First Class Lounge Acess
 

There seems to be conflicting information about the ability to use the First Class Lounge at AUH as an arriving passenger when transiting.

We're booked SYD-CAI via AUH in F, however AUH-CAI-AUH has been downgraded to a 2 class aircraft due to low demand in January. Does EY allow arriving F pax to use the lounge, or will we be forced to use the J lounge?

With an 8 hour layover, I really want access to the F Lounge. Seems rather ludicrous that we have paid for F, but due to the downgrade of the second aircraft we will be denied access.

There are reports of Virgin Australia Platinum enabling access as well, however nothing confirmed in writing online.

I asked EY's Twitter presence, and was told you will be granted access based on your departing flight, not arriving.

So our JFK-AUH in F followed by AUH-KHI in Y journey gives us no lounge access.

I was initially told that we can only access th J lounge via email from EY Guest. When I requested clarification the ticketing office at SYD confirmed we wil have F Lounge access. I will print it out and take it with me.

Please do report back with your results. If you do get F Lounge access, would appreciate you asking the Q regarding my situation as well (F connecting to Y).

Fortunately, I did status match my wife to Velocity Gold, just waiting to get the membership materials from an Aussie friend. So at the very least will have access to Al Reem Lounge.

I think you will be fine. I think those in sales and reservations may not necessarily know the precise lounge policies, and arrival F access seems reasonable. AMEX Platinum certainly said arrival F access is permitted.

I would think so too. I'm not travelling till Feb/Mar, so assuming you're travelling before then, please do report back.

I actually wish they started restricting the first class area a bit more. The last few times in the last month I've found it hard to find a seat in the lounge area. I think its because a lot of people from American Airlines are booking award tickets and first class loading is higher. As a full fare customer I kind of got annoyed by the amount of people in the lounge. I just used the spa and dinning room. I may have never noticed it but the chicken mustard soup on the menu is exquisite, plus it really made me feel better when i was coming down with a cold.

I met a FT member in the F lounge about a month or so back that got in on a JFK-AUH(F) connecting out to India in J. I think the deciding factor is the availability of F on the connecting leg. If you are in highest class of service on the connection, it seems they honor F lounge.

Connecting out to a Y leg, it may be harder to pull off.

Yeah, unfortunately there's only 2 seats in J, while I need 3.

Thanks for the recommendation, I'll try it tomorrow :)

I should have updated the email I received from the Sydney ticketing office when I questioned the initial response:

Dear Jock28
Our Etihad Guest team have advised that as you have redeemed a First Class ticket, you will be entitled to the First Class Lounge in Abu Dhabi
Kind Regards
XXXX

Etihad Airways Sydney Ticket Office
Level 36 Aurora Place
SYDNEY NSW 2000 Australia
Tel. (+612) 8024 7200
Fax. (+612) 8024 7225
Email [email protected]
www.etihadairways.com
The National Airline Of The United Arab Emirates

I should add that we were in F from AUH-CAI, and the aircraft got downgraded to 2 class. I will ensure I have a print out of this when entering the lounge.

Could also be because of the creation of the Gold Elite tier, now more frequent J and even Y passengers have F lounge access

Writing this from AUH. EY455 landed at T1. We walked to T3, had to clear security (although no requirement to take laptops or liquids out, it's simply an X ray) and made my way to the EY Lounge.

Preseted the incoming F and departing J boarding passes, agent took a few moments on the pc, then escorted us to an empty F Lounge. It appears they check the fare codes as she could tell we had redeem a F award and we were downgraded to J because of low demand and F being removed off the aircraft.

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Any chance if asking about my F to Y scenario due to lack of award availability on the shorter segment?

Is it one award?