Craig Whitmore

JAL was easy to get into at NHL. They even have us a little map to get there when I checked in. Been here for over an hour and 4 hours more to go :-(. Flight was delayed due to mechanical issues and now takes off at 11:30 :-( at 8:15 the lounge is well quite dead

cavemanzk

'Technical problems' possible is the new name for the 763

sbiddle

Hope you're enjoying the gourmet meal of carrot sticks and pretzel mix!

Craig Whitmore

I didn't actually have anything to eat there. Just drunk a lot of alcohol. Food was better outside Jal.. Due to the delay dinner was like 1:30am and breakfast was at 5:00am ish.

sbiddle

It's not a particularly great lounge but at least it has cold beer and air conditioning.

One of the worst aspects of HNL is that the gate lounge isn't accessible until passengers are all off the arriving aircraft. If you get a late arrival this means hanging out in the open air parts of the terminal.

Craig Whitmore

The HNL airport is so humid even inside. Waiting all that time outside the lounge would have been horrible. Why can't they have proper aircon in the terminals.

Craig Whitmore

"Official word" from airnZ after I emailed them when I got back

For Air New Zealand Gold members access to United Red Carpet Clubs within the United States is permitted when presenting a ticket or boarding pass in conjunction with international travel.

So a domestic flight won't get you across (including hawaii)
A business class ticket won't get you access.

pbl22

Complete rubbish! *G (as long as it's not UA*G) allows access to all RCCs on domestic UA flights.

Craig Whitmore

Yes this is the confusing thing. I have been told/read from official sources (airnz) different things at different times.

Checking http://www.united.com/web/en-US/cont....aspx?Mobile=1

It does say exactly what you have said. Gold members have access to the United lounges for all flights except if you are United gold where domestic flights don't count.

Checking staralliance website it says what you have said as well.

ajnz

NZ is wrong.

NZ*G traveling on a domestic UA flight will have access to the lounge. UA domestic business/first class by itself won't get you lounge access (limited exceptions apply).

pbl22

I would email that response to Chris Luxon and point out what nonsense his staff are putting out.

Xiaotung

Can't really blame NZ staff when the Airpoints T&C's say so:

19.4 Elite and Gold Airpoints Members who also hold Star Alliance Gold status, may access Star Alliance Gold lounges, together with one (1) guest when travelling on Star Alliance ticketed and operated flights by presenting a same-day Star Alliance boarding pass and Airpoints membership card at the lounge reception. Access to United Red Carpet Clubs, US Airways Clubs and US Airways Envoy Lounges within the United States is only permitted when presenting a ticket or boarding pass in conjunction with international travel.

But the T&C's have been like that for as long as I can remember. I can report responsibly that over the past decade I have never had any problem entering any of the UA, CO, and US lounges with my NZ*G status on domestic only flights.

It is also wrong to say that flights must be ticketed by a *A airline. For example, when a SQ ticket is issued by VA, *G lounge access is still granted. I don't know who wrote this stuff. It just cannot be more wrong.

pbl22

And needs to be updated for the fact that US is no longer *A, as well as to correct the incorrect information.

Craig Whitmore

Airnz have got back to me again and state the information on their Own website is correct.

And suggest/hint the information on the United / star alliance website is incorrect but they say:

"Ultimately it is United as the lounge owner/operator who will determine lounge access."

So basically they can't answer my question with a yes or no and I should contact United regarding this question.

All they can say (which matches up with other information now (and different information when I asked initially ). Airnz Business class ticket to hnl and Non gold status Gives me no access in sfo in any lounge there.

I give up.

Information given from a third party website (here) was correct and information given from the people know should know (airnz) was/is wrong.

Thank you everyone

Xiaotung

Well, if they don't want to take responsibility perhaps instead of saying no access, you should really just say please check with UA.

I have to admit in the first couple of years flying UA in the States, I took NZ's advice and never bothered to even try to enter UA lounges. Now looking back, it's just a shame what people and new Gold members who don't read this forum could be missing out, just because NZ are being irresponsible.