

So it's not beyond the realms of probability.

 

[Pleb Status]

Re: QP Members Barred from LAX TBIT Lounge until upgrade Completed - Sometime "Next Y

Like all good idea’s, this one came to me whilst I was away at lunch, and I’m hoping that Red Roo will see this and take this advice.

1. Send out an email to all QP members, no matter if they have a booking for LAX or not. Profusely apologising for this situation, do not use weasel words, do not even try to hide it behind “unintentionally”. In that email explain exactly what options a QP member has. Automatically an alternate lounge should be given (eg head straight to lounge XYZ and simply show your QP membership card).
2. Compensation should be offered, at the customer’s choice. QF spent months talking up the new TBIT lounge as the place to be. This compensation should not be because they are forced to, but in the interest of acknowledging the fact that they are going to have lots of very disappointed customers who may just be convinced to look at one of the other transpac options next time. Examples of compensation could be
a. Some extra SC’s / a meaningful amount of points
b. An FLounge pass for SYD / MEL (it’s an almost since you couldn’t see the best of what QF have to offer at TBIT, experience the best of what QF have to offer anywhere).
c. 2 TBIT lounge passes for use once the TBIT lounge can be opened back up to all eligible customers.

Before anyone says “but this will cost QF”, that horse has bolted, QF hyped something but did not deliver, this is now in the interest of ensuring that customers consider QF an option next time.

A suggestion for the wording of the email could be

Just a suggestion.

I think you are getting a little bit excited with your levels of compensation here.

What should a WP/P1 expect if they are refused access to a lounge if this is what a QC member should receive?

 

[eastwest101]

Re: QP Members Barred from LAX TBIT Lounge until upgrade Completed - Sometime "Next Y

I think you are getting a little bit excited with your levels of compensation here.

What should a WP/P1 expect if they are refused access to a lounge if this is what a QC member should receive?

Well first off that is an irrelevant question, as it is Qantas Club members whom are being denied access at TBIT - not WP or P1s.

But in the extremely unlikely and academic case that WPs or P1s were denied access then yes - it is possible that QF could choose a higher level of compensation, but I don't think anyone would think that is highly likely to happen.

 

[medhead]

Re: QP Members Barred from LAX TBIT Lounge until upgrade Completed - Sometime "Next Y

I do not believe these are weasel words. I think clause 10.6 is intended to operate where a member might be acting, or likely to act, in a certain way which would be detrimental to the safety or comfort of others in the lounge. If a member appears intoxicated, or was having a heated argument with their spouse, or was arguing with lounge entry staff... that's what I think clause 10.6 is designed to capture.

To interpret it so widely, that entry staff can deny access for 'any reason', would be too broad. And would defeat the intention of buying membership.

While overcrowding could be an issue, and may otherwise be a valid reason to deny entry based on safety, I would think the onus would be on the airline to ensure it could accommodate the likely volume of members before selling a product that entitles entry. Or, as they have done, provide alternative facilities. But the wording of the overcrowding issue should be amended accordingly in the terms and conditions (for example 'lounge access to members may be restricted in cases of overcrowding. Alternative lounge arrangement will be made where available, or a voucher provided if this is not possible'.)

Unfortunately. That is the only clause, on a broad interpretation, of the T&Cs that allow blanket barring of Qantas club members. They are refused entry regardless of the number of pax in the lounge.

 

[harvyk]

Re: QP Members Barred from LAX TBIT Lounge until upgrade Completed - Sometime "Next Y

I think you are getting a little bit excited with your levels of compensation here.

What should a WP/P1 expect if they are refused access to a lounge if this is what a QC member should receive?

I don't think so. As someone else has pointed out, it would be highly unlikely that a WP / P1 would be turned away from the lounge "just in case".
Besides this is a good will gesture, and if you think offering an FLounge pass is expensive, imagine how expensive it will be to QF when pax discovers VA also flies transpac.

 

[harvyk]

Re: QP Members Barred from LAX TBIT Lounge until upgrade Completed - Sometime "Next Y

I do not believe these are weasel words. I think clause 10.6 is intended to operate where a member might be acting, or likely to act, in a certain way which would be detrimental to the safety or comfort of others in the lounge. If a member appears intoxicated, or was having a heated argument with their spouse, or was arguing with lounge entry staff... that's what I think clause 10.6 is designed to capture.

To interpret it so widely, that entry staff can deny access for 'any reason', would be too broad. And would defeat the intention of buying membership.

While overcrowding could be an issue, and may otherwise be a valid reason to deny entry based on safety, I would think the onus would be on the airline to ensure it could accommodate the likely volume of members before selling a product that entitles entry. Or, as they have done, provide alternative facilities. But the wording of the overcrowding issue should be amended accordingly in the terms and conditions (for example 'lounge access to members may be restricted in cases of overcrowding. Alternative lounge arrangement will be made where available, or a voucher provided if this is not possible'.)

I think you've missed the point of my post. My point is not asking if QF doing so was a breach of contract, my post was pointing out that hiding behind T&C's is a great way to lose customers and alienate people.

 

[mannej]

Re: QP Members Barred from LAX TBIT Lounge until upgrade Completed - Sometime "Next Y

I don't think so. As someone else has pointed out, it would be highly unlikely that a WP / P1 would be turned away from the lounge "just in case".
Besides this is a good will gesture, and if you think offering an FLounge pass is expensive, imagine how expensive it will be to QF when pax discovers VA also flies transpac.

Considering that QF were giving these out as a gesture of goodwill following the grounding (F-Lounge Passes), I think you may be getting a tad excited.
There are other forms of compensation that would be more appropriate.

 

[rayray]

Re: QP Members Barred from LAX TBIT Lounge until upgrade Completed - Sometime "Next Y

A quick clarification here, when we were denied, we were offered a $50pp voucher, OR use of the Terminal 4. Not both. That was made very clear.

 

[UP4014]

Re: QP Members Barred from LAX TBIT Lounge until upgrade Completed - Sometime "Next Y

I think you are getting a little bit excited with your levels of compensation here.

What should a WP/P1 expect if they are refused access to a lounge if this is what a QC member should receive?

The same level.

 

[serfty]

Re: QP Members Barred from LAX TBIT Lounge until upgrade Completed - Sometime "Next Y

On 10/7/14 I was denied entry at 1915 at check in. Tried again at 2300 as QF16 was delayed until 0035 and was denied I again. I was told no Qantas Club members were able to access the lounge at all that night.

What choices were you offerred at 7:15pm? $50 voucher? A/C at T4? other?

 

[Pleb Status]

Re: QP Members Barred from LAX TBIT Lounge until upgrade Completed - Sometime "Next Y

The same level.

Even though a P1 customer could provide more than 20 times the revenue to QF as a QC customer?

 

[Dazz70]

Re: QP Members Barred from LAX TBIT Lounge until upgrade Completed - Sometime "Next Y

It was a voucher (though I was not advised of the amount of the voucher) or T4 AC. I took the AC option. It was also one of
the rare times I had a guest travelling with me and he had no issues getting into the AC as a guest.

 

[opusman]

Re: QP Members Barred from LAX TBIT Lounge until upgrade Completed - Sometime "Next Y

The thing is, QP members are already entitled to use the Admiral's Club. So really Qantas have done nothing at all if you take that option.

 

[waynemerry]

Re: QP Members Barred from LAX TBIT Lounge until upgrade Completed - Sometime "Next Y

The thing is, QP members are already entitled to use the Admiral's Club. So really Qantas have done nothing at all if you take that option.

So what stops someone taking the voucher and then heading over to T4 anyway?

 

[THE TRIMMER]

Re: QP Members Barred from LAX TBIT Lounge until upgrade Completed - Sometime "Next Y

I wonder if Alan Joyce would be turned away?

 

[Dazz70]

Re: QP Members Barred from LAX TBIT Lounge until upgrade Completed - Sometime "Next Y

Maybe not that easy getting the voucher and heading to T4 - I had a message printed on my boarding pass to clear security in T4 in order to access the AC. And I was questioned by security why I was in T4. It was just a frustrating experience given all the publicity about the new lounge in TBIT. And the flight ended up being delayed for over 3 hours including spending 90 minutes on the tarmac as the engines could not be started !

 

[RooFlyer]

Re: QP Members Barred from LAX TBIT Lounge until upgrade Completed - Sometime "Next Y

<snip>

(PS. Yes I realize this is another QF rant, I guess QF can take some consolidation in the fact I’m ranting like this, it means I’m still willing to fly them. The day they have to be worried about is the day I decide ranting like this is no longer worth it)

Sounds like me 6-9 months ago . No more QF rants from me; only QF flying these days are award flights or if client's decision.

2010: 84,000km on QF (nearly all J)
2011: 71,000km
2012: 94,000km
2013: 92,000km
2014 YTD: 15,000km

 

[harvyk]

Re: QP Members Barred from LAX TBIT Lounge until upgrade Completed - Sometime "Next Y

Even though a P1 customer could provide more than 20 times the revenue to QF as a QC customer?

If you are rejected from the lounge 20 times, then you'll get 20 times the apology as a QP who is rejected from the lounge once (and you'll no doubt be reviewing the decision of getting P1). Of course, please name a situation where a P1 customer has be rejected from an otherwise open QF lounge.

 

[janelarm]

Re: QP Members Barred from LAX TBIT Lounge until upgrade Completed - Sometime "Next Y

I wasn't even given the option - voucher only. Also see that QF is still advertising LAX lounge as a reason for joining QP - perhaps false advertising???

 

[timster]

Re: QP Members Barred from LAX TBIT Lounge until upgrade Completed - Sometime "Next Y

Even though a P1 customer could provide more than 20 times the revenue to QF as a QC customer?

How many QP members are there ? How many P1's ? Profit as a whole from QP vs P1 ?