warakorn

A friend of mine told me the following story (now, I do not know if everything he told me is true or if he just mixed up things).

He was flying in Y (albeit expensive fare) from DEL to ZRH with LX.
After clearing security at DEL he tried to access the SilverKris lounge. He has Star Gold status with Air Canada (Aeroplan). He was denied. The agent told him the lounge is full. Since his flight would not depart for another 5 hours, he asked if he could come back in an hour. The agent replied that the lounge will remain full for the next 5 hours. My friend pointed to the Star Alliance logo at his entrance.



The agent issued a voucher for an adjacent lounge (Allways). A female agent even escorted him to there. My friend was somehow baffled why they didn't escort him to the Lufthansa lounge.
My friend stayed only for 5 min at the subpar Allways Lounge and moved to the Lufthansa lounge. The agent there told him - because he departs on LX - he should go to the SilverKris lounge. LX has a contract with the SilverKris lounge to send its pax there. First my friend told the agent that he cannot access the SilverKris lounge. My friend pointed the agent towards the Star Alliance Gold logo at his lounge entrance. Eventually the lounge agent relented and let him in.
In the Lufthansa lounge itself the friend noticed that the SilverKris and Lufthansa lounge share the same bathroom, hence, guests could easily switch between lounges - without having to pass the official entrance.

1) I believe my friend. However, did you hear similar stories?
2) SilverKris Lounge is normally only for Business Class passengers. But the entrance proudly featured the Star Alliance logo. What is going on in Delhi?

sol95

Not entirely true. The Silverkris lounge (SKL) is J-only at Changi. However, in outstations, most, if not all SKL are *G. I've had access to the SKL in LHR, SYD, BKK, HKG as a *G in Y.

Kiwi Flyer

If the lounge is full then it becomes a safety issue. Lounges anywhere can deny access for safety reasons.

warakorn

It seemed to me that all Y-pax on LX (regardless of status) are to be turned away to the subpar Allways Lounge at DEL.
Moreover, it was a fight to get into the LH Lounge.
Does anyone has more reliable information on the DEL SKL?

RTWFF

IMO Singapore Airlines commitment to the Star Alliance is grudging at best, and only when it suits them. However you do get lounge agents who simply don't know the regulations, whatever the airline. My partner and I were both travelling at the same time on the same day but to different destinations on different *A airlines. The regulations state that based on *G status we were both entitled to lounge access. The Air NZ lounge in Auckland challenged my right to bring in a guest, so (I'm not quite sure why I had them with me) I took out my extract of the regulations that covered that scenario. The lounge agent was furious at being shown to be wrong, and made sure I knew that my admission was a grudging one. I complained in writing to the airline's General Manager about his attitude and (it may be coincidence) I never saw him in that lounge again, which I used quite frequently

Shared lavatories are always a good lurk for moving between lounges. I've often used that ploy to slip into the F lounge in some lounges where F & J share the same bathroom

warakorn

The SQ Lounge was not full. It could not be a safety issue, because my friend did a little peek into the lounge from the toilets (LH and SQ lounge share the same toilet).

lokijuh

You've got to wonder though what's going if the OP struggled even to get into the LH lounge, and told them to go to the SQ lounge. At least we know SQ's committment to Star Alliance is questionable, but LH trying to send LX (their own group) passengers to SQ or third party lounge?

warakorn

Phaze

Yeah that looks about right. Did your friend not get the 'Why bother?' popup before he emailed them?

warakorn

The issue is not about the policy, the issue is information on the policy.
It is certainly awkward being denied (esp. when pax standing behind the queue). Thats most pax do some research beforehand, which lounge to access and which not.

Even Swiss website lists this lounge as eligible: https://www.swiss.com/CH/EN/fly/airp...nges-worldwide

From an objective point of view, the lounge was not full.

SQ325

The problem of the SKL in DEL is its size. It hardly can accommodate the SQ Biz/First guests and it is a struggle to find empty seats in there. IMHO it was not designed to accommodate A380 flights.

I can understand that the staff tries to turn away customers from other airlines during peak hours. They may do this pre-cautionary as they know how full it can be.

warakorn

The last SQ flight to SIN departs DEL at around 10pm. The next one is in the morning after.
Thus, how can the lounge agents be concerned to turn away SQ premium cabin pax between 10pm and 2am (departure of LX to ZRH)?
My friend reported there at 9pm (that was peak, ok), but he asked, whether he may return an hour later (10pm). He lounge agent responded by telling him: "the lounge will be full until your flight departs".

ExSin

+1

What time was OP there? Guessing that since LH Lounge was open, must be after 9 pm. ( dont exactly remember but LH Lounge there opens late evening to early morning)

Anyways, SKL DEL size is an issue. I was there only once and realized it gets choked full around 1.5 hours prior to departure. Try queuing up for food or drinks .. !
My be realizing this, they were trying to capacity control..

warakorn

It was shortly after 9pm.
The LH Lounge opened at at 9.30pm, hence my friend stayed a bit in the Allways Lounge, but then moved to the LH Lounge.
What was bugging him is that he offered to come back an hour later, but was told it doesnt make a difference.
LH Lounge is way ahead in terms of comfort in comparison to the Allways one.
My friend is not someone, who is looking to argue with staff or entitlement, esp. in Asia. He was more after clean toilets, safe food and calmness (his character does not belong to India).

SQ325

Iam not sure if the SKL remains open after the SQ flight leaves?


I doubt that. The Allways lounge is actually new, quite spacious and relatively big (cant comment on the food offerings though). And its for sure more quiet than the SKL at around 9pm.