Hello all, greetings from an infrequent poster but almost constant lurker here. I was wondering if any other GGLs had experienced issues with the newly expanded guesting entitlement? Here's my tale of woe:

Since receiving the email confirming that as a GGL I was now entitled to bring up to five guests into the lounges (subject to the usual capacity carve-out), I didn't have cause to take advantage of the new policy until the end of June (have to admit I had forgotten about the following episode until I saw a post today re five guests being allowed in SIN). I was flying from LHR to INV with three friends on a Thursday evening. On arriving at the First check-in to drop a bag (on my own, the friends were coming later as we all arrived from work separately) I double-checked with the check-in agent that the new policy was still in effect (being the sort of person who is generally mortified at the thought of being accused of DYKHIA behaviour / asking for things to which I'm not entitled). The agent could not have been more helpful / enthusiastic / knowledgeable about the new policy and confirmed that I could also bring five guests through the First Wing no problem.

I proceeded through TFW and relaxed in the lounge for a while - it was not that busy. Friend #1 arrived, I met him at the main entrance at the top of the escalator and guested him in no problem. 30 minutes later, friend #2 arrived, again he was guested in no problem. However, things started to go wrong when I mentioned to the lounge dragon that I would be back in 10 minutes to guest in friend #3 . She politely but very firmly told me that would not be possible, as GGLs were only allowed to bring in two guests. Not wanting to cause a scene, I said that I didn't think that was correct as I had received an email confirming I could now bring in five guests, and I had also double-checked this at check-in. Her response was that sometimes access was relaxed during school holiday periods but that wasn't currently the case. I asked her to check the position, she said she would do so.

15 minutes later, friend #3 arrives. Armed with the BA website page on my phone spelling out very clearly the entitlement to five guests, I went back to the same agent as before. She remained polite (ish) but seemed exasperated that I had returned. She said she had checked with "the manager" and he agreed with her that I was not entitled to any further guests. I then showed her the web page and she remarked that it must be "out of date" and made me prove that this was in fact the current BA website (as if I would have faked up a page on the BA website!). I then asked to speak with the manager but was refused because "he's gone away" and "he doesn't know anything anyway". After a good couple of minutes of stand-off, she eventually admitted friend #3 "just this once", but remained unconvinced as to my entitlement. (I would note that at no point were capacity-type issues raised, nor should they have been as there were plenty of seats in the lounge.)

Obviously I got what I wanted in the end, but I really, really don't think it should be this difficult. Throughout our exchanges the mindset appeared to be that it was my responsibility to prove entitlement to her, totally arbitrary, satisfaction. Needless to say it was rather embarrassing to have to stand at the entrance to the lounge like one of the many chancers who attempt entry without entitlement. I just can't understand why BA can't train staff properly or have some definitive method for staff who are unsure to verify - not to mention an IT-based solution to verifying lounge access.