ORDPLATAA

OW Sapphire flying paid WTP YVR-LHR. At check-in, agent seemed a it confused and said "oh, you don't get a lounge invitation." I corrected her that I should as a OW Sapphire (AS Platinum) flying on an this flight. She corrected herself and stamped my BP with "Plaza Premium" and handing me an invitation saying that the flight was full tonight in F and J and that I would be able to use the Plaza Premium Lounge. I asked again why I couldn't use the Galleries Lounge and she said because it will be full. Of course, the flight wasn't so full that they didn't try and upsell me on a CW seat for $850CAD. Really Queen????

Calum

Why are you even complaining when the Plaza is nicer than the BA one? I'm not saying it's great but both BA YVR lounges have seen better days.

ORDPLATAA

Dear God, if this is better than the Galleries Lounge....... I shudder to think what that must be like!

Dambus

I know, OWS flying on a OW airline and denied access to the OW lounge. Some people really expect too much. The OP should be grateful he got from A-B.

Smiley90

You misspelled "CX lounge", it's brand-spanking new and absolutely fantastic. And OWS definitely get access.

Leave the Plaza lounge and head over to the CX lounge RIGHT NOW! Thank me later. :P

ORDPLATAA

I would - but it is closed at the moment.

Smiley90

ah, bummer. opens in 50mins it seems. Hope you get a chance to drop by there, it's similar to the LHR CX lounge and has a dim sum made to order bar, too.

But yeah, the Plaza one actually isn't too bad I find. Open bar with a bartender and hot food items is more than the BA and AC lounges have to offer... -cough-

1Aturnleft

Perhaps I'm missing something obvious but I wasn't aware AS were part of OneWorld. Yes you can earn miles on BA flights but your status with AS will mean nothing to BA (as would be the case if I a BA status holder flew on AS). Do you mean AA Platinum perhaps?

AC*SE

A couple of points:

1) The lounge being full is not the same thing as the flight being full. The Lounge was designed for 744 operations, and BA operates in the summer with a 380--that's 45 extra J class seats, even if they're not all occupied it can still put the lounge overlimit.

2) BA know how many BAEC GGLs, Golds and Silvers they have in WTP and WT, and there can be a lot of them on a not-quite-full 380.

While the plaza premium lounge is a bit of a trek from Gate 64 (not to mention backtracking), I'd give some credit to BA for paying for an alternative lounge space for their overflow customers.

ermen

Yes confused too. probably meant AA.

Tobias-UK

Wasn't the YVR lounge completely renovated a couple of years ago?

IAMORGAN

And I suppose the A380 just magically appeared on the route to the surprise of BA...I wouldn't give credit to BA for giving customers what they are entitled to!

Tobias-UK

Which is presumably the reason why they have organised alternative lounge access?

I think credit where credit is due, given the cost cutting we've seen in recent times they could quite easily play the 'capacity' card and refuse access to guests and oneworld cardholders.

:D!

The OP doesn't appear to have actually been denied access to the BA lounge.

Isn't a BA BP (with status printed or OW Sapphire card) sufficient, without needing a specific invitation from check-in? Anyway it looks like the OP did not try to access the BA lounge so can't say whether he would have really been denied.

I've only been to the PP lounge at YVR myself and I didn't think it was too shabby. But if the CX lounge is so great, which I don't doubt, then won't lots of BA pax will head there anyway, meaning that the BA lounge is less likely to be full?

OTOH, nice of BA to pay PP for OP's access when the OP is just about the lowest lounge-qualified pax. OK he was in WT+ not WT, but would a GGL in F get access to PP if they wanted?

I have been "denied access" to the CX lounges at HKG when flying BA but it was just the check-in agent not really thinking or knowing.

makin'miles

I've flown out of YVR a few times on the A380 flight. The lounge is honestly heaving (to the point that I've seen some people standing), and the furniture is very tightly packed.

I think that the Plaza Premium access is a relatively new offering, and was very badly needed to reduce congestion.