Etihad tightens Sydney airport lounge access
Jul 24, 2015, 12:25 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: VIE
Programs: QR Gold, TK Gold
Posts: 148
Etihad tightens Sydney airport lounge access
Just found this on Australian Business Traveller:
Here the link to the original article
Etihad Airways is clamping down on frequent flyer access to its First and Business Class Lounge at Sydney Airport when flying to Abu Dhabi.
Passengers booked into economy on Etihad's daily Airbus A380 flight (EY455) but holding Gold or Platinum status with Etihad partner Virgin Australia are now being directed to the new Air New Zealand lounge.
Air New Zealand's Sydney lounge: now open to frequent flyers on Etihad Air New Zealand's Sydney lounge.
The same rules apply to Etihad Guest members – except for "Platinum and above" – travelling in economy class on EY455, a spokesperson for the airline confirmed to Australian Business Traveller.
However, those restrictions don't apply to Etihad Guest and Virgin Australia Velocity members on Etihad's daytime Boeing 777 flight from Sydney (EY451) or Virgin Australia's VA29 (EY6451) Abu Dhabi service.
“This change has been necessitated by the larger premium cabin capacity of the A380 and space constraints in the airline’s Sydney First and Business Class Lounge,” the spokesperson explained.
“As a result, only guests booked in The Residence, First Apartment (first class) or Business Studio (business class) on flight EY455 are invited to use the Etihad Airways lounge at Sydney Airport.”
Passengers booked into economy on Etihad's daily Airbus A380 flight (EY455) but holding Gold or Platinum status with Etihad partner Virgin Australia are now being directed to the new Air New Zealand lounge.
Air New Zealand's Sydney lounge: now open to frequent flyers on Etihad Air New Zealand's Sydney lounge.
The same rules apply to Etihad Guest members – except for "Platinum and above" – travelling in economy class on EY455, a spokesperson for the airline confirmed to Australian Business Traveller.
However, those restrictions don't apply to Etihad Guest and Virgin Australia Velocity members on Etihad's daytime Boeing 777 flight from Sydney (EY451) or Virgin Australia's VA29 (EY6451) Abu Dhabi service.
“This change has been necessitated by the larger premium cabin capacity of the A380 and space constraints in the airline’s Sydney First and Business Class Lounge,” the spokesperson explained.
“As a result, only guests booked in The Residence, First Apartment (first class) or Business Studio (business class) on flight EY455 are invited to use the Etihad Airways lounge at Sydney Airport.”
Jul 24, 2015, 4:08 am
#2
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Melbourne/Bangkok
Programs: A3*G, QF PLATINUM, BA GOLD, VA GOLD, HH DIAMOND
Posts: 2,245
Pathetic. If youre going to build a lounge and fly your flagship product there then make sure your customers fit. Emirates seem to manage and so do SQ with.multiple A380 services to Sydney
Jul 24, 2015, 5:55 am
#4
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: BAEC Gold, EK Skywards (enhanced Blue !), Oman Air Sindbad Gold
Posts: 6,399
I can't speak as an Etihad flyer, but I do have a lot of experience of Emirates and their lounges in Oz and around the world. There are times when EK lounges can get crowded (especially in MEL) so they are no paragon of virtue in that regard.
Airline lounges - including many of the branded variety - have become degraded over a period of years due to the growth of what I see as 'peripheral access eligibility' - ie partner airline privileges, credit card benefits etc, etc.
In stating this change, Etihad are basically saying "access to our Etihad first & business class lounge is restricted to those travelling first or business class with Etihad.
Seems totally reasonable to me.
Good on ya Etihad, as the Aussies would say ....^
Jul 24, 2015, 6:43 am
#6
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Oxon, UK
Programs: Mucci des canapes, Skywards Gold, BAEC, IC Plat Amb, LH FTV
Posts: 1,951
Don't think OW status will get the holder into an EY lounge. It certainly won't get him or her into an ANZ/VA lounge as this is a Star Alliance lounge. There will be no access to the QF lounges as they are not travelling on a OneWorld flight.
Jul 24, 2015, 10:26 am
#8
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: FRA
Programs: EY Guest Platinum; A3 Gold; Delta Platinum, BA Silver, IHG Gold
Posts: 484
The only thing I am worried about is if this will become a trend in the other lounges as well
Jul 24, 2015, 5:26 pm
#9
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: SYD
Programs: QF WP (OWE), VA PLAT, EY GLD, SPG PLAT, Hyatt DIA, Hilton DIA, Hertz PC
Posts: 8,527
QF and EK have reciprocal lounge access for pax given the new partnership at SYD. In fact, many have reported being denied access to the EK lounge due to capacity issues and sent to the QF J Lounge.
Of course, F pax can use the QF F lounge too.
Of course, F pax can use the QF F lounge too.
Jul 26, 2015, 10:01 am
#12
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Oxfordshire, UK
Programs: BAEC Silver, IHG & Accor Plat...
Posts: 734
I've departed SYD on EY on 3 evenings in the last 8 months, most recently this month on the a380. The lounge was well attended and a pleasant expereince -certainly not rammed full, nor noisy. I enjoyed an a la carte dinner every time, and in fact I am surprised (in a good way) at the choice and quality of dishes. If the lounge had an outlook over the airport , then I could ask no more of it.
Its not really clear to me that this step by EY was really necessary, although this decision is entirely in keeping with EY's recent habit of acting in a way that devalues them in the eyes of their premium status members.
Its not really clear to me that this step by EY was really necessary, although this decision is entirely in keeping with EY's recent habit of acting in a way that devalues them in the eyes of their premium status members.
Jul 26, 2015, 3:40 pm
#13
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 134
Sort of similar to EY silver and gold members having to use the Al Reem lounge in Abu Dhabi when travelling in economy. No problem with it as any lounge access is appreciated when a status holder, even if this is not the airlines own lounge.