Originally Posted by dankim78

I am very upset with AF, or at least AF JFK lounge.
This is my third time being refused to be admitted into their JFK lounge simply because I am not boarding their AF flight, but boarding Korean Air flight.
The lounge was empty, I mean at least it's not full, but they still argued their lounge is only for AF passengers only not for Korean Air passengers. Actually, a staff that refused me last year mentioned that globally, AF will not admit passengers of other Skyteam member airlines if there is a lounge of their own at the same airport.
The rude staff, who actually even made me to think if I am racially discriminated, said in a very annoying terms that they have their own policy such that they can refuse to admit Korean Air passengers. Again, it was not based on availability because I know it was at least half empty.
When I asked why don't AF officially state on their website that they are banning passengers of other Skyteam member airlines, he said, AF don't have to, but still I would have to leave the lounge. When I told them JFK Korean Air lounge admits AF passengers, he simply said that their policy to admit our passengers, but we don't admit KE passengers. What the FXXX?
It's my third time being refused from AF JFK lounge, once in each of the last three years, all by different staffs of AF lounge, and I am quite sure that it's AF's systematic policy to discriminate passengers of other Skyteam airlines.
If AF is not going to follow the rules of Skyteam, you should either officially state it, or leave the alliance. I am not using AF anymore for my life.

I complained to Korean Air lounge at JFK, and they told me that it's not possible that AF lounge bans Korean Air passengers and that they will talk to the AF lounge. Later on, I was told by KE lounge staff they talked to AF lounge and that I can now go to AF lounge. I told them I am not returning as I am humiliated like never before by AF staff. Now if you let me in just because KE staff called the manager, is it really official policy of AF to KE passengers or is it simply that the AF staff at the check-in refused me just because I am Asian?

I paste the lounge policy from Skyteam website below.Nowhere it states that I can only use the lounge of the airline that I am actually boarding.

SkyTeam Elite Plus
Regardless of their travel class, SkyTeam Elite Plus members traveling on, or connecting to/from, a same-day international flight operated by a SkyTeam member airline have access to a lounge. Lounge access will be provided only at your departure airport and transfer airports, and not on arrival. For connecting customers, both the domestic and international flights must be operated by a SkyTeam member airline. Simply present your boarding passes and a valid Elite Plus membership card for the lounge agent to validate for admission.