yyz_atc_qq

canadiancow

That seems easy. "This isn't an AC lounge".

I've never seen that, but I have had confusing lounge interactions. Mostly related to arrival lounges, where access requirements are not exactly clear.

I don't know how they could make it more clear than "AC MLL". Those don't exist in DUB.

But I know the lounge you're thinking of. It was easy for me, but I was AC*G in LH J. They even slowed me down to ask if I had a guest.

24left

It's not just people with AC/Aeroplan partnered credit cards

From the other thread

aircanada.com/aeroplan.com - Experiences/Complaints/Issues


****

Some people also show up to the MLLs with expired certificates that they receive from the credit cards, still expecting to get in and not understanding why they can't.

There are a few reasons ALL of this happens:

Marketing
The banks use nice large font when advertising one of the benefits of their cards, lounge access. But they really don't make an effort to tell customers the details and restrictions.

Customers
Some don't like to read the fine print in the T&C, other don't understand the fine print.
And perhaps some are just not interested in reading the fine print.

AC Altitude Status/ Aeroplan Status
As we've seen, it is possible that people who are Aeroplan members and/or may have Altitude status, also don't understand lounge access and other benefits.

Any or all of this leads to people showing up at contract lounges, partner lounges and MLLs without the right credentials to enter.
.

ChrisA330

It could also be that people know the rules, but they'll try and see what they can get away with anyway.

RangerNS

The one time I guested someone into a MLL was in YYZ TB. The three desk agents were having a heated discussion with her about why she wasn't getting in. Some rewards flight from a family members account, I don't know.

I'm still annoyed she did not "buy" me a drink in thanks.

robsaw

I'm hoping with the reboot of the AC/Aeroplan/Altitude FF program into whatever it will be called they'll put some effort into branding, clarifying and separating what are true FF benefits and what are retail loyalty benefits.

canadiancow

I only guest them if they're polite or if the agent works at the airport.

I can't see myself getting involved in a 4-way heated discussion.

RangerNS

It was more "frustrated" than "heated".

Something unusually good must have happened to me that day, its rare I'm in a good mood in the TB lounge.

ffsim

Funny, I did something similar (at the PPL in YYZ TB, not the MLL) and the recipient of my goodwill stormed off into the lounge before my card was handed back. Not so much as a thank you.

My Entitlement Radar was clearly not functional that day, or blinded by some sort of interference

canadiancow

I've guested in three general types of people:

1. UA BP with UA*G on it, but AC wanted the physical card.
2. Family who had access via a credit card and was going to pay for the spouse
3. An EXTREMELY polite woman who was convinced she should be E35K, but it was not showing up (in fact, she didn't want to be guested, she wanted to sort out her issue)

1 is "I work at the airport"
2 was coming in anyway, I just saved them some money

3 is the one where I'm hesitant, but generally if the pax is even at all argumentative, I don't bother. Only when they're polite/confused/etc.

colombianbrew

tomvancouver

And I've seen lounge agents reduced to tears by DYKWIA trying to aggressively argue their way in. It makes for a tough job, and they do way better than I could - I'd call security at the first expletive or insult hurled my way.

mapleg

Why do people think that contract lounges are the same as MLL?

Because some people are dense. I talk to people who have flown somewhere on vacation and I say "Who did you fly with?, and they can't even answer that. If it's a couple they look at each other quizzically and try to answer the question, and this is typically on a flight they took in the previous 30 days. How would people like that be able to differentiate a MLL Lounge from any other when they barely know what airline they have been on?

24left

.....or if they flew First Class on Air Canada.


I'm not convinced that some people are dense. I see it more like Bambi-flyers. Sure, some might be FOTSGs, but there are plenty of FOTSGs who know what they are doing. Bambi-flyers are just stunned by all of the info they have to absorb or manage. They may not know how to prepare, the may not know how to access info and resources to make their flying easier, less stressful - and that includes access to lounges, MLLs or otherwise.

Looking at AC, they have some excellent pages on things like connecting in YVR, or travelling with kids or medical devices. Those pages and others are very informative.

However, AC's Maple Leaf Lounge section is poor and missing info. I found the operating hours listed didn't even match the hours posted at some MLLs.

The website sux even for those of us who know how to use it and it. Both the website and app are slow, not intuitive, and there are no instructions. @yyznomad and guested some stranded pax into the YQB VIP lounge and spent some time trying to show them how to use the app and they didn't even know you had to register in order to access certain info, or use it more effectively. These people were educated professionals but the path to understand the info was not there.

Earlier this year, I had a couple of soon-to-expire MLL passes so I handed them out to people who were sitting in front of the YVR MLL. When I took one couple in there to make sure the agent let them in, she looked at their BPs, told them they were in Business Class and lounge access was included. They had absolutely no idea.

These people and many others I meet while flying are far from dense. They are just overwhelmed by the things they need to know. Some humans enjoy the challenge of discovery. Others just shut down.

mapleg

I suppose you are more charitable than me, but your examples seem to me of people being dense!