Originally Posted by
father_ted
For me, guest access to lounges is a key benefit of an FFP. However, as much as it increases the value of *G to me, I have only guested someone on just over 4% of my own lounge visits this year.
I've never had Skywards status, although that will probably change soon. On the limited occasions when I've been in EK J, the outstation lounges could have coped with 4% more pax. DXB lounges have always been overflowing however.
EK are wise to try and reinstate the benefit... I think it's limited use is mainly by FFs when on holiday with their other halves, and that generates a lot of goodwill. If companions being guested were using this excessively, then they'd have their own status!
I agree with Ted. The only time I really look to use this benefit is the summer and winter when my wife and I travel home. Last summer we traveled J to LAX, so no worries. This Christmas we booked super last minute and as ung1 saw, Y prices where J prices and J prices are THROUGH THE ROOF
. So now I am stuck using my PriorityPass from Amex and will sit in the Marhaba Lounge in DXB and no Lounge Access at Terminal 4 in JFK.
When I saw this at the bottom of the newsletter yesterday I laughed and didn't even bother to click the "Read More" link. I think that EK had to say something to keep the natives from going bananas!
When I was in JFK last summer, the lounge was very light in my opinion, even with an A380 Fully Loaded in F/J/Y and a lot of Golds hanging around.
I don't think reinstating the benefit outside of DXB would cause confusion. This situation may solve it self when T3-Extension is opened, but maybe not considering how many A380's they will pack in that house...
Time will tell.
-Phil