Wow... Nothing personal Guava! Didn't mean to get fiesty or anything, just defending Star
So... Just a few clarifications...
1. About SQ accepting Oneworld cards in SYD. Remember CP was acquired by AC (a real pain for some, I know). Most (my favourite word now
) Star lounges would have got a notice that they should accept Canadian Plus cards as being same level as AC. So, Gold=Elite and EP=SE as of 1JUN. This is why you got into the lounge in SYD. If you tried to enter using your AA card, or tried to enter using CP Gold at their SIN lounge even after 1JUN, you would have been turned away. I, too, have used the SQ lounge in NRT, KIX and LHR. The lounge I was talking about when mentioning "exceptions" was the one in Singapore. Most others are fine about giving access to *Gs.
2. When you mention that I was wrong by saying "every single business lounge across star, except for SQ", and quote examples such as "ANA Signet and Fuji lounges in NRT and SK BKK Lounge", I can't help mentioning that Signet and Lounge Fuji are both First Class lounges of ANA. The SK lounge in BKK... the one you can't get access to being *G is the
Scandanavian lounge. *G still gets access to SK Business lounge. So... anything else?
4. Your example using CP cards getting you into SQ lounges is false in the first place, because your CP Gold was actually *G as of 1JUN. If you check out threads in SQ forum and Star forum (don't have the time to provide the links, but it's there), a fair number of Star flyers did think SQ was arrogant and that SQ didn't want to join Star in the first place. Your point about BA is taken, but peronally I don't think the lack of knowledge of rules can be counted as an example of arrogance. Likewise, your experience with IB
could have been a misunderstanding of rules. Not saying it definately is, just suggesting it could have been.
5. Please allow me the honor of letting you know
that Lounge Fuji is ANA's First Class lounge. Signet is also their First Class lounge. They are in a process of converting Fuji lounges into Signet, changing the atmosphere into a much lighter and casual one, but this is besides the point, and so they want to differentiate the two types of First Class lounges. Of course, SQ¡'s Silver Kris lounge in SIN is a recurring theme and I already have acknowledged that it is an
exception so I won't mention it again. So is the SK Scandinavian lounge in BKK. See above.
5.5 Yes, it was indeed me who was distributing SYS and NA upgrades. Thank you for your compliment.
6. The three airlines I was referring to was LH, NH and RG. Ask any *G flyer if they get access to the SEN lounge (their First Class lounge) in FRA (their hub airport... I think
) and the answer is likely to be yes. Yes, even when they are flying Economy. I have used the ANA Fuji Lounge (their First Class lounge) in KIX, also flying on an Economy ticket. So you say *G doesn't get access to First Class lounges just because you were turned away at Signet in PVG? You could have tried so many other airports and they would have let you into their respective SEN lounge, Lounge Fuji and Signet, and RG First Class lounges, just not at PVG, probably just not when that particular lounge attendant is on duty.
About comparing Star Gold and OW Sapphire. So you think it's practical to promise Top Tier members on Star, First Class priority all the way when more than half of Star airlines don't HAVE first class? Just how would you go about providing AC First Class lounge access for a 1K member, when there IS no First Class lounge in AC because they don't have First Class? How about some First Class boarding priority on AN?
And I honestly can't understand your point about the last paragraph so I await further clarifications as to what you were trying to say about why it should make a difference to SK whether you're E or SE.
You've already mentioned that you were 'made to switch' to Star, and that you are unfamiliar with various aspects of Star. Please, don't try to
teach me Star stuff. I am already very aware of various rules and exceptions thanks to my Star employee's guide. If you think, 'Oh, but it's just what it says in writing, it doesn't happen in real life', why don't you ask the SElite desk for a copy of the Star Products and Services, and just show the book to lounge attendants who won't let you enter. So far, I didn't have to do that, because none of them gave me any trouble. But I do carry a copy around when I travel.
Whoa, that was pretty long too.
-stargold-