Originally Posted by
Ldnn1
I didn't think you would get lounge in VIE in this situation no? You definitely would if the itinerary were e.g. JFK-VIE in J and then VIE-LHR in Y. But as VIE is at the start, not the connection point, I thought it's not covered?
You get it both ways was my understanding, regardless of the short haul being at the start or the end, from the oneworld access rules for lounge access by class of travel, emphasis mine:
Connecting between oneworld marketed and operated flights: First and Business Class customers connecting on the same day of travel, or before 06:00am the following day, can access the lounge when travelling between an international long haul (a oneworld international long haul flight is defined as an international flight marketed and operated by any oneworld carrier with a scheduled flight time longer than 5 hours) and an international short haul or domestic flight (and vice-versa).
Lounge access will be determined on the international long haul ticketed flight (either First of Business Class) regardless of the ticketed class of travel on the international short haul or domestic flight. You must be prepared to show your boarding pass or itinerary showing travel in First or Business class on the international long haul flight, in order to access the lounge before your international short haul or domestic flight.
Certainly easy to miss, but it works both directions. Take out the lengthy parentheses and it becomes a lot clearer:
can access the lounge when travelling between an international long haul and an international short haul or domestic flight (and vice-versa).
EDIT: Added extra oneworld rules for clarity. I guess that's why it says "boarding pass
or itinerary" as if you're starting with the shorthaul Y leg, there may be circumstances you don't have your longhaul J BP issued yet.