oneworld - Lounge access: does a toddler count as guest ?

Sorry this was first posted on the BA forum, apparently the wrong place :

I hold BA EC Silver status and will travel CDG-AMM on RJ with wife and toddler son (2 1/2 year old). Neither my wife nor my son hold OW elite status. I know that Sapphire members can bring only one guest to the lounge, but is that rule strictly enforced when the second "guest" is a small child ? Your experience on this matter (especially for the Admiral's Club lounge at CDG T2A and the RJ lounge at AMM) is appreciated.

If the rule is strictly enforced, is it possible to have a second guest for a fee ?

Admirals Club lounge access policies: (http://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInformation/airportAmenities/admiralsClubArticles/admiralsClub_FAQs.jsp)

Q:Can I bring my family into the Admirals Club lounge with me?A:Yes. Members are limited to two guests or immediate family members during their visits. Immediate family members are defined as spouse, domestic partner and/or children under 18 years of age.

Cant find m,uch on the RJ "Crown Lounges" in relation to access but I believe chidren would be welcome: (http://www.rj.com/en/crown_lounge_qaia.html)

Let the Fun Begin
Passengers traveling with children can set a tone of fun and excitement for the entire trip in Crown Lounge. Equipped with a television showing kid's programs, games and activities, your children will start the journey off on the right foot. For the big kids at heart there is a games room with a billiards table, foosball (mini football), and boardgames provided.

Admirals Club lounge access policies: (http://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInformation/airportAmenities/admiralsClubArticles/admiralsClub_FAQs.jsp)



Cant find m,uch on the RJ "Crown Lounges" in relation to access but I believe chidren would be welcome: (http://www.rj.com/en/crown_lounge_qaia.html)

The Admirals Club access info you quote is for members of the Admirals Club, that is those that pay for a membership or hold an AAirpass. Access rules are different for those seeking access based upon Oneworld status -- the family language is conspicuously absent.
See:
http://www.aa.com/i18nForward.do?p=/travelInformation/airportAmenities/AdmiralsLoungeAccess.jsp#oneworldCustomers

... Access rules are different for those seeking access based upon Oneworld status -- the family language is conspicuously absent.
See:
http://www.aa.com/i18nForward.do?p=/travelInformation/airportAmenities/AdmiralsLoungeAccess.jsp#oneworldCustomersI am aware of that; and the rules as quoted. However, anecdotes I have come across indicate those same rules are generally applied to oneworld elites.

Some similar content where the rules are quoted:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-aadvantage/827613-ord-flagship-lounge-access-question-traveling-family.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/14536210-post578.html

So while access for both the OP's wife and child is not guaranteed, I would suggest it is unlikely to be denied.

Do what I did. Just say "I know I am only allowed one guest so can my wife go in while I take care of my daughter and then I go in afterwards while my wife takes care ofmy daughter". I was just invited take wife and daughter in.

I've been asked to use AC in ORD when we tried to use the FL. It was myself, EXP, and my wife and 1 year old both PLT. The 1 year old was throwing a fit, when we walked in to the FL. I was a little bit peeved but they did have a point, the AC has a kids room were as the FL is pretty small.

That's the only time i've been denied when entering a OW lounge with my whole family. Now the 1 year old is 4, an only had gold, and we've got another 1 year old, who doesn't even have gold yet. We've used AC's all 4 of us without a problem.

The AC's do think it's very funny that a 1 year old can get in to the AC on is own status.

Recently we were denied entry to the first lounge at LHR T3. There were 3 of us, I am emerald, partner is saphire, 3 year old daughter ruby. We were denied because under the BA rules, a child over 2 is counted as a guest.

We used to live in Paris and went to the CDG AC several times a year when flying back to the US. At that time, only my husband was PLAT and I had no status. We have two kids who ranged in age from 2-5 and 4-7 during those years. There was only one occasion when we were flying Y and they didn't want to let us all in because of the 'one guest' rule. My husband didn't get upset but just said 'oh, it's never been a problem in the past' and they let us in. If they had enforced the rule, we would have understood and not made a fuss. Luckily that wasn't the case.

However, we did try a BA lounge once and were flately refused. So we never tried that again!

Thankfully I'm PLAT now as well so we can all legitimately get in the lounge when we are together. However, I travel with the kids alone some and have never been questioned or rejected at any AA lounge when trying to get the 3 of us in (kids are 8 and 10 now and are very well behaved in the lounge).

Good luck,
Kim

With some notable exceptions (try getting a Frau at any Lufthansa lounge to bend the rules), I find allowances can be made in almost any situation if you run into the right person. My wife and I (flying in F) got our three kids (flying in C), into the Concorde Lounge in Heathrow by being extremely nice. It will certainly not always work, but a smile can go a long way, particularly when the lounges aren't jammed.