American Express Membership Rewards - Lounge Access with UK Plat

I've been looking through the booklet that came with the UK Amex Platinum Charge Card, and under lounge access it says:

"That welcome is extended by our partner airlines, including British Midland, Continental and Northwest Airlines, all of whose lounges are at your disposal, provided you have booked a flight with one of them."

Now I know all about the BMI access, and very nice it has been, but that word "including" is intriguing.

Overleaf, the airlines listed as "partners" are AC, NZ, AA, NH, CX, CO, DL, EK, LH, SA and UA.

Does the above mean that all of these allow lounge access? Has anyone tried it, e.g. with LH ?

doesnt UK Plat come with priority pass?

doesnt UK Plat come with priority pass?

Yes, but they also have arrangements with other airlines - only ever used it for BMI lounges though

Mat

It might mean that you can use the BMI lounges when flying LH, eg EDI to FRA on LH.

I don't think it means you can use LH lounges when flying LH (or BMI).

Chris

doesnt UK Plat come with priority pass?

Yes - but that was not the question. The booklet seems to imply that all the partners allow lounge access.

You seem to be reading the word "including" to mean "but not limited to". I believe the listed "partner" airlines participate in the UK International Airline Program. If the Platinum card alone would provide lounge access with a dozen carriers wouldn't American Express trumpet this, and why would they also include a Priority Pass membership?

You seem to be reading the word "including" to mean "but not limited to". I believe the listed "partner" airlines participate in the UK International Airline Program. If the Platinum card alone would provide lounge access with a dozen carriers wouldn't American Express trumpet this, and why would they also include a Priority Pass membership?

"Including" means being a part of the whole. It is not usually used to mean the whole. I.e. one would not say "We have three partner airlines, including BD, NW and CO".

The only other mention of "our partner airlines" in the booklet are the airlines in the IAP, it is not unreasonable to understand that they are referred to in that sentence.

Amex hardly trumpet their BD lounge access.

So, although I do not have a great expectation that Amex has lounge deals with all the IAP partners, the way it is phrased in the booklet is certainly confusing.

This usage of the term "including" is part of the American Express house style. Here is a sentence from the USA Platinum card website...

Enjoy exclusive offers, amenities, and shipping privileges with our luxury retailer partners, including Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman and Sony.

..and those are the only partners.

This usage of the term "including" is part of the American Express house style. Here is a sentence from the USA Platinum card website...

Enjoy exclusive offers, amenities, and shipping privileges with our luxury retailer partners, including Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman and Sony.

..and those are the only partners.

I take your point. I will ask them directly.

This usage of the term "including" is part of the American Express house style. Here is a sentence from the USA Platinum card website...

Enjoy exclusive offers, amenities, and shipping privileges with our luxury retailer partners, including Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman and Sony.

..and those are the only partners.Whether it is the house style or not, it is nevertheless both incorrect and misleading to use the word "including" in this way.

Whether it is the house style or not, it is nevertheless both incorrect and misleading to use the word "including" in this way.

It is not incorrect merely out of the ordinary, and it would be better if American Express used comprising or consisting of to avoid ambiguity.

See discussion and usage note from American Heritage Dictionary here...

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/including

Some writers insist that include be used only when it is followed by a partial list of the contents of the referent of the subject....This restriction is too strong. Include does not rule out the possibility of a complete listing....The use of comprise or consist of, however, will avoid ambiguity when a listing is meant to be exhaustive.

It is not incorrect merely out of the ordinary, and it would be better if American Express used comprising or consisting of to avoid ambiguity.

See discussion and usage note from American Heritage Dictionary here...

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/including

Some writers insist that include be used only when it is followed by a partial list of the contents of the referent of the subject....This restriction is too strong. Include does not rule out the possibility of a complete listing....The use of comprise or consist of, however, will avoid ambiguity when a listing is meant to be exhaustive.I disagree. It is wholly misleading, and incorrect, in the context in which it is used here:"That welcome is extended by our partner airlines, including British Midland, Continental and Northwest Airlines, all of whose lounges are at your disposal, provided you have booked a flight with one of them."If Amex intended to refer only to the three named partner airlines, it need not have used the word "including" in the sentence at all. In the context of this sentence, the word "including" has been added to imply that there are other partners besides BD, CO and NW.

The official reply from Amex:

In response to your questions, your American Express Platinum Charge Card gives
complimentary lounge access to the 3 mentioned airlines only - British Midland,
Northwest and Continental.

In addition American Express have Airport Lounges at the following
destinations, which charge entrance fees at their own discretion:


Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi International Airport , Pearl
Lounge


Beirut, Lebanon, Beirut International Airport, Cedars Lounge
Location: Departure area


Bahrain, Bahrain International Airport , Delmon Lounge
Location: Departure area


Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, King Abdulaziz Airport, Oasis Lounge
Location: Foreign Airlines Departure lounge


Amman, Jordan, Queen Alla International Airport, VIP/CIP Lounge
Location: Both lounges are located at the ends of the Duty Free.


Cairo, Egypt , Cairo International Airport, EAS - VIP Lounge
Location: Terminal 2


Latin America, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Ezeiza Airport, Salon Centurion
Location: after Immigration, International Terminal A.


Mexico City, Mexico, Benito Juarez, Mexico City International Airport,
Centurion Club
Location: before Immigration in Sala "F", 1st Floor (new Terminal)




You can also use your card to access the Eurostar Executive Lounges when
travelling on Eurostar, regardless of the class of travel.

With regards to point 3, I have passed your feedback on to the department that
produce our marketing material and literature.

(Point 3 was about usage of "include")