BOStonTravels

Had a rather unpleasant experience when attempting to use the BA lounge in Boston a short time ago. I had work to do before the flight and nothing else going downtown so headed to Logan but was told at the enterence I could not enter the BA lounge until it became a CX lounge? I had presented my mobile business class boarding pass (with BA lounge invitation attached) for CX 811 along with my BA Silver card to one of the BA staff at the desk.

While the one staff member was in the midst of empathically telling me that it was probably confusing from my perspective but they couldn't admit CX passengers until 945 (I showed up around an hour before) the other BA staff member (whose name tag identified them as Special Services) interrupted their colleague. The Special Services staff member spoke in a loud voice with a tone that could best be described as disdainful, essentially telling me to go.

Two people behind me had overheard and said something along the lines of "but he's flying in business class on Oneworld and has his Silver card" and offered to guest me. I was embarrassed, said I didn't want an exception and wasn't looking to be guested in but simply wanted to understand why I was being turned away. Despite me saying this not only did the Special Services staff member continue to speak over their colleague who was trying to answer my question but told the other passenger in a loud manner that I wasn't allowed to be guested in. The Special Services staff member would not make eye contact and simply, harshly, told me to go. I took their name down thinking I'd send off a brief note and left, after trying to thank the other staff member who was attempting to apologize.

The part that really bothers me is manner in which the staff member responded, every one of us had a rough day but this seemed more than that, to talk with another person in such a manner. I'd cringe if one of my team spoke to anyone that way and would have a serious issue with it as an employer. I am also interested to know why i wasn't allowed in? I can remember other times over the years when even staff at third party lounges took down my name/flight info (thinking in JFK, TLV or SVO to name a few) presumably giving it to someone who would enter it later if needed.

Although I rarely have interaction with Special Services staff and will only be regular BA Gold after tier points post I would be uncomfortable interacting with this staff member again -- likely my tough luck as BOS is a small station!

sxc

Interesting experience. Since this was part of your "CX experience" it might be worthwhile sending feedback to CX about this as well?

https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_...ggestions.html

8.45pm is quite early for the CX flight - had their check-in desks opened yet, or were you able to get airside since you were hand baggage only? If the check-in desks were actually open, then CX should definitely sort out lounge access for people checking in at that time.

MarkedMan

Kinda figured they did when they joined OneWorld. I am pretty sure if the CX F lounges at HKG turned away a BAEC passenger from this forum arriving before their check in desks open there'd be a fuming thread from them. I don't get BA's behavior here.

IAMORGAN

I suspect the reason that will be cited is "capacity restrictions". There's no excuse for rudeness though and I suspect the SS member didn't want to let her / his colleague get into a debate and just wanted to close the conversation down.

It's not good especially when other people can hear, and BA shouldn't just have a blanket policy like this for CX customers (especially when they are in fact a BA cardholder) - I'd hope they really were expecting to be at capacity.

I would drop customer relations at both BA and CX a note about this (and I wonder if oneworld have a CS team too). BA because you're an exec club member, and it was a BA lounge, Cathay because they were your operating carrier (and because I suspect they are more likely to say something meaningful rather than just a BA 'we don't care about our executive club members any more and we are emulating Ryanair at every opportunity #jogon ')...

I'd also have been tempted there and then to have asked them to call the Cathay Duty Manager to ask what solution they were going to offer!

Jed

Yet again we have a BA staff member who (for whatever reason) is incapable of dealing with a customer courteously.
We might speculate that this was due to the usual get out clause of 'capacity restrictions', but from what you say, that wasn't explicitly mentioned either.
I would complain to both CX and BA about the situation and the staff member.

BOStonTravels

Thank you all for the helpful suggestions. As I mentioned my biggest concern was how the staff member interacted with me and their colleague. I did send in complaints to both BA and CX but did not use names as I also recognize that all of us can experience a really bad day and act in ways we typically wouldn't. Capacity issues were not mentioned, I was given no explanation. It also seems odd that this would be an issue because I have flown out of JFK numerous times when CX was using BA's lounge and presented the invitation without CX staff there or it being very close to a CX departure.

bot_beany

Why were you not allowed to be guested in? I mean can a silver/gold card memeber not guest adolf hitler in if they so wish to?

Cymro

Well if they can get over the obvious physical limitations (such as death and loss of the corpse), Mr Hitler would have to be flying on a OW operated flight - and not as cargo.

For whatever reason, if the BA lounge doesn't consider a CX flight a few hours later to be eligible for the passenger himself, then there is a degree of logic in denying guesting. (If you accept that they had the right to deny entry, this is akin to a BA gold Vueling passenger on an IB codeshare, who would be let in if on a BA ticket: here, the flight is not OW operated but is OW marketed...)

Personally, I don't think they had any right to deny entry, unless there is an overarching get-out, but the approach is internally consistent. A very odd ditch for the staff member to die in, regardless.

HilFly

It could be capacity. At 8:45 there could still be passngers in the lounge for the 202, and the 214 passengers would be there for more than an hour longer. BA members on BA flights can be turned away for capacity reasons.

FlyingScientist

He has been banned from flying OneWorld....

MikeBOS

In the old lounge, yes, I could buy this. It was overcrowded and capacity was a real issue. The new lounge is about 3x the size of the old one, serving the same flights, so it would be a pretty lame excuse.

BOStonTravels

Yes, the whole experience left me scratching my head. I will share any responses I get from either BA and/or CX but wont hold my breathe

JAXBA

Quote:

Originally Posted by IAMORGAN

I would drop customer relations at both BA and CX a note about this (and I wonder if oneworld have a CS team too).

oneworld Alliance, LLC is not much more than a brand collectively owned by its member airlines; it doesn't have a CS/CR team of its own. Contacting both BA and CX would be necessary.