HerpaYvr

We never asked that question. We had no issues as we landed from the YYZ AC flight and after security went to the C lounge and then the A lounge, back to the C lounge until we Left on the YYZ AC flight so that was a few hours.

yeeg

Apparently there is a rule in place that prevents me from passing through immigration more than 8 hours before my schedule flight. Another 75 minutes to kill on a random bench.

vernonc

Can I take one guest into the EK F lounge (or another EK lounge) as a SE traveling on 1) AC ticket in Y/PE hopefully with a eupg to J and 2) in EK in Y.
I plan to fly AC to DXB, overnight in DXB and then a flight from DXB-NBO in EK Y. Same on the way back.

Do you need to be in J to access the EK F lounge ? Is being SE good enough? And can you take a guest ?

yeeg

I just spoke to the supervisor whom I failed to ask her name but she has the dark grey uniform and is from Kenya.

To access the EK F Lounge, you need to have one of the following.

- First class ticket as the lounge name implies.
- AC Super elite status
- And some other qualifications but since I can get in with SE status, I didn't need to ask further.

you can stay in the lounge for 1 minute shy of 24 hours and then you must leave but then come back in and scan your BP once again. This would apply if you are connecting. If you are not a connecting passenger, the max is just a little under 8 hours as that's as early as immigration would allow you through the gates.

Yes, you can also bring in a guest who is flying on the same flight as you.

HerpaYvr

I can say that I would be more than happy to spend 1 minute shy of 24 hours in the EK First Class lounge. I may have diabetes or have a stroke after I leave as you can only get so many steps in while enjoying all of that wonderful food and treats.

wjw

Interesting, didn’t realize F lounge was available for SE. Another reason I am happy to be on this site! They never indicated this in the press releases did they? I thought they only said J lounge for AC customers (regardless of J ticket or SE)?

The YMMV and secret rules drive me nuts. I’m through DXB next week on business and will love the F lounge! However I’m also through in a few months with Mrs wjw and 3 year old daughter wjw.

I can only assume that I can’t guest in both - but it might be worth trying. I did use a select benefit to make Mrs wjw a 50k largely because I was worried I couldn’t even get all 3 of us into the J lounge even.

vernonc

It appears that the rule states you have to be on YYZ-DXB sector to use the F lounge as a SE.

Trying to decide how to get to DXB and then NBO.
The EK flight that I want on DXB-NBO-DXB is not available on AE though another flight later on the day is.
I would like to try EK J using AE on YYZ-DXB but no EK flights show. Do I still have to call to see if there is availability?
Looked at AE redemptions on AC but even with Priority rewards its over 300K round trip even though the seat map in J shows barely 4-5 seats reserved. And no R space even if I pay for a ticket.

billdokes

What does the seat map have to do with anything?

That's only an indication of how many people who have booked the flight have selected a seat, now how many people have booked the flight, or what RM projects they will sell. If R=0 then that's a good indication that they are optimistic for good revenue fare conversion on that flight.

If the redemptions are pricing out that high, that's another good indicator that they think it will be a busy or full flight.

wjw

Well that’s good for me as that’s my route, but odd it doesn’t apply to YVR too.

vernonc

Maybe it does, Just quoting what I read. I believe it applies to EK and AC direct flights between Canada and DXB

wjw

FYI that I was turned down at the F lounge as a SE.

Apparently there is a “list” that AC sends over that I wasn’t on…

I emailed concierge who forwarded to me to the DXB concierge email asking for clarification on what lounge I should have access to as a SE in DXB. I’m on AC 57 tonight to YYZ.

I’ll follow up to this thread if I learn anything more. For now…. Business Lounge it is…


edit: in F lounge within 30 minutes of the email to the concierge team. I’ll write a THANKS concierge post later!

edit 2: Just a point of clarification about this benefit. Concierge just advised me that the F lounge benefit is only for SEMM or SE with Premium Credit Card. I do have the premium card so my initial denial was indeed a mistake. However, if you are SE and not a MM and don’t have the premium credit card it is my understanding that you will NOT have F Lounge.

yeeg

I attended the B gate lounge and had no problem getting in. Maybe show them your aeroplan number and digital card?


Edit: didn't see the bottom of your note. I have the premium cc as well so thet could be the deal maker.

wjw

Yeah I was at C gate F lounge. Apparently the process in Dubai is that the EK agents know that Super Elite “Premium” and Super Elite MM get F lounge access (I don’t think they know that premium is about the credit card they just assume it’s some tier in Aeroplan) but even though your boarding pass indicates SE P they don’t let you in based on what’s clearly written on the BP. Instead they have to look at a list that Air Canada sends them each day. They also have no access to AC systems to verify anything, so it is literally just an excel spreadsheet that gets emailed with the names of those on the flight with SE P or SE MM and they go off that list.

In my case it sounds like I was indeed on the list but the EK staff weren’t looking at the most up to date list. The EK lounge supervisor did come to me once I was in the F lounge and offered a nice apology, as did the AC concierge at the gate.

I also asked the concierge about guesting. She said you can guest one additional guest and a child under 2 years old and there are no exceptions to this.

Learn something new every day! So, the takeaways from all this for anyone going to DXB is that F lounge is SE Premium CC or SE MM only, and that it’s probably not a bad idea to reach out to the concierge in advance so that they can be sure you’re on the ‘list’ and that the list was transmitted properly to the EK staff.