Originally Posted by
oliver2002
Most if not all airlines transport their deadheading flight crew in business class.
It is all stipulated in their collective labour agreements, which probably most frequently translates to business class for flight crew and economy for cabin crew when deadheading (not commuting!).
Originally Posted by
oliver2002
As such they can go into the lounge since they are normal business passengers. Nothing wrong with that?
If that were the case, airline lounges would be full of flight crews. But deadheading flight crews are NOT "normal business passengers". They are deadheading crew. No lounge access for them. In fact, many (or perhaps most?) airlines even forbid their flight crews from being "guested" into one of their lounges.