GuyverII

KL714

Now that you mention it, I remember that I only had to scan my boarding pass to enter the LH SEN lounge in DUS last September, so maybe it's not a LH Group issue after all

felixtae

After repeated requests since June to Asiana, instead of a card, they issued a letter on official letterhead instead of a card . The letter states my membership number, level (Star Gold) and my entitlement of Star Gold benefits when travelling on Star Alliance flights. I guess that is better than nothing, hope the other airlines will accept that letter.

Kiwi Flyer

A letter is less convenient than a card. Perhaps they have finally run out of stock of blank cards to use?

miamiflyer8

LH dragons love to touch plastic rectangles.



And what is the actual purpose of stopping plastic cards for elite members when clearly *A isn't ready yet for digital ones.. To me it isn't *that* costly to issue them.

I can understand basic and possibly *S but otherwise seems plain weird to me.

gpia

Had an issue with a UA boarding pass at the SQ lounge in HKG last week.

Agent asked for a physical card - when asked why, he showed me that the BP didn't show the entire OZ number, just **** and the last few digits.

He didn't actually need the card, just the complete number. Thinking this might what many of these issues are all about.

miamiflyer8

So did a non-plastic card work?

12cheungtk1

Well I better bring my plastic card with me next week. Planning to lounge hop my way through FRA (even though LH Sen lounges are quite drab indeed)

miamiflyer8

I recommend the Air Canada Lounge. The nicest lounge at FRA J/*G lounge.

Kiwi Flyer

Seconded, assuming departing for non-schengen (otherwise you have an extra security and possibly immigration also just to visit the lounge).

gpia

I just showed him the entry in award wallet on my phone. He was happy with that - all he wanted was the full number.

KL714

I really wonder how much money OZ saved on sending out a letter instead of a card, as they had to pay for postage anyway..

miamiflyer8

Just immigration check necessary.

slimjin

Just an FYI/update, I successfully obtained a plastic card today at the Asiana desk in the ICN arrivals hall.

After reading this whole thread, I decided to first just try sending a FB message a few weeks ago, but I got a stock response saying that they don't issue cards anymore. Since I was arriving at ICN today after a short trip, I decided to try the customer service desk, which a few others have said will still issue a card.

I was expecting to have to "make my case", and so while waiting in line I was debating how to word my request, whether to speak English or Korean (I feel like in some situations I get more leverage by using one or the other), and how persistent I should be. I decided to go the naive + gentle + English route, and started off by saying "I was told that I wasn't able to get a plastic membership card anymore..." But I couldn't even finish my sentence, because she cut right in and said that she could get me one! I didn't even have to ask! She just wanted to see my passport, confirm my cell phone # (I live in Seoul), and I had my card within one minute. Totally painless.

I am starting to think their policy of not issuing cards is just to cut down on postage costs. As others have pointed out, the cost savings doesn't really seem worth it, and so if they really want to save money maybe they could just issues cards to people who request them. Essentially requiring people to obtain it in person is, of course, another option, but if you don't visit Seoul often then it's pretty inconvenient. Oh well.

The desk is located between exit doors 13 and 14 in the arrivals hall. If you're exiting baggage claim, it will be all the way at the end of the hall on the right. And FYI I'm diamond level, so I don't know if they would so gladly issue one for lower tiers, but as others have pointed out you don't really need a card for lower tiers anyway. I hope this helps!

jon503

I was at the Seoul sales office today preparing to do exactly the same thing (except in Korean, though I also like to play around with the options) and just like you say, they wanted my ID and went off to the back office, returning with a new card within minutes. The trainee who fielded my questions did mention I'm a diamond when asking his supervisor, not sure whether he said that because it is relevant or because he wasn't sure himself yet.