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Lounge access for minor with status

Lounge access for minor with status

Old Sep 21, 2011, 3:12 pm
  #31  
 
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Originally Posted by Sebring
Do liquor laws pertain to a minor's presence in an establishment serving liquor, or to their having access to or being served liquor? There is a reasonable accommodation for the latter. .
I think Sebring hit the nail on the legal head. How is the location / premise classified?

Really, this is likely the last place any rowdy teenager would want to drink. It's full of people old enough to be parents of teenagers who want a mostly serene environment, who have no tolerance for any hooliganism!!

Given that jilisi spends several thousand dollars with AC, IMHO AC should accomodate to his situation. Whether that's as simple as having the concierge "supervise" him in the MLL, restricting him to a specific area, or signing waivers, is up to AC. Unfortunately, AC doesn't have the right front line attitude to address any problem that develops, instead passing the buck from department to department (Westjet - Owner's Care anyone?) I wouldn't expect that everyone would get this kind of treatment, but AC needs to realize that if they want this man as a customer for likely the rest of his life, and the revenue from his current spend, then they'd better find some solutions that work for both of them.

Waiting 2 years until he's age of majority isn't an acceptable work around in my view.

You certainly have my support.

Last edited by worldtraveller73; Sep 21, 2011 at 3:17 pm
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Old Sep 21, 2011, 3:14 pm
  #32  
 
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Originally Posted by global_happy_traveller
Worse still is CO in DFW and EWR. They have a bar tender and still the lounge dragons wanted to see our photo ID to ensure we are age of majority.
CO checks IDs for lounge admittance, but I don't think it has anything to do with age verification.

I think the OP should get AC to offer an alternate benefit. MLL access is very valuable in monetary terms (especially for someone traveling that frequently) and something of similar value should be provided to this SE.
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Old Sep 21, 2011, 3:21 pm
  #33  
 
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Well, it's not that strict here in Europe, at least in my experience. I've been to many lounges, first time was probably at 13 years old, no problem. Never even gotten any funny looks or anything... I don't know about BA lounges, they might be strict though. Got my full support, we need to stand up for ourselves! Not all teenagers are alcohol-hoarding hooligans
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Old Sep 21, 2011, 3:36 pm
  #34  
 
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I looked further, and in Alberta there is the Act, and also Regulations that pertain to the Act. AC clearly has a class C liquor licence for the MLL, which includeds a Traveller's lounge amoung other things. Conditions for Class C are:

The licensed premises under a Class C liquor licence must be
a club, canteen, travellers lounge or institution in which entrance
is restricted to members and their guests, residents and their guests
or on some other basis acceptable to the board.

Other classes mention minors, such as Class A specifies that any member of the public must be able to enter (E.G. a hotel). So presumably AC could make some sort of arrangement with the liquor board that Jan qualifies under the restricted entrance criteria (SE, J ticket, etc).

It's illegal under other sections to be intoxicated in a public place ( I always think of the Brocket 99 news report when I hear that phrase ), and Jan isn't there to drink anyway. He meets the entrance critera, as the premises are not open to the general public so as I see it he should be allowed to enter a MLL. Explaining the subtlies of Liquor laws and regulations to a dragon at the door probably isn't going to get him very far though.

Or just enter the MLL in drag to make you look older?
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Old Sep 21, 2011, 6:53 pm
  #35  
 
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Talking

some ideas:
1.start a letter writing campaign! everyone here who supports Jan should write Calin a letter threatening to puchase only bottom tango fares for a whole year:P

2. create a sticky in this forum that jan can post dates and times he'll need MLL access, and anyone in the same lounge at the same time can escort :P

3. jan should purchase a large trench coat, a pair of Groucho glasses (complete w/ moustach), and a pair of painters stilts. This is sure to fool even the grouchiest of dragons.

in all seriousness however, i fully support jan in his reasonable unrestricted access to MLL's. It's not rocket science to design some accommodation around this. Jan isn't the only SE minor in the system that flys alone on occasion.
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Old Sep 21, 2011, 7:09 pm
  #36  
 
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Originally Posted by NAJetSet
some ideas:
[...]
in all seriousness however, i fully support jan in his reasonable unrestricted access to MLL's. It's not rocket science to design some accommodation around this. Jan isn't the only SE minor in the system that flys alone on occasion.
in fact there must be enough SE youngsters that the AC Creative department(Picturing scenes from Mad Men) have been tasked with creating materials like these:
http://bit.ly/nrusDt
http://bit.ly/qBwJrU

hard to believe there are that many underage 300k SE's out there...
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Old Sep 21, 2011, 7:19 pm
  #37  
 
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Originally Posted by NAJetSet
in fact there must be enough SE youngsters that the AC Creative department(Picturing scenes from Mad Men) have been tasked with creating materials like these:
http://bit.ly/nrusDt
http://bit.ly/qBwJrU

hard to believe there are that many underage 300k SE's out there...
Odd that the form letter you post actual cites that they get complementary access to the Lounge.
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Old Sep 21, 2011, 7:37 pm
  #38  
 
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Originally Posted by hoob
Odd that the form letter you post actual cites that they get complementary access to the Lounge.
Exactly!
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Old Sep 21, 2011, 7:48 pm
  #39  
 
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I sympathize with the OP but I wonder how many of the people suggesting he be let in have ever applied for or hold a liquor license?

I have, and besides risking the business if you break the law you can also face personal fines and charges.

How many of you would be happy if the MLL liquor license was pulled? Would you like to be the person working who faces a personal fine?

I agree there is a solution here somewhere but it's not as easy as just "ask him to stay away from the bar area". Being angry about the law is fair so the right place to direct complaints would be the gov't body that sets those laws.
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Old Sep 21, 2011, 7:56 pm
  #40  
 
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Originally Posted by danwhy
I sympathize with the OP but I wonder how many of the people suggesting he be let in have ever applied for or hold a liquor license?

I have, and besides risking the business if you break the law you can also face personal fines and charges.

How many of you would be happy if the MLL liquor license was pulled? Would you like to be the person working who faces a personal fine?

I agree there is a solution here somewhere but it's not as easy as just "ask him to stay away from the bar area". Being angry about the law is fair so the right place to direct complaints would be the gov't body that sets those laws.
wouldn't bother me if they pulled the liquor :P i dont drink anyways...
besides, who'd catch them in a violation? certainly wouldn't be the liquor inspector - he couldn't get through security with his little metal flip-top field clipboard. no clip board, no violation
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Old Sep 21, 2011, 8:36 pm
  #41  
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Originally Posted by danwhy
I sympathize with the OP but I wonder how many of the people suggesting he be let in have ever applied for or hold a liquor license?

I have, and besides risking the business if you break the law you can also face personal fines and charges.

How many of you would be happy if the MLL liquor license was pulled? Would you like to be the person working who faces a personal fine?

I agree there is a solution here somewhere but it's not as easy as just "ask him to stay away from the bar area". Being angry about the law is fair so the right place to direct complaints would be the gov't body that sets those laws.
Yes, you have a point there - and as I wrote in my letter, I understand the law. But it is also a privilege of mine to enter a lounge, alcohol or no alcohol.
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Old Sep 21, 2011, 8:41 pm
  #42  
 
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Originally Posted by jlisi984
Yes, you have a point there - and as I wrote in my letter, I understand the law. But it is also a privilege of mine to enter a lounge, alcohol or no alcohol.
I agree they should offer you an alternate amenity.

If you were a top hotel member and they usually offer a drink coupon to their elites a good hotel would offer you a different amenity to make up for the fact that they can't offer you a drink. AC should do the same. Be prepared though that you may not gain entrance to the lounge.
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Old Sep 21, 2011, 8:54 pm
  #43  
 
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Originally Posted by jlisi984
But it is also a privilege of mine to enter a lounge, alcohol or no alcohol.
Not so fast. From the MLL Terms and Conditions of access, you are not entitled to enter:

6. For the safety of our younger guests, each lounge strictly adheres to local laws and regulations regarding the serving of alcoholic beverages. Minors must be accompanied by an adult lounge guest.

http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelin...ounges/tc.html
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Old Sep 21, 2011, 8:59 pm
  #44  
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Originally Posted by Jagboi
Not so fast. From the MLL Terms and Conditions of access, you are not entitled to enter:

6. For the safety of our younger guests, each lounge strictly adheres to local laws and regulations regarding the serving of alcoholic beverages. Minors must be accompanied by an adult lounge guest.

http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelin...ounges/tc.html
No, I disagree. It is a main privilege of the Super Elite programme. I think it is reasonable that I would like to be compensated in some way.
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Old Sep 21, 2011, 9:07 pm
  #45  
 
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Although the lounges not unique to SE's. Anyone with a MLL credit card can enter or so can a non status passenger on an Aeroplan J award. All of those would need to be of legal age to enter by the T&C's though.

I can't fault the agents at the gates of the MLL, they are enforcing the T&C's they are supposed to enforce and it's pretty plainly written what the rules are. I can certainly see them erring on the side of caution when it comes to possible liquor law infractions. I imagine AC never contemplated an underage SE.
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