This might be a dumb question to ask, but having just read the eligibility terms, I think I understand them and I wanted to ask.

I get that you have to be travelling on Star Alliance, from that airport. IE: I was travelling PTY-MEX (star) MEX-DFW (AA) DFW-YYZ (star) so at MEX I had no lounge access. That makes sense to me, I don't like it since I was on star before and after, but if that's the rule, then that's fine.

My question is this, I swear that people have posted about getting access when not travelling on star. Is that just good fortune? Show up to the lounge and ask nicely? Or are there lounges in the network where it doesn't matter who you're flying, you can access as long as you can prove you're star gold? If so, where are they?