Visiting Lounges from Skyteam partners - flying national
Hello,
I am currently located in Mexico. For business I am flying very often Aeromexico within Mexico. Since more than 10 years I am a FlyingBlue Member. Since 3 years Platinum member.
In January I was flying a national route, MTY to BJX. I thought I can spend some last minutes in the Aermoexico lounge, like I did the last year. The woman asked me if I have an international flight later. I said no. OK, so then you cannot go into the lounge.
My colleague who is owner of the Aeromexico Platinum card received a warm welcome from the same woman, so he entered into the lounge. Me too finally with him.
He also received a free upgrade to business, not me.
Isn't strange that Skyteams cares more about your, but at the end you are just a passenger. You do not have permission to enter the lounge, because you are flying national by having a Platinum KLM/AF card?
With Senator from M&M you can enter every Staralliance lounge around the world without problem. Why not at SkyTeam?
Would be great if Skyteam thinks once again about their decision. This means my Platinum card has no value while in any other country than Holland or France. Is not logical.
Programs: KL Gold, BA Gold, EI Elite, A3 *G, LH *S
Posts: 6,577
Quote:
Originally Posted by wickiman
In January I was flying a national route, MTY to BJX. I thought I can spend some last minutes in the Aermoexico lounge, like I did the last year. The woman asked me if I have an international flight later. I said no. OK, so then you cannot go into the lounge.
My colleague who is owner of the Aeromexico Platinum card received a warm welcome from the same woman, so he entered into the lounge. Me too finally with him.
He also received a free upgrade to business, not me.
There is nothing very unusual about an airline extending greater privileges to status members in its own program, than to alliance status members. Their own elites are governed by the rules of Aeromexico's own frequent flyer programme. As a holder of a Flying Blue Elite Plus card, you are instead governed by SkyTeam policies.
•SkyTeam Elite Plus members, regardless of their travel class, are allowed access to a SkyTeam lounge at a particular airport if traveling on or connecting to/from a same-day international flight operated by a SkyTeam Member airline. Simply present your same-day ticket for an international SkyTeam airline flight and a valid Elite Plus membership card
The bolding above is my own. To have lounge access as a SkyTeam Elite Plus member (i.e. when you are not in one of the lounges of your native program, where the rules may be more lenient - though not always! Many Delta frequent flyers don't have access to lounges on domestic itineraries, for example) you must be connecting to or from an international flight.
If you were granted access last year on a Mexican domestic flight, it was either a mistake, or you were connecting to or from a same-day SkyTeam international flight.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wickiman
With Senator from M&M you can enter every Staralliance lounge around the world without problem. Why not at SkyTeam?
Different program, different alliance, different rules.
Though note that as per the Star Alliance lounge access rules, "Continental, United and US Airways Star Alliance Gold customers may only access the United Clubs and US Airways Clubs within the U.S. when travelling in conjunction with a Star Alliance international flight."
Quote:
Originally Posted by wickiman
Would be great if Skyteam thinks once again about their decision. This means my Platinum card has no value while in any other country than Holland or France. Is not logical.
Really? Does that mean that the only FB Platinum perk you value is lounge access? And does that mean you only take domestic flights outside of the Netherlands and France? (Because on days when you take an international SkyTeam flight, you have lounge access on any domestic sectors, too)
Personally, I hope no-body from SkyTeam is reading, because if they get the impression from you that lounge access is the only "value" of a Platinum card, then perhaps they will take away the other benefits - the extra baggage allowance, the priority check in, the priority boarding, the priority baggage handling, the mileage-earning bonuses, etc, that other travellers find valuable.
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thanks for your answer. A few comments to your reply.
Quote:
Originally Posted by irishguy28
Really? Does that mean that the only FB Platinum perk you value is lounge access? And does that mean you only take domestic flights outside of the Netherlands and France? (Because on days when you take an international SkyTeam flight, you have lounge access on any domestic sectors, too)
I would agree, but my main business is currently Mexico and so I travel within Mexico. I have maybe 2-4 trips to Germany per year. When traveling within Mexico I keep working in the airport and when a lounge is available I prefer to get in and work there on my mails and not at the gate.
Quote:
Originally Posted by irishguy28
Personally, I hope no-body from SkyTeam is reading, because if they get the impression from you that lounge access is the only "value" of a Platinum card, then perhaps they will take away the other benefits - the extra baggage allowance, the priority check in, the priority boarding, the priority baggage handling, the mileage-earning bonuses, etc, that other travellers find valuable.
As said above, only 2-4 flights per year and of course I like to take extra luggage with me. From priority baggage handling I do not see much, maybe I am not lucky and most of the time it comes with all the other luggage or late in Germany as well as in Mexico, traveling business.
I just limit my critics to the for me currently national traveling.
•SkyTeam Elite Plus members, regardless of their travel class, are allowed access to a SkyTeam lounge at a particular airport if traveling on or connecting to/from a same-day international flight operated by a SkyTeam Member airline. Simply present your same-day ticket for an international SkyTeam airline flight and a valid Elite Plus membership card
Is this same-day exactly same date, or within 24 hours period?
Because traveling from Europe to Asia, one can be well within 24 hours from an international arrival when connecting to a domestic flight, yet flying 2 days later if you only look at the dates...
Thinking about benefits: in the good old pre-FB days as a FD gold (or whatever it was called) I could enter, with one guest, all KLM lounges even when flying another airline. I can only sing...
Those were the days, my friend
We thought they'd never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we choose
We'd fight and never lose
For we were young and sure to have our way
La la la la la la ...
Moderator: Flying Blue (Air France & KLM), France and TravelBuzz!
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Paris, France, AF F+ Rouge pour toujours, Flying Blue whatever, LH back to SEN, HHonors Gold, SPG Plat, formerly proud SCC Executive, now IC Royal Ambassador, BA down to Silver
Posts: 10,890
Quote:
Originally Posted by KLouis
Thinking about benefits: in the good old pre-FB days as a FD gold (or whatever it was called) I could enter, with one guest, all KLM lounges even when flying another airline. I can only sing...
Those were the days, my friend
We thought they'd never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we choose
We'd fight and never lose
For we were young and sure to have our way
La la la la la la ...
Unless I am mistaken, the changes for LH SEN and BA Gold members regarding anytime access to lounges have gone the same way. Downhill.
Programs: *G, ST E+, OW nobody, Sixt Platinum, Hertz#1 Club Gold, HH Gold, Le Club Plat, IHG Platinum
Posts: 3,524
Bump!
Quote:
Originally Posted by jms_uk
Is this same-day exactly same date, or within 24 hours period?
Because traveling from Europe to Asia, one can be well within 24 hours from an international arrival when connecting to a domestic flight, yet flying 2 days later if you only look at the dates...
