Originally Posted by
synzero
I guess I agree and disagree. What's more annoying, having to show evidence your flight was changed, or having an even more crowded lounge when you need it? The lounges are crowded enough as it is, so I think reasonable controls to limit overcrowding make sense. The rules are pretty clear; if they're going to enforce them, what other way than to make you show some kind of evidence of the original booking? To me, that's not really that unreasonable an ask. Otherwise, what is the desk agent supposed to do, just take the word of the passenger? As we well know, there are lots of people at the ready to take advantage of any loophole... if people didn't take advantage like this, it would be a very different world, but unfortunately we live in this world...
I mean they could see I'm booked on an AC SFO-YYZ flight, and they can see there's a 4 hour delayed AC SFO-YYZ flight.
The email I ended up showing was a flight status notification from AC that said I was delayed. I have enough bookings that I can't just search for "flight" and find the original email. Ticket number has changed, so I can't use that from the BP. AC BPs don't give the booking reference, so I didn't have that to search. Not that I think it's even reasonable to expect me to have proof of a flight I'm not taking.
And bear in mind, the rebooked flight was departing 3 hours and 10 minutes later. 6 hours? Fine, I can appreciate it. But 10 minutes over the limit with "I was delayed 4 hours so they rebooked me" as an explanation should be sufficient.
If they want to fix crowding, eliminate guests. Or go to the general *A/OW policy of one guest, not two. But don't hassle me every time I come in, or you're going to lose me as a customer.