eupgrades / lounge access
 

The old cert. upgrades didn't give you access to the MLL, and they were pretty good at enforcing this for either Prestige or upgraded companions without status.

I just walked into the YVR MLL today on an eupgraded boarding pass. Far as I could tell, the boarding pass looks identically to a purchased J ticket. Far as they could tell too apparently!

I have a CIBC Travel Card, but I didn't even need to produce it.

Is this an actual enhancement with eupgrades, or is it just a matter of time before they 'fix' this.

The verbiage on the AC web site still refers to certs:

I am sure it's a matter of time before some "diligent" Lounge Dragons catch people!..LOL

I'd never been turned down for lounge access as an upgraded P...

I would have been, had I not had my backup CIBC Travel Club card. Before it was for them to tell - you had a giant cert. stapled to your boarding pass. Now, it's essentially the same.

I think the whole thing is silly anyway. If you're going to upgrade someone, give them the whole experience, including the lounge. Most (E/SE) have access anyway, so it only applies to Ps and nominees when you're not flying with them. For the latter, I guess they want you to burn up a MLL guest pass.

+1

Upgraded with a paper certificate had the word "CERT" on the BP (at least when you printed your own at OLCI) so it was easy to tell even if they failed to staple the certificate. Plus when they scanned the BP I'm pretty sure it flashed on their screen, at least at the gate it did.

Under the old system, at YVR domestic MLL, my experience was pretty consistent. I had to show my E card when seated in Y and when upgraded on a certificate. I did not have to show it when in paid J or when on a complimentary upgrade from a Latitude flight pass. This, from my reading, was in line with the published T&C.

Now, under eUpgrades, the relevant T&C read (emphasis added): "Although you will be seated in the Executive cabin when your upgrade is confirmed, your booking will remain subject to the fare rules and restrictions of the booking class you originally purchased. These rules include, but are not limited to, mileage accumulation, change and cancellation fees, access to airport lounges and baggage allowance."

Source: http://www.aircanada.com/en/aeroplan...grades/tc.html

Interestingly, last weekend at YUL domestic, the lounge agent told me that the only reason for asking for my E card is to give me wireless access. She said that's why the wireless access screen asks for your AE number, and if you are not swiped in to the lounge it does not help. As far as she's concerned, a J BP now means lounge access. Seems clear from the T&C that she is wrong. As usual when going to any lounge, YMMV.

Net result: unaccompanied P or non-status do not get lounge access even with a seat upgrade. And I would agree with yvr76, that is petty, especially considering the vanishingly small percentage of lounge entrants would be unaccompanied upgraded P/non-status. Perhaps that's why the lounge agents frequently don't enforce the rule.

Don't even get me started on this. We got enough people in the lounges right now with credit cards, we don't need sponsorees in the lounge either. You were sponsored an u'g that's good enough, stay out of the lounge. I was in the transborder YYZ lounge on Friday and couldn't find a seat because of all the March Break kids with parents..I'm an SE and deserve to be there more than these people, I should never have to wait for a seat in the lounge. Although i do understand the immediate family thing, let's drop the sponsored u/g people and make them wait at the gate.

i doubt the policy has changed, it's just that they don't enforce it as much, i guess since they own the MLL lounges there's not a direct cost to AC as to when *G goes into a * lounge

i'm not familiar with the policy for employees, i know a friend of mine who works at CX gets no lounge access even when he's in J with the industry rate, maybe they just conveniently allow all passengers with J BP in so friends and family who get upgraded on industry fares can have lounge access?

under no circumstances are staff allowed in MLL not even on a Service Award pass for 25, 30 or 35 years of service. This is a big no no and the employee can be written up big time. Now is it's a Lounge Dragon's friend...maybe he/she is willing to risk letting in there friends.

....boy o boy and some of you on here thought I was demanding huh as an SE?...LOL:p

Interestingly, I've always got priority baggage handling (which I'm not normally entitled to as AC*P) on an upgraded seat. Technically doesn't that go under the 'baggage' rules?

Yes, absolutely. It can't be stressed enough: YMMV.

When I was a P, I bought the CIBC Travel Club card to get MLL access (sorry Z-man... ;)). This got you some of the E benefits but not all. You got lounge access and use of the Executive Class check-in, but no priority boarding and no priority bag tags. However, they must have priority-tagged my bags at least 75% of the time despite this restriction.

To be perfectly fair to the agents, with that many programs and picky rule differences between them, you have to expect some confusion. It can be irritating, but as long as they keep getting the important bits right (i.e. arriving at the gate with a minimum of smoke and fire) I'm ok with the odd hiccup. We'd all be a lot healthier if we stressed less about the minor irritants of air travel.

DYKWIA!!! Wow!

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Stiffling arrogance. Ask AC to build you an exclusive lounge. They might just do that just for you.

They should. I am such an arrognant traveller....I don't deny it either like other SE's......