jubbing

So my mum was flying this morning on a Malaysian Airlines flight, business class, from MEL to KUL. I told her with that ticket she could enter any One World Lounge (namely the Cathay Pacific/Malaysia Airlines/Qantas Business Lounges).

So she went to try, but both Cathay and Qantas lounges told her she couldn't enter without a One World Card with status - which really shouldn't be true.

Is this a new rule, or are Melbourne lounges really stingy and acting against one world policy?

lcpteck

Didn't see any new ruling on this so it looks like your mom got attended by some clueless agents.

Seat11A

It's my understanding you can only access different Oneworld lounges when you have the appropriate tier status with a Oneworld carries frequent flyer scheme. IE Emerald or Sapphire. If you don't, and are travelling in a premium cabin, then you can only use the lounge offered by the operating carrier, as Oneworld rules don't apply. At least that's how I understood it. The Oneworld website would be the best place to get the definitive answer on this.

Hope your Mum still enjoyed her trip, and the Malaysian Golden Lounge in Melbourne.

Cheers

lcpteck

That's actually not true.

As long as you're in Business/First class operated and marketed by a Oneworld Airline, you would have access to any of the member airline lounges (with a few exceptions including 3rd party operated). I've experienced it before even as a Ruby. Of course if it isn't true, then I must be very lucky.

skunker

That used to be the policy-entry into other lounges only with status-but they changed it a while back.

Rami Tamimi

That's completely wrong.J/F pax can access any lounge operated by oneworld airlines,with the exception of QR and BA CCR/CCB.

Seat11A

My bad, as pointed out above I'm completely wrong with what I said. I've take my own advise and now read the Oneworld website, and it clearly states the following -

"If your Oneworld frequent flyer tier status is Emerald or Sapphire, or you are traveling in a First or Business Class cabin on any oneworld member airline, you can access some 650 airport lounges throughout the world.
This means you can relax or catch up with work in comfort and style before departure, regardless of which oneworld member airline you choose to fly with."

Luckily I don't control the access to airport lounges, or I would be as wrong as the staff at the Cathay & Qantas lounges. Suffice it to say, why don't the airline staff know their own access rules?

Again I apologise for giving the wrong info, I do seem to remember is was this way once, but clearly things have changed and for the better too.

Good luck to you Mum for the rest of her trip. Hope she gets to enjoy more Oneworld lounges on her travels.

Cheers & Sorry

Rami Tamimi

[QUOTE=Seat11A;27051464] Suffice it to say, why don't the airline staff know their own access rules?


/QUOTE]


I think it's because each airline builds and operates their lounges for their customers (flying their metal). Accepting other airline pax is their priority #2,or possibly #202.

Try presenting an RJ,S7,or UL BP to CX@HKG lounge staff and see their reaction

Himeno

Oneworld lounge access policy is, as others have stated, based on either class of service, or oneworld status with some exceptions for lounges that are outside the oneworld agreement (arrivals lounges, BA Concorde Room and QR LHR lounge) and 3rd party lounges. The QR DOH lounges have different arrangements, and there are restrictions on AA members when flying within North America.
This has been the case since at least 2008.

For the 3rd party lounges (for example the AF lounges used by QF at SFO or RJ/QR at ORD), you generally need to be flying on the carrier that contracts that lounge, but the same class of service or status rules apply in most cases.

In most cases, the lounge operator should be happy that other airline pax are coming. That means the airline gets paid (eg, if a QF pax uses a CX lounge at HKG, QF pays CX).

Some lounge agents might be confused if they haven't seen a boarding pass from that airline before or have problems finding the info they need on it.
I had a flight on QF connecting from MH in SIN shortly after the QF/EK tie up. MH issued a pass for the QF flight in KUL. QF lounge was closed when I got to SIN, so I thought I'd check the EK lounge. I had to point out the QF flight code to BNE because the agent thought I was on an MH flight.
Also once got into the CX SIN lounge using my baggage claim tag because no one would issue my connecting boarding pass as it was "too early".

Globalist

From what I see in the Other Asian, Australian, and South Pacific Airlines forum, MH Business passengers are now being refused entry in the QR lounge at London LHR.

This is in clear violation on what is published on the OW website.

Qatar: Premium Lounge at London Heathrow is available for eligible customers travelling on Qatar Airways or any oneworld flights in First and Business cabin class only.

https://www.oneworld.com/ffp/lounge-...ungeaccess/LHR

No way to contact OW via their website, they just refer to member airlines.

MH is referring all passengers to the skyteam lounge while their own lounge is closed.
QR is refusing MH passengers against policy. I assume MH does not want to pay them for guest access.

What does OW do?
Anyone has any direct contacts in OW who can give proper guidance?

Globalist

millionmiler

I would call the OW stated rules as "theoretical" as they are quite often ignored by various local OW lounge staff. In some cases there are notorious stations and in other cases sporadic. They can write anything they want but if the rules are not often followed then they are not the rules.

I have not personally had a problem for a long, long time but I have seen literally dozens of people over the last few years being turned away when I absolutely knew that the staff were wrong. In some cases it was just horrible, disgusting behaviour and ignorance on the part of the lounge staff.

millionmiler

In these cases OW (which has an office in NYC) does nothing as I understand it. Its up to MH to force the issue with QR which they are not going to do as for the reason you suggest MH is likely the cause of the problem not the victim.

Rami Tamimi

Yeah,that's exactly what I mean when I say no one cares.

I recall there was a simmilar situation,whereby MH lounge would not accept OWE/OWS flying QR metal,but it was resolved.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/23615108-post28.html