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

[Milefest]

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 !!

That's a good idea, I'll do that if it happens again. Nothing worse than showing them the lounge rules on your phone and they say "sorry I can't help".

 

[RooFlyer]

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"............

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.

Wandering o/t ... You could be forgiven for thinking that that there was a formal association between the various 'Virgin' airlines but having a common 'brand' has never strictly connoted common ownership. Virgin Records, Virgin Money, Virgin Trains ... Branson may own some equity in the particular business but mostly makes his money via the company paying to use the 'Virgin' brand.

Similar to (but not exactly the same situation as) Coke. The mob in Atlanta I'm pretty sure don't have equity in the plants who make the product in Australia - its a franchise, with certain rules laid down by the brand owner (logos, taste , formula).

 

[Flying mermaid]

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!!

It really is luck of the draw. In late July Master FM's partner flew SYD-LAX return in Y, she is silver and put in for upgrades to J about 3 weeks in advance. She got upgrades both ways - she flew mid week both ways, which I suspect helped.

 

[Jo145]

I'm a QC member (bronze only but member since 2005) and in December am travelling LAX-MEL using AA points but flying J on Qantas. I and have a Qantas flight number - will I have trouble accessing the Qantas Bus Lounge at LAX?

 

[RooFlyer]

I'm a QC member (bronze only but member since 2005) and in December am travelling LAX-MEL using AA points but flying J on Qantas. I and have a Qantas flight number - will I have trouble accessing the Qantas Bus Lounge at LAX?

"According to the rules" at the present - no (that is, no trouble accessing). But if the type of stuff up that has occurred recently, continues, the answer would be "who knows"

 

[JohnPhelan]

I'm a QC member (bronze only but member since 2005) and in December am travelling LAX-MEL using AA points but flying J on Qantas. I and have a Qantas flight number - will I have trouble accessing the Qantas Bus Lounge at LAX?

You're fine because:

1. you're traveling in J, so that's all that matters; and even if that were not the case,
2. as a QC member, you have access to Qantas-operated international Business lounges when travelling on a QF flight.

The recent LAX issues would not have affected you in any way.

 

[TomVexille]

I'm a QC member (bronze only but member since 2005) and in December am travelling LAX-MEL using AA points but flying J on Qantas. I and have a Qantas flight number - will I have trouble accessing the Qantas Bus Lounge at LAX?

Not at all since you're flying J

 

[moa999]

I'm a QC member (bronze only but member since 2005) and in December am travelling LAX-MEL using AA points but flying J on Qantas. I and have a Qantas flight number - will I have trouble accessing the Qantas Bus Lounge at LAX?

For QC access - you need to be on the QF flight number (primary)
I suspect AA has booked you on this anyway (I don't believe their is award availability under the AA codeshare).

But in any event by flying J on QF, you have access via Class of Service.

You were not in the category of people recently denied.

 

[coriander]

Will I have trouble accessing the Qantas Bus Lounge at LAX?

On Monday evening at LAX, all the door person wanted was my boarding pass: he looked at it, scanned it and returned it without issue or comment.

BTW, look for the signposted Oneworld Business Lounge: there are signs pointing to QF First Lounge which is different. Take the escalator to one side of the round sticky-out part of the Great Mall and it depositis you at the OneWeorld door: I'll have photos soon in a TR.

I look forward to the airside T4-TBIT walkway: it has to be shorter than the airside QF T4-TBIT shuttle which deposits you at the very northern end of TBIT at gate 101; the lounges are off the Great Hall (aka another Westfield Shopping Centre) and QF flights depart from gates 152-156.

 

[harvyk]

I did this flight a couple of weeks ago, the QF codeshare on AS LAX-SEA. I have to admit, I never even thought about using the AS lounge as AS are not QF. I did however get annoyed at SEA when I was flying AA from SEA-ORD and I was denied access at SEA. Yes it's a AS lounge, but it was in place of an AA lounge at SEA. As a QP member, flying AA I feel that I should have been given access to the lounge which AA uses in SEA.

 

[hotanddusty]

This is just another step closer to the CEO's pet airline "the orange Roo" Jet Star

 

[drron]

I did this flight a couple of weeks ago, the QF codeshare on AS LAX-SEA. I have to admit, I never even thought about using the AS lounge as AS are not QF. I did however get annoyed at SEA when I was flying AA from SEA-ORD and I was denied access at SEA. Yes it's a AS lounge, but it was in place of an AA lounge at SEA. As a QP member, flying AA I feel that I should have been given access to the lounge which AA uses in SEA.

Why?QP gives you rights at Admiral clubs.SEA does not have an AC.QPs have not had access to third party lounges.

 

[harvyk]

Why?QP gives you rights at Admiral clubs.SEA does not have an AC.QPs have not had access to third party lounges.

Why? I guess it's just the expectation as set when I purchased my QP membership, they state that you'd have lounge access when flying AA. I certainly didn't make a fuss about it, but I guess the expectation wasn't set right either as I was figuring that a flight on AA from a fairly major port would have also provided me with lounge.

Am I going to cancel my membership over it? Nope. Will it decide if I fly AA again? Again nope (there are numerous other reasons why AA is not my preferred carrier).

Just my 2c.

 

[opusman]

Why? I guess it's just the expectation as set when I purchased my QP membership, they state that you'd have lounge access when flying AA. I certainly didn't make a fuss about it, but I guess the expectation wasn't set right either as I was figuring that a flight on AA from a fairly major port would have also provided me with lounge.

See http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ogram/qantas-club-denied-access-qp-71694.html for lots of discussion on this issue

 

[cazz0069]

Always remember the power of social media too. Your complaint was well written and articulate, I`d be posting it almost word for word on their Facebook page. Working in a social media team I can guarantee a well worded complaint, will get a lot of likes and comments from people if they too have been through the same situation.
I had a similar problem with Etihad, and low and behold within hours had an apology emailed to me and was even upgraded to the first class lounge on the journey home. Good luck

 

[Brad 43]

This is the reason my wife & I haven't renewed our membership for the last 3 years, after being members for the previous 12. We fly regularly across to the US and then onto usually the east coast. 3 to 4 time a year. The level of service and lounge access in Tom Bradley are zero, The AA lounge in Terminal 4 far better with the staff more attentive. The old TB lounge was open slather and after my wife's experience in being denied assess to the new TB lounge felt what was the point.

 

[Jo145]

Thanks to everyone who responded to my query (too many to quote), especially because you all said I should have no trouble at all.

On a side note - am taking my first Qantas A380 first class flight to London in 3 weeks. It's all due to this forum where I learned about purchasing AA FF points - something I thought was too good to be true until I tried it. I've only flown long distance once before close to the "pointy end" so am beside myself with excitement. Can't wait to turn left!!

Really appreciate all the info I find here - for someone who doesn't get to fly for work and who has to fund all my own travel, it is an absolute eye-opener.

Happy travels everyone!!

 

[OATEK]

This is the reason my wife & I haven't renewed our membership for the last 3 years, after being members for the previous 12. We fly regularly across to the US and then onto usually the east coast. 3 to 4 time a year. The level of service and lounge access in Tom Bradley are zero, The AA lounge in Terminal 4 far better with the staff more attentive. The old TB lounge was open slather and after my wife's experience in being denied assess to the new TB lounge felt what was the point.

Welcome Brad 43.

 

[Muriel]

Its my understanding that the club lounge staff are not Qantas employees - neither are check in staff at airports, even Australian airports. They don't get the same privileges as Quantas staff so maybe this is the one opportunity to wear "the power badge". No excuse though. They should all know the rules before being put on the front desk. First impressions do count. As others have mentioned, I'd write a strong letter of complaint to management. You deserve some sort of compensation.

 

[siri]

For some reason some airports in US have more than single bus. and 1st class lounges and next time pls. check the lounges before you travel. LAX and SF lounges are not that good even 1st class lounges are basic. Once I was told no breakfast after landing at SF early morning, 1st class lounge, and after talking to a supervisor it got fixed.
Once I got refused at a 1st class lounge at Chicago lounge and told to go a another and 2nd 1st lounge was fantastic and one of the best 1st class lounges I have seen in US. It was hidden and very difficult to find.
Same apply at Heathrow and they got more than one 1st class lounges as well. My advise is to show your FF card since this will fix any anomaly with the boarding pass.
I have seen this boarding pass issues in US and once you show the card they let you in.