Originally Posted by GCab

Sorry only just saw this or would have replied. Well done getting in.

We had more of a battle and this forum was very useful, as I was pre-warned and had printouts of the Oneworld policy to push under nose (with key sentences highlighted).

Convo went
"Sorry but you need Silver or Gold"
"But I'm flying Business with Cathay"
"They don't have a contract here, you'll have to go to the lounge printed on your boarding pass"
"But it's Oneworld"
"Sorry but Cathay don't have a contract with us"
"Look, it says here that you have to let in any Oneworld passenger flying Business or First"
"Oh - so it does"

Up till then she was adamant about turning us away and I am convinced there is no way she would have looked up and found the info herself.

However, it sounds as if simply insisting on having the boarding pass scanned would have been enough? (I was nervous about relying on this, hence got my argument in early).

I will say they were turning away people in front of and behind us, with the same lines ("Sorry but you need Gold or Silver") - I assume these were Business passengers who had reason to think they'd get in, rather than people simply trying it on.