Air Canada does not recognize Turkish Airlines member status
Feb 7, 2020, 1:38 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 11
Air Canada does not recognize Turkish Airlines member status
I was refused access to Air Canada's lounge in Toronto because their system seems to think I'm a TK*S (When I'm Gold Elite with Smiles & Miles). When I called Turkish Airlines Smiles and Miles to confirm my status, they absolutely affirmed my status is Tk*G, I have gold elite with them. They told me AC has to let me in when I show them my digital card, but they didn't, saying the system doesn't recognize my barcode on my digital card.
Turkish says this is an Air Canada issue, and they need to let me, but they won't. Very frustrating.
Anyone else seeing this issue? I'm trying to contact Air Canada, but their wait times are hours long and impossible to talk to a manager. I can't believe how downhill they've gone.
Turkish says this is an Air Canada issue, and they need to let me, but they won't. Very frustrating.
Anyone else seeing this issue? I'm trying to contact Air Canada, but their wait times are hours long and impossible to talk to a manager. I can't believe how downhill they've gone.
Feb 7, 2020, 1:48 pm
#2
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I was refused access to Air Canada's lounge in Toronto because their system seems to think I'm a TK*S (When I'm Gold Elite with Smiles & Miles). When I called Turkish Airlines Smiles and Miles to confirm my status, they absolutely affirmed my status is Tk*G, I have gold elite with them. They told me AC has to let me in when I show them my digital card, but they didn't, saying the system doesn't recognize my barcode on my digital card.
Turkish says this is an Air Canada issue, and they need to let me, but they won't. Very frustrating.
Anyone else seeing this issue? I'm trying to contact Air Canada, but their wait times are hours long and impossible to talk to a manager. I can't believe how downhill they've gone.
Turkish says this is an Air Canada issue, and they need to let me, but they won't. Very frustrating.
Anyone else seeing this issue? I'm trying to contact Air Canada, but their wait times are hours long and impossible to talk to a manager. I can't believe how downhill they've gone.
Feb 7, 2020, 2:01 pm
#4
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ok... I'm in domestic and was willlng to guest you in.
sorry I don't have an answer to your issue... it's quite unfortunate and shouldn't happen.
This does happen from time to time as reported here, but we see it with more of the "lesser" *A members such as A3... but TK is arguably a more prominent member so it's disappointing to hear this.
sorry I don't have an answer to your issue... it's quite unfortunate and shouldn't happen.
This does happen from time to time as reported here, but we see it with more of the "lesser" *A members such as A3... but TK is arguably a more prominent member so it's disappointing to hear this.
Feb 7, 2020, 2:14 pm
#6
Join Date: Feb 2007
Programs: AC*E50K, CX Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 295
I've had the same issue before. I was OZ*G, but was recognized as OZ*S. I was not allowed into AC lounges.
How it was resolved - I filed a report on aircanada.com (as a lounge issue I believe) mentioning that I was only recognized as OZ*S and was not allowed into lounges. It did take about a month, but my status was finally corrected.
Don't bother calling in (both AC and TK). They won't be able to do a single thing for you.
How it was resolved - I filed a report on aircanada.com (as a lounge issue I believe) mentioning that I was only recognized as OZ*S and was not allowed into lounges. It did take about a month, but my status was finally corrected.
Don't bother calling in (both AC and TK). They won't be able to do a single thing for you.
Feb 7, 2020, 2:55 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 11
ok... I'm in domestic and was willlng to guest you in.
sorry I don't have an answer to your issue... it's quite unfortunate and shouldn't happen. This does happen from time to time as reported here, but we see it with more of the "lesser" *A members such as A3... but TK is arguably a more prominent member so it's disappointing to hear this.
sorry I don't have an answer to your issue... it's quite unfortunate and shouldn't happen.
This does happen from time to time as reported here, but we see it with more of the "lesser" *A members such as A3... but TK is arguably a more prominent member so it's disappointing to hear this.
Feb 7, 2020, 2:55 pm
#8
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: YEG
Posts: 3,925
Edit: All the *A website states is the following (https://www.staralliance.com/en/lounge-access-policy):
Star Alliance Gold Customers travelling in any class of travel
As a Star Alliance Gold customer travelling in any class on a Star Alliance member airline operated flight, you have access to any member airline lounge at the airport where your flight departs, if the following conditions are met:- You present your boarding pass of a Star Alliance member airline operated flight which departs at the same day as your visit or latest by 05:00 AM the next morning.
- If your boarding pass does not carry the Star Alliance Gold indicator, you will need to also show your valid Star Alliance Gold card.
- The lounge displays the Star Alliance Gold logo at the entrance.
If you are a United MileagePlus Star Alliance Gold customer, you may only access the United Clubs within the U.S. when departing from that airport on an international Star Alliance flight, not when departing on a domestic flight with United.
Feb 7, 2020, 2:58 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 11
Is this actually true? I know they have to let you in if your BP states TK*G, or if you produce a physical card that hasn't expired. Is the digital card, as convenient as it may be to have, a recognized *G lounge entry credential? I know people have reported success using them at *G lounges, but were the agents obligated to provide admittance on that credential alone?
Feb 7, 2020, 3:00 pm
#10
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I will say confidently that many others here would do the same thing. Again, sorry to hear you're being denied. When I fly as AC*G on *A, I've never had issues entering a partner's *G lounge, and as such, you shouldn't be having this issue with AC.
Feb 7, 2020, 3:09 pm
#11
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I had the issue for a while after moving from E35K to E50K. It took a while to receive a card, and it took a while for UA's systems to recognize that I was now *G instead of *S. There was nothing I could do to get into a UA lounge until their system updated. That happened before I received my card.
Feb 7, 2020, 5:40 pm
#13
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Feb 7, 2020, 5:55 pm
#14
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There are some *A carriers who do not even provide physical cards. Airline FFP cards don't have any security or anti-counterfeiting measures on them so other than costing $5 to fake I'm not sure why some carriers continue to insist that a physical card is more meaningful than a digital one as long as it has the relevant information: name, status, expiration date.
Feb 7, 2020, 5:56 pm
#15
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There are some *A carriers who do not even provide physical cards. Airline FFP cards don't have any security or anti-counterfeiting measures on them so other than costing $5 to fake I'm not sure why some carriers continue to insist that a physical card is more meaningful than a digital one as long as it has the relevant information: name, status, expiration date.