Originally Posted by
AtomicLush
Not sure where else to comment, but I didn't want to start a thread for this. I was in the First Class lounge of the Wing at HKG a couple weeks ago and someone seated next to me was pretty upset about Oneworld status being able to qualify for entrance - that it was not exclusive enough, the patrons were unruly, and the lounge itself was too busy and congested. He demanded to speak with a lounge manager (preferably "someone very high up") and specifically pointed out AA's own flagship dining as First Class only and encouraged Cathay to take the same stance. Not sure how high up the manager actually was or if she took his comments seriously, but I was a bit annoyed since I'm exactly one of the people that would have been excluded (Oneworld Emerald, but only on biz ticket).
AA are not the only airline that have these rules with their first class lounges within Oneworld. From experience AA, QR and BA all have clubs that can only be accessed based on the ticket class, so maybe the person your observed may have a point. I would not have gone to the extreme of complaining in the manner he did though. I had the pleasure of frequenting the Wing and Pier on both outward and return trips over the last couple of weeks and can say they are very nice lounges with facilities that match the best. I preferred the Pier over the Wing but that is my own preference mainly due to the spa services they offer and restaurant offerings and I was travelling in lowest of economy class so had only paid £500 for my tickets and the privilege of the lounges whilst the complainant probably paid a lot more. Maybe I am the type of passenger the complainant was having a dig at
Similarly I experienced the Qantas first lounge in LA and CX first at LHR earlier this year as a OWE and was very impressed. I would not have been able to do this if limited to First class passengers. If all airlines started to restrict only to first class passengers they would either lose custom or passengers may consider alternative airlines and the attractiveness of the OW lounge scheme will be reduced.