Alitalia lounge access with families
Jul 15, 2017, 11:08 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Milano-London
Programs: ITA Executive
Posts: 165
Alitalia lounge access with families
My family consists of wife and (currently 11 year old) son. When we travel AZ around the world, we're resigned to the fact that the general lounge access rule is "+1 guest" (at least in the Skyteam world). (My wife sometimes sneaks in through having a Diners card, but that's another matter).
Anyway, a pleasant exception to this general rule has always been (well, for as long as I've had a 3 person family...) that Alitalia are more flexible and their Italian lounges grant entrance to the whole family, i.e. all 3 of us.
The last time we all flew AZ together out of LIN was at Xmas last year, flying to London. We were granted admittance to a busy Sala Freccia Alata (or the Manzoni...I lose track of the names...the upstairs one) without any problem.
Yesterday, flying to ORD via FCO on an award ticket, the lounge dragon told us that AZ had changed their rule, and now it was strictly plus 1. The wife pulled out her Diners, and was told that with that the three of us could enter the Welcome lounge (the one on the upper ground floor). When we got to the Welcome lounge, we didn't need to show the Diners and were let in without any discussion. Then later on, at FCO, all three of us got into Casa Alitalia on the strength of my Freccia Alata status, again with no discussion.
So I'm not sure if the first lounge lady was bang wrong, or whether the rule has changed and it was simply that the Welcome lounge and Casa Alitalia ladies "closed an eye" (as the Italians say).
This link:
https://www.alitalia.com/it_it/volar...so-lounge.html
says, for Freccia Alata access to Casa Alitalia lounges:
"Ospiti: 1 o partner o figli"
Which is confusing. Why say "1 o partner", when your partner could be the +1? The fact that they mention figli plural implies that it can't strictly be +1. Hmmmm....
Would be good to know for the future, if anyone else knows.
Anyway, a pleasant exception to this general rule has always been (well, for as long as I've had a 3 person family...) that Alitalia are more flexible and their Italian lounges grant entrance to the whole family, i.e. all 3 of us.
The last time we all flew AZ together out of LIN was at Xmas last year, flying to London. We were granted admittance to a busy Sala Freccia Alata (or the Manzoni...I lose track of the names...the upstairs one) without any problem.
Yesterday, flying to ORD via FCO on an award ticket, the lounge dragon told us that AZ had changed their rule, and now it was strictly plus 1. The wife pulled out her Diners, and was told that with that the three of us could enter the Welcome lounge (the one on the upper ground floor). When we got to the Welcome lounge, we didn't need to show the Diners and were let in without any discussion. Then later on, at FCO, all three of us got into Casa Alitalia on the strength of my Freccia Alata status, again with no discussion.
So I'm not sure if the first lounge lady was bang wrong, or whether the rule has changed and it was simply that the Welcome lounge and Casa Alitalia ladies "closed an eye" (as the Italians say).
This link:
https://www.alitalia.com/it_it/volar...so-lounge.html
says, for Freccia Alata access to Casa Alitalia lounges:
"Ospiti: 1 o partner o figli"
Which is confusing. Why say "1 o partner", when your partner could be the +1? The fact that they mention figli plural implies that it can't strictly be +1. Hmmmm....
Would be good to know for the future, if anyone else knows.
Jul 16, 2017, 3:06 am
#2
Moderator: Aegean Miles+Bonus
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: AMS / ATH
Programs: AFKL Plat, A3 Gold
Posts: 7,339
I doubt there is an official 'family rule'. Perhaps there is an exception for young children, however at 11y I'd guess that he has grown out of that category by now 
Jul 31, 2017, 5:26 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Milano-London
Programs: ITA Executive
Posts: 165
Made it into the lounge above the D gates at FCO this morning with wife and son in tow without being challenged. Hmmm....
In other news only 2 out of our 3 checked bags made it from Chicago to Linate. It could conceivably be the fault of the Americans, but in my heart of hearts I just know that the FCO baggage handlers have let me down once again. (Evidently the 2.5 hour connection and "Sky Priority" and "Short Connection" tags were not enough to counteract their unfailing craptitude).
In other news only 2 out of our 3 checked bags made it from Chicago to Linate. It could conceivably be the fault of the Americans, but in my heart of hearts I just know that the FCO baggage handlers have let me down once again. (Evidently the 2.5 hour connection and "Sky Priority" and "Short Connection" tags were not enough to counteract their unfailing craptitude).