canadiancow

I'm pretty sure the "idea of the lounge" is to provide a better experience for people who give them lots of money. However, that's generally a tough metric to use for "easy to understand" access rules.

But that's not really the goal of any company, is it? They want to make more money. Providing better lounge access to a UA credit card churner who found AC I space does not make them more money.

LMU and bids are a somewhat different matter (and easier to argue in favor of than eUpgrades).

Really? SQ's top tier gets SQ F lounge access on any itinerary. LH HON Circle gets LH FCL/FCT access on any itinerary. UA GS gets GFL access on J itineraries. UA GS gets LH FCL access on UA F itineraries.

And those are the ones I know of.

I'm not sitting here saying "I'm SE therefore I'm more important". But with the AQD requirements, there are (or at least should not be) any bottom-feeder SEs (me excluded). Is the SE spending $50k/year who happens to be in PY on YYZ-LHR less important than the FOTSG $2k P fare? Absolutely not.

I have used miles to evaluate other airlines. Certain ones have earned my business, and others have ensured I'll never pay to fly them. So I understand that argument.

Why? Why not SE in R? SE in I? SE in Y?

Why has AC made it "revenue J only" and not "tickets where this segment cost more than $2000"? Because the former is much easier to comprehend.

I have a few more of these coming up:



Do you really think AC wants to give me the Signature Suite experience? Absolutely not. But "pro-rated segment cost must be greater than or equal to $X CAD" would be impossible to use in marketing, very difficult to implement, and would surely result in arguments at the desk. But without those two issues, I guarantee you they'd prefer that to the existing system, even if it excludes me and includes some people on economy fares.

ACYYZ/SD

For years Customers have been asking for exclusivity and now they finally have it. Based on the headline, the photos and the stellar review, it's no wonder that everybody will want in. Wish them great success and glad to know that our Customers have the ability to enjoy a truly great lounge experience. ^

tcook052

http://business.financialpost.com/tr...hrough-toronto

Air Canada has ramped up its effort to attract premium-fare-paying passengers with the launch of a swanky Signature Suite at Toronto Pearson International Airport. This is its fourth lounge at the airport, but the first and only one exclusively catering to international business travellers, offering a full-service restaurant, signature cocktails and an escape from the usual busy crowds at the airport.

Air Canada’s President of Passenger Airlines Benjamin Smith said the lounge — which took 12 months to design and will officially open on Friday — is one of many steps the company is taking to attract more premium customers.

“We’ve invested money at our main hubs — in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver — where passengers can have an exclusive experience from curb all the way to the lounge. This will elevate us to a position that no other North American airline can aspire to,” Smith said in an interview from the lounge last week.

“We’re enticing more customers to fly on our premium products, and we are investing more money because the return on investment is showing that’s definitely worth it.”

Wings100

Exclusivity at what cost
To be honest, as a SEMM who is loyal and who was not invited to the preview I see this as a disappointment esp. if I am flying in J on a Lat fare using my eUps

xray

Any lounge, no matter how nice isn't as appealing when it's full. This is also a business class lounge so there are actually many business class passengers on each flight. Access needs to stay restricted so that it's even worthwhile to go there.

This is why LH FCT is amazing...so quiet and peaceful. It is also convenient with its own security and the drive to the plane. Access is given to "O" passengers because there are few of them, relatively speaking.

Look at LX... they don't even give access to their F lounges in ZRH to people buying cheap UA stock fares.

Services... both departure and arrival are usually best at a carrier's home airport so that does entice passengers to fly that carrier.

ACYYZ/SD

Which is why many airlines (most recently Delta) have announced changes to entry requirements, as lounges have become hangouts and not havens. From what we've been told, renovations and upgrades are planned for the existing MLL's @ YYZ.

canadiancow

So they're going to stop letting in the riff raff?

The Lev

Not so different from SQ in Singapore.

That's because it would take the better part of an hour to calm the chef down after he threatens to quite or kill you for placing that order.

canadiancow

Isn't their J lounge accessible to any J passenger? I didn't think it had to be SQ metal. The lounge is pretty poor if that's the case.

jasdou

Seriously? Coors Banquet, Heinken, Canadian?? That is so disappointing. It seems like AC put a lot of effort in thought in everything in this lounge to reflect Canadian culture and to offer local flavors but they go ahead and pick industrial crap beers for their flagship lounge? There are so many extraordinary craft brewers in Canada that offer unique and high-quality products. The volume required to supply this lounge will not be huge so I suspect many microbreweries could easily have met AC's demand.

Then again, maybe AC just doesn't see beer as a premium beverage in general and just expects people to drink Moet. I know what I would choose if I were offered the choice between Coors and Moet. But the choice wouldn't be so clear if there were some brews from Beau's, Dieu du Ciel or Driftwood on tap.

Plumber

I am just surprised they invited a bunch of SEs to come and view it, only to tell them they cant access the lounge unless they are buying J-class. Weird.

They should have contacted customers who they know fly paid J-class from YYZ and let them have a look at it (and yes, many of them would be SE). Or, maybe this what they actually did do??

canadiancow

Are you suggesting that beer isn't good unless it's from a microbrewery?

jasdou

I'm saying the selected beers are not in line with the premium experience offered at this lounge.

xray

Yeah, that's what I was thinking too. In fact, if I was SE, I would be less inclined to buy paid J as I would have the highest chance of upgrade or as another poster wrote, can buy Lat and upgrade (since SE have a larger cache of eups). I am not sure if lounge access would make them buy J... (cheaper P of course is great for anyone)

The Lev

You are right. It is their "the Private Room" that I was thinking of (for SQ F passengers).
While I agree that some local truly craft brews would have been nice, you are picking out the worst of the lot - they do offer a cross-section of 8 beers of varying styles - albeit supplied by the big boys. You could easily make the same argument about the choice of Moet - surely the "Molson Canadian" of champagnes. I thought they did a better job with the wine selection.