enelym1978

This post might be useless but I thought I'd give it a go.

It's mainly meant for *G (or even *S) who managed to get their status perks even if they did not credit on A3.

Let me start with my experience from yesterday, February 8th, 2012.

I'm A3*G and I was flying on SQ406 from SIN to DEL at 02:30AM... This kind of flights are awful and I wanted to be able to use the SilverKris Lounge (*G Lounge) in T2 at SIN to get some drinks and snacks.
I am crediting all the miles on SQ (I'm SQ*S). I show up at the lounge desk, make a super polite greeting and smile and ask politely "excuse me, I'm *G on another carrier (show him my A3*G card) but I'm crediting on SQ (show him my BP with SQ*S marked on it), would it still be possible to use the lounge? It's so late and I just want to get some refreshments".

"Mhhh usually you cannot do this Sir, but as an exception, I will allow you to use the lounge, enjoy!"

So here you go, I got in, said a big thanks and managed to take a little rest before boarding that 2:30AM flight.

I was expecting a refusal, we all know how Singapore staff are very very "by the rules" people. But hey, if you don't try, you won't know

The lounge was pretty empty at that time, which might explain why he did this exception ^

As for boarding the airplane, I always show them my A3*G card to board when they call the *G passengers. Especially on "specific" flights where I know that if you get in late, there is absolutely no chance to get your bag in the overhead storage...

MD/DC Flyer

The real question is whether they swiped your A3 card. If no, then you got a freebee on SQ dime by being nice. If yes, then A3 will have to pay for your visit and then you might be in violation of the T&C (might, and who knows what the ramification will be).

As for showing the *G card - that is a no brainier and carry no costs associated with it, so it would be up to the GA to decide whether to let you in or not.

bevoinva

IMO this kind of activity is against the spirit of the Miles and Bonus Program (and perhaps the T&C too as MD/DC Flyer stated above) and abuses the program. Certainly nothing to be bragging about.

Stratonaut

W.r.t. lounge access, the *A Lounge Access Policy is quite clear. Quoting from http://www.staralliance.com/en/benef...access-policy/ :
I am not aware of any other (airline specific?) rules that contradict this policy. If you know of any it would be helpful if you could provide a reference.

My experience (across Europe and US) is that I never had any problems to access a lounge with the A3 Gold card while crediting miles to another programme. Just showed my card + boarding pass and they let me in without any discussion.

GoldCircle

Just not so.

bevoinva

Like I said, it's only my opinion - not necessarily a hard and fast rule (although it has been debated on this forum extensively whether or not the Miles and Bonus program frowns on this type of activity).

Personally, I think if you are going to be using the benefits of the program, you should credit your miles to that program from which you are getting the benefits.

tangoll

From the A3 site on their Gold card benefits:

"Worldwide Airport Star Alliance Lounge Access. Access to more than 970 airport Star Alliance lounges worldwide for you and a companion when you travel with any member airline, regardless of the class of travel."

So, for example, if in HKG, I am traveling on UA or SQ and crediting miles to UA or SQ, am I able to get into the TG lounge at HKG by showing the A3 Gold card? Or do I have to be traveling on TG (economy, with no auto lounge benefit) and crediting to TG or A3 to be able to access the TG lounge with the A3 Gold card?

The OP seems to say that your mileage has to credit to A3 in order to access the other *A member lounge, but the A3 policy has no such restriction.

Shareholder

The OP's premise is absurd. One merely has to present a valid STARGold card to the receptionist. It doesn't matter what program it has been issued from nor which program you are crediting your flight(s). I have interchangeably used my AE, CO and UA STARGold cards when flying these various carriers and crediting my flights to a different program.

Last week I was flying some intraEurope flights on LH (in K class which only earns miles in M&M) and used my AE or CO or UA card to get into the Senator lounges, but was crediting these segments to M&M. No problems anywhere.

GUWonder

+1 as this is my experience too, including when having status and/or affiliation with multiple Star Alliance programs being used on a given trip. Also, mileage tickets are entitled to the benefits but don't get credited (except by accident or as good for nothing).

MD/DC Flyer

From the T&C of A3

A little convoluted to say the least but it seems to indicate that you need to have credit the miles to A3. How closely this is enforced and what A3 will do otherwise, who knows. However, this is part of their T&C.

My experience (not with A3 yet) is that most of the time there is no problem entering the lounge while having *G card and crediting to another airline. But I do remember one time I was not allowed entrance to the (then) RCC with LH SEN card while crediting to UA.

MD/DC Flyer

I would love to know the source of that information. I was always under the impression that there is a payment structure from one airline to another (but then again, I have no source for that either).

Shareholder

Greek translated into English...you expect better from a country that's run itself into the ground? STAR rules trump and these just require a same day outbound boarding pass on a STAR carrier and a valid STARGold card in the traveler's name.

KLouis

I would like to see Canadians translating English into Greek!

Please stop throwing around prejudices. I am really getting sick and tired of this attitude. The situation of Greece has nothing to do with this thread!

BalbC

Isn't it the operating carrier that provides or pays for a lounge for all it's entitled passengers? Whether entitled by booking class or *A status, after all the operating carrier is the one making the profit out your loyalty.
A3 would only need to pay if you went to a different lounge than the one arranged/invited to by the operating carrier or you were not entitled in their eyes (different FFP associated with your ticket). It looks to me like the A3 rules as interpreted are pretty safe for them (could a Greek reader confirm that this meets their rules) - if you want to credit elsewhere, just add your A3 number at check in and then change it after you book into the lounge.

enelym1978

I am not bragging about it... I know this topic has been discussed multiple times already and I am not making "A3 pay" for my use of the lounge. The attendant at the lounge did NOT swipe my card at all, I just showed it to him.

Now, on the other hand, it happened to me twice where I was initially crediting into SQ but when I used the lounge, they did register my BP and FF card and the miles got credited to A3 instead of the original SQ. I'm fine with it if these are the rules. My BP still showed "SQ" on them (which is normal since they did not re-print my BP at the lounge).

The point about starting this thread is to see whether or not "it works". Maybe a mod should move this to the Star Alliance generic forum then, rather than this A3 one...?