Originally Posted by nologic
According to my friend, the BA gate keeper (who seemed more frustrated than entralled by having to turn people away), the same rule applies to BA Golds, except if a BA Gold was traveling on BA that day (in any class), he would allow them into the F lounge; but, he said he wouldn't let a BA Gold use the First lounge if they were traveling on another OW carrier. I suspect that if you pressured him you might get in...
Of course the secondary point is that the First lounge is/was no better than the C lounge...zip, nada, nothing. Frankly, it was worse.
Turning away BA Gold's would be a violation of BA's explicit policy. We have anytime access to BA lounges as an enshrined benefit -- even if we are not flying at all -- as long as we can physically access the lounge.