hsmall

This is in a sense a continuation of a thread I raised where you were all very helpful about a friend of mine who is an inexperienced flyer with slight anxiety issues. I was worried about a short INT-DOM connection at Montréal. That went swimmingly (apart from the checkin person at LHR telling him he had to re-check his baggage, which understandably worried him.

On the way back which was via Toronto he presented himself at the Maple Leaf Lounge and this happened (I should point out that he is not rich so paying again and claiming it back later was not an option):

(my emphasis)

I will as a matter of principle be making AC's life as difficult as possible until I get the money back (I had funded the visit to make life easier for him in a long layover). It is always interesting to judge an airline not just on how it treats its premium passengers or even experienced passengers like you on this forum and me (they wouldn't have got away with saying that to me!), but people like him who are not able to answer well for themselves.

Anyway if anyone has any thoughts on what really was going on I would be most grateful to hear them Thanks.

Adam Smith

Can you explain the itinerary? If YYZ was a layover, is it possible that you paid for MLL access only at the origin and not at YYZ?

This bit about "premium lounge downstairs" is confusing, because there's no such thing. Is it possible he tried to enter the Signature Suite and they were trying to send him back to the MLL? Would be hard to miss the MLL before going to the SSL, but not impossible.

More details would be helpful in trying to figure this out?

YYCNoob

Any possibility that the staff were referring to the Plaza Premium Lounge?

Adam Smith

Doubtful. I don't think AC would sell access to the PPL with its tickets, and the PPL isn't downstairs.

hsmall

Sorry I should have used the word "transfer" perhaps rather than "layover". Here, redacted as prudent, is the itinerary:-

Thanks!

Adam Smith

​​​​​​"Layover" is an appropriate term here, that was fine

It's not clear from what you pasted where you purchased the MLL access. It has to be purchased separately for each flight. Is it possible you purchased it for one of the other legs rather than that one?

hsmall

A reasonable point. But I was aware I had to do it for each lounge separately and I am almost certain I booked Toronto. Here's a screenshot:


I think "return: Toronto" must mean "at Toronto", not "at the start of the journey via Toronto"

The cost was £28.20 or about C$48.50, if that helps.

Adam Smith

Looks like what you needed to do. When you do this, does it send you a voucher or anything for the MLL access, or does it look like it should just be encoded on the BP? (I've never actually purchased lounge access like this)

global happy traveller

Had similar issue with AC Bistro prepaid.... they used to print a meal icon or LT07, but now it’s just a regular boarding pass. Luckily they found it on the iPad that I did indeed prepaid AC Bistro.

i suspect everything is automated behind the scenes now and your at the mercy or AC IT

hsmall - my suggestion is to contact AC Customer Service for a refund and some goodwill discount code

hsmall

The document I screenshotted from did have a QR code above it. I will see if he still has the BPs.

bambinomartino

Not sure when this happened, but Friday evening at YYZ was quite busy, I think as a result of all the delays and cancellations over the past day or so, and while at the rather packed MLL I think I heard that people were being turned away. I don't know if they (can) do that, I rarely get to go into MLLs. It could have been worse on Thursday.

I do think they were referring to the the Plaza Premium one level down. I actually find it is a better lounge, hot food and all. I wonder if OP's friend wound up at and was referring to the mini food court at the gate level, which would explain people ordering and paying for food.

Finkface

I might be wrong here but on your first screenshot, at the top, beside the icon where it shows the MLL lounge access, it says in brackets (AC 1569). To me that means that is the flight the lounge access was purchased for which is YHZ-YYZ. So the lounge access was purchased for Halifax, not Toronto. That is how I would interpret it.

pewpew

If you look at the actual screenshot instead of the copy+paste, you'll see AC1569 refers to the onboard cafe voucher, not to the MLL access.

FlyerGoldII

Yes, you can purchase MLL access - up to 24 hrs in advance of going to the lounge - for certain economy fares (ie flex, comfort, latitude).

Not all lounge agents know all of the rules for access to MLL - once on arrival as a SE at YVR from YYZ- the lounge agent said my (at that time 18 yr old) daughter was not allowed into the lounge with me. I did not complain then (to her supervisor) - but later on I did complain to AC customer service by email - I did get a 15% promo code out of that.

See eligibility into lounge from AC web site:

Qualifying Customers

The following customers are invited to enjoy the comfort and many amenities of our 23 award-winning lounges:

Air Canada Signature Class and Business Class Ticket Holders

Customers travelling in Premium Rouge

Altitude Super Elite 100K, Elite 75K and Elite 50K Members

Altitude Elite 35K Members

Star Alliance Gold Members

Air Canada Maple Leaf Club Members

Select TD and CIBC Aeroplan-affiliated financial Cardholders using One-Time Guest Access Benefits

Select American Express AeroplanPlus Cardmembers (Reserve, Platinum, Corporate Platinum)

Customers who Purchase Maple Leaf Lounge Access with a Latitude, comfort or Flex Fare

Customers who Purchase Access to the Paris Maple Leaf Lounge at the Airport

RangerNS

In my experience, purchased MLL access will get you access at the origin and layover locations.

But I don't remember and can't dug up how that was encoded on BPs, and it was now 4 years ago I did it.

Possibly a SSL vs MLL confusion, but also a DOM vs INTL MLL confusion (not that if it was the DOM MLL the phrasing of the dragon made any sense).