BHDATC

Witnessed two fights at Galleires North as I entered from flight connections, a chap and his wife and son, the chap barking at the lounge host for not allowing both in with his silver card.

And then at GF when a GCH thought it was a disgrace that his daughter couldn't accompany with his wife, 'she doesn't even eat' was forcefully shared as I was beeped through.

Well done to BA for policing this. The lounges are going to be busy enough this week.

mjh0

Meanwhile, the much maligned Gatters lounge is a veritable oasis of calm. I even got one of the plumb seats in the corner by the window.

Looks like bottled still water has been enhanced away here, replaced by jugs of "Crawley Spring".

simons1

Another example of why it is fairly inevitable that eventually lounge access will be restricted to premium travellers and card holders only.

paul4040

That is one enhancement I'd support. The Flounge was quiet this morning, save for one family of five who were incredibly dysfunctional, shouting at each other to eat breakfast as quickly as possible and to sort out their boarding cards.

The number of middle aged people who think nothing of travelling in J on their own (usually for work) but will only take spouse and kids in Y makes me chuckle.

I'm very grumpy today. Blame the clocks going forward and an early flight.

visualAd

I wonder if this traveller would have been happy to let his wife and child in to enjoy the facilities while he enjoys a pint and burger in the whetherspoons?

Scots_Al

School holidays AGAIN??? No wonder kids in this country are thickos!

Tafflyer

While not disagreeing I'm afraid I have a data point to the contrary. I was in the FRA lounge yesterday. Different nationality, same experience.

DorsetKnob

...but then in the first case they are not normally using their own money!

As I'd posted some weeks back by a coincidence I had the fun of being on same flight as wife & her kids. They flew Y I flew J. I paid for them, company paid for me. No way I was stumping up several thousand for them to fly J on a 6 hr flight. Sorry but you need to be seriously loaded to fly a family J, most of us aren't!

Oaxaca

Agreed. Don't blame anyone for asking (nicely), but a refusal should be met with good grace. The policy is hardly unclear and SCH/GCH should know the score.

I frequently travel in Y (on SH) for work, so why wouldn't I do that with my family also? I would still use the lounge either way. We'll try not to be too dysfunctional when I bring them to GF next week...

I wish I'd done that once. Took the kids into lounge, wife loose in terminal with credit card . Wetherspoons on my own would have been a lot cheaper.

Fatpenguin

"Agreed. Don't blame anyone for asking (nicely), but a refusal should be met with good grace. The policy is hardly unclear and SCH/GCH should know the score."

If you know you do not have lounge access for all why ask? You made the choice so just stick with it, would love to know what people say to their kids when they rant at someone doing their job correctly.

BA have caused some of this, as well as the DYKWIA's, they should instruct all lounge agents that people can only bring in the correct amount of guests, even the outstations. This would stop the "last time at X" problems. Never happen I know, as much as their will always be the wanting something for free lot.

FP

LTN Phobia

Indeed, if someone wants lounge access for his wife and 5 kids, then fly them all in Club or above and he won't have any problem.

I think BA should cancel the status for anyone who becomes rude, aggressive or violent. Let it be known that they will be filmed and independently reviewed on FT BAEC forum should they be subject to status cancellation and wish to request a review. Independent review results will be final and binding. We'll all have fun at the expense of aggressive/rude DYKWIA.

(Obviously Para 2 of this post is not to be taken seriously, in case someone has a sense of humour failure at the thought of being filmed and published on FT BA forum for all to review - but here is a novel idea, why don't they just behave like an adult and stop behaving like a petulant child in the first place?)

UKtravelbear

I really wish BA would take a strong stand on this and email passengers who do this reminding them of the rules and telling them that abusing staff is not acceptable and a repeat will lead to immediate loss of status and miles and closure of their BAEC account.

Oaxaca

Well, people ask for things every day in all kinds of situations that are not on policy, off the menu etc, it's hardly surprising that this kind of request for rule-bending would extend to airline lounges, especially given the anecdotal evidence around the world of people talking their guests into lounges, including on this forum. Even in the LCC world, you see plenty of people who try it on with FR and U2 (not lounges of course) and it is generally known how strict they are on policies.

I've never done it myself for lounge access (to my cost once, as my post above indicated ), but I'm not going to get worked up about someone asking a polite question of the kind that happens all over the world every day. Rudeness and DYKWIA behaviour on the subject is another matter, no excuse for that, especially if I'm waiting patiently behind them to get into the lounge .

paul4040

+1.

It wouldn't be acceptable to ask for other benefits of higher cabins "as a favour", so why lounges?

It's like saying there's no harm is asking for a J meal in Y. It's just cheeky.

exilencfc

Do bear in mind that the "last time at x" ranters may be lying about their experiences.

I agree entirely with the rest of your post though. (And I thoroughly support LTN phobia's para 2 proposal).