[christopheL]

All your post are very interesting but either I missed something, either you did.

Question 1 :
Who is paying the cost of lounge access when a frequent traveller whis Airline A wants to get access to the lounge operated by airline A even if he is traveling Business of First with airline B ?

Question 2 : Why do I want to get access to the Airline A lounge instead of the Airline B lounge when I deliberately chose to fly with Airline B instead of Airline A ?

Question 3 : lounge access being the most important thing in air travel, shouldn’t I chose the airline I am travelling with on a “lounge quality” criteria even if I will get less miles ?

Question 4 : when the alliances T&C allow airlines to deny lounge access to Frequent Travellers with other alliance’s Airlines, why should I complain ?

[FDOS_UK]

esselle – 28/04/2016 13:26 BST

On the topic of Oneworld branding, they put it on their aircraft because they are a part of the alliance. I believe that all their flights are made as part of the Oneworld alliance. It is obviously appropriate.

But to put the branding so prominently on a lounge that is excluded from the Oneworld network is not the same thing, is it?

Does BA display the Oneworld branding on the Concorde room? Edited to add: I checked this morning and there is a Oneworld logo on the sign outside the white door – in fairness it is discreet and the sign also applies to the GC and GF lounges.

Unfortunately, I never got to the DIH lounge, as I got an email from a colleaue with a potential engagement that I needed to respond to immediately and by the time I had finished, the flightwas boarding.

Strangely enough, athough the lounge is small, it did not get rammed even though the flight was.

[IanFromHKG]

BA started the “contracting-out of oneworld rules” with the CCR. With all due respect to the OP, therefore, I hardly think he is in any position to complain that he didn’t get access with his BA card to a lounge in respect of which QR has also contracted-out. In both cases (BA and QR) the airline provides an alternative lounge offering, it simply doesn’t offer the best lounges to people based on emerald-equivalent status, it directs them to an inferior lounge and keeps its best lounge offering for its premium passengers.

Another point – and I have said this before but I clearly have to say it again! – frequent travellers should be aware that there is a distinction between access based on status and access based on cabin class. QR has contracted out of the rules on access by elite members. However (at least in London), it hasn’t contracted out of access by cabin class – I am currently in the MH lounge in KUL waiting for my business class flight to London (first class lounge, I might add – accessed by status!), and in a few days on my return trip I will happily bypass the (fairly miserable) MH first class lounge in LHR T4 and go to the (magnificent) QR lounge because, as a oneworld business class passenger (not status, travel class), I am entitled to access it – even though QR tell status holders (travelling in economy) to sod off and go to the Skyteam lounge instead

On which note, let me express my sympathy to AhMrBond. TG’s poorer lounges in BKK are indeed woeful. But had you only known – given you were on a J ticket, you could have accessed the CX lounge, regardless of what it said on your lounge invitation….

Finally, just to provide some counterpoint – I think it is interesting that AY provide exclusive access to their better lounge based on elite status rather than class travelled – they have two lounges in the non-Schengen area in HEL, and the better lounge is exclusively for oneworld elites. People who are merely travelling business class (the highest class Finnair offers) get shoved into the business class lounge next door (which is, in fairness, busier but larger and in some ways more comfortable, although the F&B isn’t quite as good!)

[TravellerT]

Thanks IanFromHKG – I suppose the acid test would be whether or not BA let QR members into its DXB lounge. I bet they would! QR doesn’t have another lounge in DXB, so i’m not sure i fully follow your logic above. I completely get the contracting out etc., but generally the OW access scheme works that one can, in remote airports, go to any lounge operated by a OW airport based on status.

[FDOS_UK]

TravellerT – 29/04/2016 16:37 BST

Yes, BA would let QR pax in – I asked that question specifically and the receptionist in the BA lounge answered in the affirmative.

[esselle]

Interesting, because QR pax have access to two lounges in the new Concourse D at DXB.

The DIH First lounge will accepts QR pax booked in F, and the QR Premium lunge, which is very close by, will take all the other “status” ( I hate that expression) OW pax plus those travelling in J on QR.

[IanFromHKG]

TravellerT, since I covered a number of issues in my post can you let me know which bit you don’t follow? Just to add, I wasn’t commenting specifically on DXB, rather on contracting-out provisions and on access by status vs cabin class….

And just to be clear, I’m not trying to sound critical, I am just confused by your comment.

[BrotherJim]

TimFitzgeraldTC, the OneWorld lounge at TBIT in LA is a joint venture between Qantas, Cathay Pacific and BA, however it is managed by Qantas. The syling is meant to be a generic West Coast USA style, but does have a fair bit of Qantas influence.

Re DXB and the branding, it reminds me of when I lived in the UK circa 2008 and was flying to Dublin regularly on BA. As a Qantas Platinum (OneWorld sapphire) I could not access the ‘BA’ lounge flying economy because it was a contract lounge. But it had the BA OneWorld branding outside like any other BA lounge. Same difference.

And the situation also reminds me of the Singapore Airlines lounge in Jakarta. SQ is the ONLY airline that uses it, so for all purposes an SQ lounge. But it is a 3rd party lounge called the Esplanade Lounge, but once you get inside it is very much SQ regional outpost styling etc. But Star Alliance rules don’t apply. But did I mention SQ are the only ones to use it?

[EU_Flyer]

Perhaps oneworld is like the European Union?

Not all members are equal.

Like many others have alluded to here, some airlines reward status and others class of travel – this results in disparities where a top tier FF flying economy (fare $700) gets access to a First Class Lounge whilst the colleague – who is a mid tier FF – but flying in Business (fare: $3000) ends up in the average Business Lounge. Of course, if you’re flying J enough, you’ll likely end up a top-tier FF – but it doesn’t seem fair at the time.

I guess lounges have developed so much in the last 10 years, becoming more and more elaborate, that airlines are now deciding to put a cap on access (and the associated costs), despite their alliance membership.

Is it a breach of the alliance T&Cs? Likely not – where the exceptions are clearly stated and access to an actual lounge is provided (irrespective of whether it’s the best lounge).

Is it bad PR? – yes.

[JohnHarper]

I think in addition the alliances are now too big and out of control with regard to benefits.

Lounges are not all equal and we all have our preferences about which is best though of course all our preferences differ.

As with almost anything else the one way to make something desirable is to restrict access. So, the most desirable lounge in LHR T4 is the Qatar Premium Lounge accessible to Qatar’s premium customers and I among others enjoy regular access. To a BA gold card holder traveling in Y no doubt it’s the most desirable lounge in T4 when they can’t get access although they have access to a lounge in T4 that is at least as good as BA’s own lounges.

The same may be said of the LH F terminal at FRA when you are in F on SQ and have to settle for a lesser lounge or TPR in SIN when you are in LH F.

The one sure thing is that whining and whinging will serve no purpose at all other than to make you cross and miserable. Accept the benefits you have for what they are and don’t worry about what you can’t have.

If you must have access to a particular lounge that has restrictive criteria then book the appropriate ticket.

I reckon that restrictions will increase as airlines try to manage increasing numbers of card holders. F&C passengers will always be looked after but card holders may find they get less or status will become much harder to get or maintain.

[EU_Flyer]

JohnHarper – “Lounges are not all equal and we all have our preferences about which is best though of course all our preferences differ”

Well said and totally agree.

Each airline in an alliance presumably wants to maintain / keep control of their own branding to differentiate their product from competitors who are often in the same alliance – although it’s different in a JV such as the old QF/BA and now BA/AA arrangements.

If I were QR, I’d consider giving BA passengers access to my ‘amazing’ lounge at DXB to expose them to my ‘amazing’ product. Even in the QF/EK alliance, despite it being a JV of sorts – EK have made enormous efforts to entice QF Frequent Flyers over to Skywards and indeed QF FFs to fly on EK metal, through the use of upgrades etc, as way of encouraging a loyalty shift from QF to EK.

Despite being part of an alliance, airlines are still ultimately loyal only to themselves. By way of contrast, the jointly operated lounges at ports such as LAX and LHR are a move in the right direction in maintaining consistency and encouraging co-operation within alliances.

[alainboy56]

Anyway, to all you guys and gals out there. I believe we are all a little spoilt. Let me give you some alternatives that will offer ‘food for thought’ on the question of the quality of business lounges. Anyone out there tried Rabat and also Casablanca in Morocco? What about Chengdu domestic? Even Guangzhou, (the Chinese one in domestic, NOT the International one), Lahore and Karachi ? Lastly Almaty, Khazakstan anyone?? When you have difficulty getting a packet of biscuits, let alone the dream of a glass of wine, all the aforegoing 3 pages on this thread are put in real focus

[Anonymous]

[emiratesfly365]

Im going to be travelling in Qatar’s First Class from CDG to MLE in october and was wondering if anyone knew if we could use the first class lounge in Doha as the second sector only has business as the highest class? Are transfer time is 8h 45m and really wanted to go into the lounge for the transit. Also does anyone know if they offer any spa in the lounge? Many thanks

[PaulHKG]

you will not be able to use the First Class lounge as your boarding pass will show Business. (just had it last week returning from CAI to HKT where my first sector was First and the second one Business)
The Al Mourjan is very nice as well.
However, as your transit time is more than 8 hours you will be entitled to a free hotel room. Ask your travel agent to send a request to QR.

[Author]

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