My travel companion and I are devout United Airlines’ frequent flyers. Recently we flew from KTM (Kathmandu) to BWI as much as we could on United Metal. So we flew KTM to DEL on 9W (jet Airways), because United does not fly to Nepal [yet] – then took the long haul from DEL to EWR and onwards to BWI, on United.
On our way out of Kathmandu we decided to try the Thai Airways lounge, as we had never been there before. Upon seeing our boarding passes, at a glance, one man who seemed to be working there, but not at the reception desk (it was empty), told us that we should go upstairs to the lounge for Jet Airways.
We said "no, we' are Star Alliance Gold members" and pointed to the plaque on the reception desk that said, “Thai Airways welcomes Star Alliance Gold Members.” He ignored us and walked away, asking another staff member to deal with us.
The entrance into the lounge quickly became a spectacle, with several men surrounding us and telling us that we were not allowed because we were flying Jet Airways and not flying on a Star Alliance member. We already had our United boarding passes, but the men refused to look at them, and just kept repeating their mantra that we were not on Thai Airways or on a Star Alliance carrier. They then proceeded to remove the “Welcome Star Alliance Gold Members” sign on the counter, that we had pointed to - so we were clearly not welcome, and could not point to it any more. Even pulling out our frequent flier cards, mine *Gold and my travel companion, *Gold Global Services, did nothing to convince the staff that we were Star Alliance Gold members - and that we were entitled to enter the lounge, because our connecting flights would all be fully on a Star Alliance carrier.
Understandably, after being surrounded, treated like chattel and ignored we were losing our tempers.
Eventually the receptionist came, a little woman, who looked at our boarding passes and still told us that only Star Alliance members were welcomed. She said she would call the Thai Airways Kathmandu station manager and that we should wait, even though I told my friend that I wanted to leave.
The manager came, repeated the rhetoric of his staff several times and spoke over our questions before enlightening us as to why we were not welcomed. Which he said was because our carrier leaving KTM was not a Star Alliance member. By this point, I had become huffy and curt, but my friend remained ever the gentleman. He lowered his voice to an audible whisper, apologized for our ignorance and thanked the manager for his time.
We left, and had a glass of wine in the Jet Airways designated lounge.
I am not upset at the manager; in fact I must apologize for being ill tempered. I am upset at the staff of the lounge and their dismissive behaviour and phrases such as: “Let's see who is right or wrong when the manager comes.” Their voices, body language and their unwillingness to look at us, remain in my mind.
We fly dedicatedly on United, reserving the longest possible flights for us on United Metal. We pay hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to the this Star Alliance member airline. We enjoy their services and we love to fly. Call us crazy but this is our expense in life. "Work hard, play hard" as my friend says.
What makes me upset is the lack of customer service at the Kathmandu Tribhuvan Airport Thai Airways lounge. No one, except the manager, added new information. And why was it only he that did? Being told that “we should instead fly Thai out of KTM and be accepted,” rather than showing us some courtesy as top tier Star Alliance members.
It was our ignorance that took us to that lounge. Yet still, I would expect better, or even civilized, treatment for dedicated customers of partners, no? Does an allegiance across the Alliance not count for much? Forget the threatening behaviour, but would it be totally unacceptable to have an explanation rather than them trying to verbally shove us out of the lounge?
I have nothing against Thai Airlines; I recently flew TG from BKK to KTM and enjoyed the flight. Great flight staff, good food and just all around nice. But paying so much in time and money into a service should be appreciated by that company and all its Global Partners, including ground staff. After all I could just jump on the next flight out rather than be so extremely loyal to Star Alliance.
Programs: Mileage Plus (GS); Flying Blue (Gold); AADvantage
Posts: 78
Sorry to hear about your experience in Kathmandu
Well, rules are rules. The *G lounges worldwide are really only accessible when your flight from that particular airport is on a Star Alliance airline member. That is no excuse, however, for the unprofessional behaviour of the staff at the KTM Thai lounge. Loyalty must indeed be Alliance-wide and they should have shown you and your travel companion the courtesy that a *G member deserves. I would follow this up with a letter to TG in Bangkok. In any case, for future reference: Do read the small print before trying to get into any airline lounge. The lounge dragons, worldwide, are trained to keep chattel out
The rules clearly state that you must be flying on *A metal to be able to use the *A carrier lounges....so you were chancing your arm and the Thai Lounge staff, quite rightly, refused you entry.
You should have accepted what the first staff member said and just walked away. But you caused a scene and got both yourselves and the staff stressed.....what for?
You weren't entitled to use the facility in the first place!!
Programs: A3*G, QF PLATINUM, BA GOLD, VA GOLD, HH DIAMOND
Posts: 1,619
so you were in the wrong , refused to accept the advice of the lounge attendants now you come here and write an essay complaining about your mistreatment. utterly ridiculous. please find a new hobby or fly TG to bkk then connect to your precious United
Since you've already felt shamed by the (correct) responses I'll focus on something else:
Quote:
Originally Posted by IkieFlies
We fly dedicatedly on United, reserving the longest possible flights for us on United Metal. We pay hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to the this Star Alliance member airline. We enjoy their services and we love to fly. Call us crazy but this is our expense in life.
Why United? For the love of flying, why UA[dbaCO]?
Programs: AA EXP 2.9 MM & LT PLT, SPG PLT 100 and LT GLD, TG, AC
Posts: 4,318
Let's assume that the rules are the rules. What about the “Welcome Star Alliance Gold Members” sign? I, for one, would have been really annoyed if they simply removed the sign mid-conversation.
What makes me upset is the lack of customer service at the Kathmandu .
Trust me you will experience better than this, I have been kicked out or not allowed entry into some of the best lounges in the world. I know I am not allowed into CX's lounge in HKIA but every now and then i try. At Frankfurt they have an exclusive first class terminal I am also not allowed into, but each time I try. In Melbourne the upstairs Qantas lounge is awesome, I got in once or twice but most times they read me the riot act. Now there is talk I could get into the united lounge in HKG, but I can tell you, it must have been in retribution, because they will not allow me in.
Programs: A3*G, QF PLATINUM, BA GOLD, VA GOLD, HH DIAMOND
Posts: 1,619
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr. HFH
Let's assume that the rules are the rules. What about the “Welcome Star Alliance Gold Members” sign? I, for one, would have been really annoyed if they simply removed the sign mid-conversation.
he was not a star alliance gold member when flying 9W ! I can't waltz in to a Qantas lounge when I fly Thai simply because I'm Qantas gold. it's basic stuff any elite status member of an alliance should know. they only moved the sign after the op and friend repeatedly refused to leave.
Programs: A3*G, QF PLATINUM, BA GOLD, VA GOLD, HH DIAMOND
Posts: 1,619
Quote:
Originally Posted by BKKROP
Trust me you will experience better than this, I have been kicked out or not allowed entry into some of the best lounges in the world. I know I am not allowed into CX's lounge in HKIA but every now and then i try. At Frankfurt they have an exclusive first class terminal I am also not allowed into, but each time I try. In Melbourne the upstairs Qantas lounge is awesome, I got in once or twice but most times they read me the riot act. Now there is talk I could get into the united lounge in HKG, but I can tell you, it must have been in retribution, because they will not allow me in.
repeatedly trying to access lounges for which you have no right to be in is rather bizarre behaviour.
Location: my heart is on the shores of the north Italian lakes
Programs: LH Senator (prev. SR TC G), LHW Leaders Club (since 2000), Relais&Chateaux Club5C, ex ! "Amanjunkie"
Posts: 1,156
Welcome to FT IkiFlies
Yes, the OP is obviously wrong and should have considered listening to the staff at KTM in the first place, or having studied *alliance lounge access rules (which are for sure alos posted to UA gold members when they reach status).
But why nobody welcomes him to FT ? This first post is a little bit weird, but it is exactly on FT that we can learn from each other each day.
I hope to read IkiFlies on other occasions and that he/she will become a member of our community.
__________________
Political correctness is no justification for not naming things that have to be named
Let's assume that the rules are the rules. What about the “Welcome Star Alliance Gold Members” sign? I, for one, would have been really annoyed if they simply removed the sign mid-conversation.
i agree - they could have handled themselves better and removing the sign mid-conversation was childish. suddenly trying to pretend they weren't a star lounge was really, really immature. the better solution would have been to politely explain the rules, which are very clear, and then decline to show any (common sense) flexibility.
youre only entitled to star lounge access if youre departing on a star carrier (and have a bus/first BP or gold card). the OP was departing on jet air so didn't qualify. the other star sectors on ua for future departures are irrelevant.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BKKROP
I have been kicked out or not allowed entry into some of the best lounges in the world. I know I am not allowed into CX's lounge in HKIA but every now and then i try. At Frankfurt they have an exclusive first class terminal I am also not allowed into, but each time I try. In Melbourne the upstairs Qantas lounge is awesome, I got in once or twice but most times they read me the riot act. Now there is talk I could get into the united lounge in HKG, but I can tell you, it must have been in retribution, because they will not allow me in.
this sort of behaviour (especially behaviour that results in being thrown out of lounges) probably explains why at KTM and other locations they rigidly enforce the rules. no wonder lounges will not let someone in (as a courtesy) if they think there's any chance that theyll need to kick that same person out.
its nice to be important (and some people do think theyre more important, more correct, more informed than others), but its more important to be nice. in this case, sounds like the OP fronted up and demanded access to which they were not entitled. i can imagine the lounge staff were not inclined to show any flexibility.
they removed the sign when the argument reached an impasse. from the other point of view, you've explained rightly what the rules are: that that customer only has access to 9W; that that customer is flying on non-*G carrier; that *G membership doesn't matter when applied to 9W outbound (&vice-versa)
but the customer still persists. what do you do, short of calling security?
