Since you're relatively new to FT, let me preview the messages that will be coming in reply to yours (based on tens of similar threads in different fora):

- About half will be saying that the lounge owner picks the tab, the other half maintain that the airline issuing the gold card pays.

- About half have their info from somebody high up in a FF program while the other half have the info from a lounge dragon,

- About half say that if one exaggerates (s)he risks loosing the gold card, the other half say this will never happen.

- About 20% will just bring the same argument they used a few posts up escalating it saying that in the meanwhile they asked the CEO of that airline...

Of course you are free to translate CEO into a bloke at work, or anybody else.

Let's see whether I'm correct t!