Originally Posted by
Bussyron
Hi guys, recently I visited a Loungekey lounge in Cochin and would like to highlight my experience so you can be careful if you ever intend to use it. I asked if using a Mastercard guaranteed free entry (given the "misleading" signs they've put up around the airport terminal airside) and the staff said that they would check. I handed over my credit card and they said was it it would be free since that card could "go through in the system" (and I did not need to sign for it). Little did I know that I had been charged after a week, as shown on my credit card bill. Please take note when using lounge accesses.
Does your MasterCard issuer bank include LoungeKey entry as part of your credit card benefits? If not, then despite local logos and the ignorance of lounge dragons, what made you think you would get free lounge access with a credit card that doesn't list it among the benefits? LoungeKey is independent of Visa or MasterCard. It's an agreement between your card's issuing bank and the LoungeKey company. Issuing banks are usually very clear if they offer lounge access as a benefit and - if so - that you have to quote LoungeKey as the scheme at the entrance. It's normal to swipe your eligible LoungeKey credit card at the entrance and not be charged a cent because it's included in the credit card package of your issuing bank.
It sounds like you just paid for access direct to the lounge operator with your MasterCard. The lounge dragons who work for the lounge operator will not know the detail of each credit card's benefits from thousands banks around the world as to whether your specific bank has such an agreement.