Originally Posted by
sydunipete
But they did not provide access to the Air New Zealand lounge. I was told this is because it is a contracted lounge not a Virgin Australia branded lounge. I think this is a bit petty on Virgin's behalf I presume their own status frequent flyers and Business Class passengers would have been provided access.
This is not at all petty!
Air New Zealand and airberlin have absolutely no relationship whatsoever. Virgin Australia has negotiated lounge access for its own flyers - but they are not going to negotiate access on behalf of every other partner airline that may just happen to, occasionally, have one of their FFP members on an Virgin Australia service.
Whenever you visit a lounge using status, the airline whose status you show is billed for your visit. Now, Virgin Australia and airberlin grant reciprocal lounge access based on their common link via Etihad. However, Air New Zealand is entirely outside of that arrangement. Air New Zealand has no lounge access relationship with airberlin. So, while Virgin Australia has negotiated access for its own status fliers, and for its business-class customers, they can't make airberlin pay for you to visit that lounge. And no - they are not going to pay for you, because then where would it end?