"...there is no lounge access with award tickets in business/first class unless you have lounge access through status. I only had to use an award ticket this way once (1996) and i got lounge access w/o gold status."

TERENZ Did the Cdn agent tell you this? I would serious doubt that you would be refused lounge access with a BA F-class (international) award ticket even if you are not an elite oneworld member. My own experience would suggest otherwise, though I'd appreciate hearing from others.

I flew CO to Chile in BusinessFirst on a NW award ticket and had no status on either carrier, but had access to the lounge at both EWR and SCL. (I could have used the lounges with my Amex Platinum card, but this was not necessary.) Also have flown AF and BA on F-class award tickets back in the days when AC had no reciprocal lounge access with either carrier, but these Aeroplan tickets let us into their lounges.

Come to think of it, if this is the case, how is it that I have used the First lounge (in T3 most recently since the T4 hasn't been open recently) with only Sapphire status on both Cdn and AA? Where they exist as separate rooms, I have always gotten access to First lounges on award tickets without Emerald oneworld status.

On BA, the part of the boarding pass you keep does not contain the oneworld partner member number or status, as is found on most others. It does give name, flight number and class. That's all I've ever had to show when seeking entry into BA's hallowed Arrival's lounge.

But I still believe you were given incorrect information. (Let's hope so...)

[This message has been edited by Shareholder (edited 05-30-2000).]