Originally Posted by
Fabo.sk
I didn't get that when I was the one who scanned the cards and I still don't get it when I am the one whos cards get scanned. I've had pax enter my tiny domain with cards of the likes of Shanghai Airlines, how the heck would a small airport deep in eastern europe contract with a random airline in China?
The operating airline has a contract with the lounge they contract. And another contract with the Star Alliance partners.
For example, I've used the crappy lounge in KRK today. The lounge will indeed bill OS (the operating carrier), but OS will then bill SK (my FFP).
All the sources I found confirm that at least within *A, FFP pays. And it makes sense:
1. If operating carrier would be the one footing the bill, what would be a reason for airlines to not just hand out status to anyone not flying them too often, knowing that they won't be the ones providing the benefits?
2. When an airline goes bankrupt, other airlines in the alliance are quick to stop providing benefits to members of that airline's FFP. Precisely because they won't get reimbursed anymore. If they had to pay the bill anyway, they would likely continue providing the benefits as it would make commercial sense.