Originally Posted by
Fatpenguin
Why do people feel their family members should have lounge access when they are not booked into a class that affords this service?
Some might, but we don't. On the only trip we've made ex-LHR as a family, we were travelling in CE.
Also, if you are Gold, why not use your Avios to book your family into a class that gives them lounge access? To get Gold I assume you are getting a lot of Avios.
There are some issues which can crop up travelling as a family if you don't want to all travel on full Avios redemption. I like to pay for my seats with BA, or at least UuA (don't want to waste Avios and usually need the TPs).
So on our trip (TR here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...es-family.html ) my son few on an Avios redemption ticket, my wife and I had paid tickets. Sounds like it should be straightforward? Not quite. Seating had to be sorted out manually. OLCI didn't work. The first attempt to check my son in at MUC failed because the agent's system said he was an unaccompanied minor! Of course, two completely separate bookings, so two PNRs. If you're travelling with a 2-year-old all of those minor niggles are things you could do without.
It really would be better if you could "mix" redemption and cash bookings better - BA doesn't handle it well IMHO.
Last one, why would you put your family in the position of being embarrassed to be turned away from a lounge, and put somebody doing their job in the situation of having to say no to a couple of children. You know the rules, why think it should not apply to you?
We wouldn't want to put ourselves in that position either, hence us booking CE. Please note that anecdotal evidence posted on there note there also "DYKWIA" types who try to get extra adults into lounges too, it's not just a family-related issue!
If lounges were a bit more up-front with the rules (how about a nice poster on the wall?!), it would help. If lounge
dragons angels were a bit more clued-up on the rules, it would help. If the rules were almost always applied properly, it would also help.
I'm all for sticking to the rules... but then everyone should have to.