TBIT 'Qantas' Business Lounge - extremely confused, as are staff

[dfcatch]

Hi everyone,

Sorry for the late reply....... I just had to duck out for some more popcorn from Garrett's, and the Gogo was a little slow.

I am very happy to report, that based on my sample size of 1.... it appears that "Staff Retraining 3.0" has been successful.

That said - I remain concerned that the issue occurred in the first place, and that it wasn't resolved when senior management were under the impression that it was.

Definitely not a good look for QF to have premium pax incorrectly denied access to premium products. I'm not sure which is more brand damaging...... incorrectly allowing a few too many pax in; or incorrectly denying access to those properly entitled.

Not under any non-disclosure, however discussions are ongoing, so it would be prudent for me to be a little circumspect until I have something meaningful to add to the discussion rather than just gossip.

GPH - ​​carrying a copy of the T&Cs would not have helped anyone in these circumstances, as the staff were outright ignoring whatever Qantas.com stated, and were insisting that the only rules they were following were those communicated to them by lounge management (regardless of accuracy).

In any event - there are outstanding matters to still be resolved, so I will report back in due course.

But in the short-term, it appears that the necessary corrections have occurred.
​

 

[moa999]

carrying a copy of the T&Cs would not have helped anyone in these circumstances, as the staff were outright ignoring whatever Qantas.com stated, and were insisting that the only rules they were following were those communicated to them by lounge management

Presumably there is therefore a new set of rules, or cheat sheet...

Cheat/pictorial sheets makes it easy for staff (and customers)
- eg. Amex lounge SYD with clear photos of card, the BA arrivals in LHR used to also have the same, including flight numbers of specific QF services that had access

(So long as said cheat sheet is consistent with the rules)

 

[dfcatch]

Or simply referring to Qantas.com which, nowadays, is one of the most easily to read lounge access guidelines ever invented.

 

[serfty]

Or simply referring to Qantas.com which, nowadays, is one of the most easily to read lounge access guidelines ever invented.

Lounge Locations | North America | Los Angeles International Airport Tom Bradley Terminal | International Business

'cept of course it does not include the AA Class of service or the AAdvantage Status based Domestic exclusions ...

 

[Sdtravel]

Also none of the lounges mention the OW rule about short haul connecting to a long haul flight and access being defined by the long haul.

 

[dfcatch]

Both of which are AA specific rules (which are, by definition, different to the standard OW rules).

So yes - if you read Qantas.com (together with Oneworld.com for the AA exclusion) then you're covered.

 

[dfcatch]

And actually Qantas.com does specifically refer to "International First" customers which covers the domestic to international connections.

 

[michaely]

I passed through LAX on Monday night November 9, to travel on QF 96 in PE.
I am a life member of QF Club.
I was unsure where the One world Lounge was , and went to the QF First Lounge to ask for directions.
When I rocked up at The One world Business Lounge, I was admitted with no fuss.
The Lounge was full to overflowing, with BA, CX as well as QF patrons.It was like a zoo, with virtually no seating available, but I persevered until I scored a seat close to the window, near the bar.
I went out of the lounge to do some last-minute shopping, and returned to the lounge again, without any argument.
I was more disappointed about the lack of points-based upgrades, but having found out the flight was carrying refugees from United, I was not surprised.
I am considering whether I put my stache of QFF points to another use than flights on the red rat, as upgrades are a thing of the past, unless you plan months ahead!!

 

[nonscenic]

On my recent return trip from JNB to SYD on QF64 , I showed my QC card at the Sholongolo Lounge (the QF Partner lounge) dragon who said that I only had access if flying J !. She relented after I recited the conditions of entry and I went on to enjoy the lounge. After I had returned I lodged a complaint with QF whose only response was that they had "passed on the feedback".
My other positive experience of LAX was a while ago when I had flown QF MEL-LAX and was then going on a Horizons Air metal for Alaska air flight with a QF codeshare number to Boise (BOI). There were no problems with the friendly lounge dragon at the Alaskair Board Room.
One almost wonders if a pay per access approach might be less stressful.

 

[coriander]

I passed through LAX on Monday night November 9, to travel on QF 96 in PE.
When I rocked up at The One world Business Lounge, I was admitted with no fuss.
The Lounge was full to overflowing, with BA, CX as well as QF patrons.It was like a zoo, with virtually no seating available, but I persevered until I scored a seat close to the window, near the bar.

We must've been sitting very close together - "seat close to window near the bar" . The new lounge is much much bigger than the old oneworld lounge but still as crowded.
QF94 was first cab off rank which would have thinned out the crowd substantially.

 

[dfcatch]

QF96 is a poor flight for upgrades given the lack of an F cabin.

PE on QF94 would generally have better chances of upgrades clearing.

But if you have no status - you're a very long way down the upgrade priority list.

The lounges are exceptionally busy in the evenings right now due to daylight savings resulting in flight departure time changes.

All the QF flights are bunched up closer than normal.

 

[susiesnowflake]

It has happened to me several times -I mention it to Qantas each time and haven't even had an acknowledgement. Not only it is not fair and not what I paid for, it is somewhat humiliating standing at the counter arguing with an imperious and overbearing (Emirates and BA) counter person. I have never taken the matter further but after my most recent refusal (Dubai) I might be encouraged by this thread to make a formal complaint. Class action anyone?

 

[GCBSYD]

QF themselves totally inconsistent with dress rules for Lounges. Business Class lounge at BNE allowed entry to pax ahead of me in grubby jeans, equally grubby jacket and gloves on his feet (those fitted "shoes" with fingers for the toes!). Not only that the Receptionist actually pointed these "shoes" out and marvelled at them as she welcomed him.
Go figure!

 

[Gazza129]

Different airline same issue last year in LA. Paid for first class and got got delayed 5 hours out of LAX to SF (then on to another destination) due to fog on Virgin America. Were informed that V America have now got a lounge and that it could be accessed for USD$40 per person. We presented our tickets but had to pay as we weren't flying "coast to coast". First class was irrelevant. We were also promised the finest snacks and beverages etc etc. Lucky to get a cracker and a banana.
Complained upon return to Melbourne along with a few other issues and discovered that the Virgin name is sold to the highest bidder in any given industry and and has no tie ins with other Virgin brands...... V America has NOTHING to do do with V Australia or V Atlantic. Etc Etc Etc......"They are separate businesses Sir" was a common response from staff.
Virgin is now off our Xmas card list and I have coined anew phrase to to describe it..........."The Virgin is a cough"............

 

[blackcat20]

Different airline same issue last year in LA. Paid for first class and got got delayed 5 hours out of LAX to SF (then on to another destination) due to fog on Virgin America. Were informed that V America have now got a lounge and that it could be accessed for USD$40 per person. We presented our tickets but had to pay as we weren't flying "coast to coast". First class was irrelevant. We were also promised the finest snacks and beverages etc etc. Lucky to get a cracker and a banana.
Complained upon return to Melbourne along with a few other issues and discovered that the Virgin name is sold to the highest bidder in any given industry and and has no tie ins with other Virgin brands...... V America has NOTHING to do do with V Australia or V Atlantic. Etc Etc Etc......"They are separate businesses Sir" was a common response from staff.
Virgin is now off our Xmas card list and I have coined anew phrase to to describe it..........."The Virgin is a cough"............

But they are separate businesses....

 

[TomVexille]

It has happened to me several times -I mention it to Qantas each time and haven't even had an acknowledgement. Not only it is not fair and not what I paid for, it is somewhat humiliating standing at the counter arguing with an imperious and overbearing (Emirates and BA) counter person. I have never taken the matter further but after my most recent refusal (Dubai) I might be encouraged by this thread to make a formal complaint. Class action anyone?

QC member?

 

[Gazza129]

Yes they are........and it will influence the way I deal with them in future. My point is that I can't think of any other major brand that separates itself out in this way. If I deal with Qantas I deal with them the way same all over the world, as with Apple or Toshiba or Canon or Samsung etc etc....
Every person I have discussed this with is surprised there is no correlation between Virgin brands.

 

[Jillian4654]

I used to flt regularly between Perth & Jakarta & , as Qantas only operate a Jetstar flight on this route i flew Jetstar! On one occasion flying out of Perth, I was adked to leave the Qantas Club as they were closing for the night, even though my flight was not leaving for another 11/2 hours. The Staff member informed me that they only stay open until the last Qantas flight left. When I explained that i had booked with Qantas, but as they only operated a Jetstar flight, that was what I was flying, she just said "Not my problem!". Not what you want to hear at midnight! I complained yo Qantas & was assired that it was an isolated incident & would not happen again & that the Staff member concerned would be spoken to. A couple of months later when I turned up at Perth Qantas Club, it was closed! I again complained & was again told that it should have been open & that the matter would be looked into.
Long story short, when my Qantas Club membership came up for renewal I did not renew!

Hi all!

I just thought I'd quickly write to document my experience on arrival at the TBIT Qantas Business Lounge on Friday.

I'm a Qantas Club member, and the short version is - I was denied access.

The long version:

I was flying from Sydney->Lax->SEA in economy. The Sydney->LAX was great, and I kicked it off with a stint in the Sydney business lounge - always a pleasure there, and the staff are lovely.

The LAX->SEA leg is where it gets interesting. The boarding pass for this leg was printed in Sydney, and sold to me as QF3739. The whole trip was purchased directly from Qantas, and both my boarding passes were issued by Qantas. The operator for this leg, however, was Alaskan - and the primary flight number was AS475.

Ahead of time I checked the access rules for the TBIT lounge for Qantas Club members, which are as follows:

'Next onward flight that day must be a Qantas, or Jetstar Airlines+ flight number.One guest allowed and must be travelling with the member on the same flight.'

I made sure to call the QFF hotline ahead of time to clarify this, and these assured me that there would be no issue. In fact, I further clarified this at the Qantas checkin desk in TBIT before heading through security (I didn't want to waste my time). However, upon arriving at the front desk of the lounge, there were two issues:

1. The staff member at the desk didn't know what the Qantas Club was, despite entry rules for Qantas Club members being clearly posted on the Qantas website for this lounge. It was a bit odd standing at the desk explaining the concept of the Qantas Club to this staff member, who perhaps might not be a Qantas employee - but was still representing Qantas.

2. Despite my boarding pass clearly having a Qantas flight number allocated 'Sold as QF3739', and the flight clearly showing as QF3739 in my Qantas app on my phone, the staff member was quite abrupt, and would only scan the boarding pass and say 'computer says no'. I should have thought of it at the time, but I didn't get call the QC hotline to discuss it further (I'd just got off a long flight!).

I'm now in Seattle, and have made several calls to the QFF line (I called first on Sunday, Australian time, and there was no supervisor available). I have subsequently spoken to a supervisor, and they agreed after a quick internal conference that they see no reason I should have been denied access, and my reading of the rules was correct.

They have offered to 'pass my comments on' - but honestly I feel like this has had the effect of reducing the value of my QC membership (lounge access being the very reason I purchased it in the first place...) has been substantially reduced here - and that 'passing my comments on' is a polite way of simply getting rid of me.

Has anyone else had an experience such as this? I was originally unsure as to whether I would be allowed lounge access at TBIT on this codeshare flight, but now that every Qantas staff member I've spoken to seem to believe that I should have been - it seems odd to me that they're being so dismissive of this. The whole experience was a bit embarrassing to me, as I had a staff member with me as my 'lounge guest', so to be turned away was an even less pleasant experience.

As I said to them, this kind of dismissal of Qantas Club members is precisely what will make me reconsider renewing next year..

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Different airline same issue last year in LA. Paid for first class and got got delayed 5 hours out of LAX to SF (then on to another destination) due to fog on Virgin America. Were informed that V America have now got a lounge and that it could be accessed for USD$40 per person. We presented our tickets but had to pay as we weren't flying "coast to coast". First class was irrelevant. We were also promised the finest snacks and beverages etc etc. Lucky to get a cracker and a banana.
Complained upon return to Melbourne along with a few other issues and discovered that the Virgin name is sold to the highest bidder in any given industry and and has no tie ins with other Virgin brands...... V America has NOTHING to do do with V Australia or V Atlantic. Etc Etc Etc......"They are separate businesses Sir" was a common response from staff.
Virgin is now off our Xmas card list and I have coined anew phrase to to describe it..........."The Virgin is a cough"............

With thy very few exceptions, a domestic first class ticket on any U.S. carrier will not get you access to lounges. Membership is required.

qantas and jetstar have much the same policy in place when it suits them... entirely separate businesses, and you cannot dealing them interchangeably.

 

[geoffl]

This actually happened to me in Sydney at the First Class Lounge !!
I had booked on a Qantas, Code Share with Vietnam Airlines Flight to HCM City and the young lady denied my access even though both my Wife and I are Platinum.
She insisted I use the Business Lounge.
The Boarding Pass showed the QF Flight Number.
All I did was to call the Premium Desk in Melbourne, got a very understanding Supervisor, who agreed that, yes, we could access the F Lounge, asked me for the Staff Members Name, and then called the Sydney Lounge Desk from Melbourne, asked for the Staff Member, and set her straight, all very efficient and highly embarrassing for the Sydney Lounge Attendant !!