Bttc

Isn't it off on a far side by the regional flights? The location might not fit his/her travel patterns.

QRC3288

1.) there isn't a "regional flight" area, I've flown to Male, Toronto, Dubai, Amsterdam and London from gates nearby. It's true that North American and Australian flights tend to avoid those gates (40+), because those destinations require secondary screening and it's not convenient for HKG security staff to trek all the way down to the far side of the concourse where the Bridge is located. But NA and Australia aren't CX's only long-haul destinations.

2.) Back on the topic of the SFO lounge...so we don't get this thread closed.....I wonder if CX is finally implementing crowd control at SFO!? That lounge is jam packed on a full 77H. I was there 2 weeks ago flying the daytime flight (CX879) on 77G, which is not a premium plane (40 J, 0 F, less biz fliers in my experience), and the lounge was still full. Granted, there weren't people on the floor - as I've seen at least 5 times before with both the 747 and 77H - but I was still surprised that a single 77G can fill up the whole lounge. So maybe CX is tacitly admitting that they whiffed on the size of the SFO lounge. IMO, that SFO lounge is a huge downgrade from the old BA lounge.

Once you get past the first "WoW!" factor of the fancy looking Mac computers on the left, and the (tacky, in my view) glare of the stone/marble/whatever it is that CX made a staple of their one-generation-ago design (like Wing), frequent fliers miss out on the most basic thing a lounge should provide: ample seating. BA had it at SFO. Not to mention, BA had lounge boarding. SFO boarding is a cluster$##$, despite the nice looking terminal. You go out there and jockey along the left side with people, cutting is rampant, and it's just an unnecessarily stressful experience. The SFO ground situation has been a downgrade ever since they opened the new lounge IMO.

Arriving at SFO is still great, but IMO as a frequent flier (who cares less about the "WoW!" factor, and more about the convenience), SFO took a big step back when CX opened that lame lounge of theirs in 2011. The noodle bar means nothing to me.

APeverell

That's why if I need to fly in SFO, I'd fly out from LAX. The new TBIT feels great!

olouie

FWIW I was just refused entry on a BA J ticket this weekend. Showed the agent the webpage for one world and for CX saying that one world carriers business and first class get access. She just said those were wrong, called her supervisor who claimed that they website was saying that you need status AND business and first. SIGH....

Tried to call CX customer service but hold times were long so just gave up.

IceTrojan

Was the supervisor the station manager?

JALPak

Next time try tweeting @cathaypacific

olouie

Did that too but to the CathayPacificUSA handle and no response.

JALPak

You should use the HK one next time Anyway, what you can do now is file a complaint with oneworld/CX.

QRC3288

i think CX must be aware of the lounge crowding issue at SFO. This is their half-baked attempt to deal with it. I don't think this is a coincidence given now multiple anecdotes of OW partners getting denied entry, combined with CX's acknowledgement (via agencyguy) of lounge crowding being an issue for members.

CX's SFO lounge was a pretty big whiff IMO...seating is already tight for a full load on the non-premium 77G (no F, fewer J, more Y). A full 77H or 74K and folks end up sitting on the floor, especially if there happen to be a lot of AA elites on the flight. You'd think CX would've done some basic math with seats and known this before they opened the lounge to their typical PR fanfare in 2011. It's going to be standing room only once the second SFO midnight departure launches. What a mess.

I wish we could just use the BA lounge again with lounge boarding. I felt like the SFO departure experience was significantly downgraded once CX put in their own lounge (!!!). I used to be able to arrive at SFO 70-90 minutes before departure and have a seamless experience onto the airplane. After the CX lounge opened, forget it. The SFO lounge traded convenience - enough seats, lounge boarding with BA - for the "wow" factor of iMacs, the noodle bar that CX is endlessly patting themselves of the back for, and the shiny tiles. Presumably there is a "wow!" factor for folks who haven't flown CX before, but for frequent fliers I feel like it's a major letdown. Am I the only one here? Particularly with the mess that SFO boarding is, given the somewhat narrow opening (Especially on the elite side where everyone jockeys for position). Really wish we had lounge boarding back. It was great.

For those pax flying F and looking for seamless, I'd arrive at SFO and depart at LAX. SFO immigration is faster on arrival, but the new LAX QF F lounge (and even LAX OW J lounge) runs circles around CX's SFO lounge. TBIT departure is nice now. Ironically, CX presumably has nothing to do with the improved ex-LAX experience, and has everything to do with the SFO departure downgrade. SFO used to lack the bling on departure but more than made up for it with the ease of lounge boarding. I don't know how to describe it, except before it was very stress free. Since installing their own lounge in 2011, now departing SFO is a cluster!#$. CX's marketing line "Life Well Traveled" rings pretty hollow for me on this one.

olouie

I would be more content if the lounge was crowded but it seemed empty unless everyone was hiding. What is interesting is BA lady said they have the same policy now so looks like OW is really not enforcing its rules or SFO lounges just know they can turn peoplw away.

QRC3288

what time were you there? my suspicion is it was before the CX rush hour began, and they're playing defense preparing for the rush. just my guess. i can't imagine them suddenly rejecting partner elites on non-CX metal is a coincidence, especially in light of the comments they've been making about revamping the MPC program and acknowledging lounge issues.

olouie

Was there around 1-1:30pm.

jagmeets

That's after 879's departure, right?

Wondering if the lounge was operating as 'another carrier's lounge' at that time?...see that it becomes the LAN lounge 1645 onwards.

cxfan1960

CX SFO lounge is a CX lounge four hours before CX873/CX879 departures until their departures. Theoretically, you should be able to use the CX lounge during those hours on a departing BA flight. However, OP (pivotal99) was also denied entry, which might have happened within the time operated by CX. So...

Shareholder

OP was on a JL F ticket, so should have been given a lounge pass at check-in to either the CX lounge or one JL contracts with. This is standard practice with any airline that does not operate its own lounge at an airport. While it is OW policy to accept all F and C passengers, and Sapphire/Emerald elites, there can be restrictions due to crowding or other circumstances. But it appears some of the receptionists don't understand the reciprocal nature of OW benefits.