Originally Posted by
cavemanzk
Sorry but I do not agree with this post, it undermines the effort/cost that we put into earning status with NZ to access the Lounges.
The lounges are already over-crowded, and really don't need people being guested in all the time.
Wouldn't this be in breach of some of NZ's T&C?
Looking at Air NZ's
Koru &
Airpoints T&Cs, there is no definition of what your "guest" needs to be (e.g. your partner/spouse, immediately family member etc.). So long as you and your guest(s) adhere to the lounge entry standard (dress-code/eligible flights), it's up to you to decide who you want to bring.
The only thing that would get you into trouble would be if you *sell* lounge access to someone. But I am sure most FT'ers know better than to do that.
Originally Posted by brenrox
I don't see what the issue is. If you check-out the other forums on FT you'll see it is common practice. I often travel alone, so don't see the harm in utilizing an entitlement that I have 'put the effort/cost' in to earning.
You never know when you might end up flying an airline where you have no status and someone returns the favour by guesting you.
I completely agree with that.
Do I want an empty(-ish) lounge all to myself? Of course.
Do I want to feel like I'm actually worth something as a valued customer and want the lounge to be a bit more exclusive, and not let so many "commoners" in? You bet I do!
But I also like to help out other FT'ers or friends that I know, if it makes their travel that much more enjoyable.
Seeing as I have earned the right to these lounge guest passes, be it by flying so much to gain status, or spent so much with a financial institution (credit cards), no one should tell me how I should exercise these guesting rights.
And as mentioned above, one day you might need that favour returned and you might want to be guested by "a complete stranger" into an airline lounge. As the saying goes "what goes around, comes around".
Lastly, most often than not when I fly NZ, the lounge is far from being "over-crowded", the closest being a Friday afternoon on outbound NZ2. Even then food never ran out, dishes/glassware being cleared away at regular intervals and people were courteous and weren't "hogging chairs" for their bags or feet.
Then again, I "only" fly ~100k km each year so perhaps I'm not in the best position to pass judgement. :P