Sometimes it is the other way around. No access but have got status.

I posted this some time ago on another airline program.

I was flying on AF for business when the Flying Blue club was started. The cards (even Ivory) took months to appear. I had to fly, longhaul, nearly every day for six months.

Six weeks after registering with FB I still only had the paper tear-out card from the AF inflight magazine in my pocket. I had returned home for a few days rest and on returning to CDG through LHR I went to the lounge. The lounge dragon refused me entry because I did not have a shiny card to prove I was a platinum member. I explained to her that since I had joined the club just six weeks earlier, I was still waiting for my card to be sent.

She gave me a hauty look and said in a very dismissive way, "well if you have been a member for only six weeks you are not likely to have the 70,000 points required to be platinum, are you?"

I was about to leave but turned to her and asked her very politely if she could let me know how many points I had on my account.

She was still not very happy but did look up my account. "There", she said, just as dismissive as before "you have 15..... oh no.......sorry.....150,000 points".

"Please would you like to take a seat Mr Wizard......"

Priceless.........