Lounge access on Etihad...
Nov 3, 2016, 7:33 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2010
Programs: Air New Zealand
Posts: 41
Lounge access on Etihad...
So.. I'm Air NZ GE (or, for the purposes of this threas, *A G)
Flying Christchurch-Sydney-AbuDhabi next month. Air NZ first sector and then Virgin Australia. My all-important question is.... do we get lounge access at all the stops????
Flying Christchurch-Sydney-AbuDhabi next month. Air NZ first sector and then Virgin Australia. My all-important question is.... do we get lounge access at all the stops????
Nov 3, 2016, 8:39 pm
#2
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Usually Auckland, NZ
Programs: NZ Elite (*G), QF S (OWR), UA 0.14MM
Posts: 690
Refer to this: https://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/co-o...etihad-airways
To ensure access to the following benefits make sure you select flights with an Air New Zealand (NZ) flight number or ask your travel agent to do so.
Lounge access
Airpoints Elite and Gold members may access Etihad’s lounges when departing on a booking with an NZ flight number operated by Etihad Airways. Simply present your valid Airpoints Gold or Elite card.
When travelling on Etihad Airways operated flights the Etihad lounge or contract lounge must be used (for example, the Star Alliance lounge in London Heathrow cannot be accessed when travelling on Etihad).
Lounge access
Airpoints Elite and Gold members may access Etihad’s lounges when departing on a booking with an NZ flight number operated by Etihad Airways. Simply present your valid Airpoints Gold or Elite card.
When travelling on Etihad Airways operated flights the Etihad lounge or contract lounge must be used (for example, the Star Alliance lounge in London Heathrow cannot be accessed when travelling on Etihad).
You did mention travelling on VA coded flight for SYD-AUH segment. As far as I know, lounge access only includes VA domestic and VA Trans Tasman alliance flights, don't think any other VA international flights are included as far as lounge benefits go for NZ HVCs.
Nov 3, 2016, 8:42 pm
#3
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: New Zealand
Programs: NZ Elite, QF Platinum (LTS), VA Platinum
Posts: 1,672
NZ ticket SYD-AUH also? (despite VA metal), flying economy or PE?
There's been a shake up of lounges VA use as of 1st Nov so I'm not really sure what that means for your situation. The TT routes remained NZ lounges so if on an NZ ticket hopefully you'll have access to NZ's lounge as a minimum. VA do use the EY lounge but I'm not hopeful your NZ status will extend to VA using the EY lounge in SYD because your AUH flight isn't EY operated.
https://www.virginaustralia.com/au/e...lounge-access/
Would be interested to know the outcome though.
Edit: Looking at the NZ website looks like the combination is NZ/EY to get to AUH. And the NZ website info is really just for VA TT https://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/co-o...ustralia-group. I'd call and ask if you wanted to know prior to your flight otherwise I'd probably still try at the NZ desk in SYD.
Got an AMEX card for the AMEX lounge in SYD? or Sky team is paid lounge access - bit pricey though.
There's been a shake up of lounges VA use as of 1st Nov so I'm not really sure what that means for your situation. The TT routes remained NZ lounges so if on an NZ ticket hopefully you'll have access to NZ's lounge as a minimum. VA do use the EY lounge but I'm not hopeful your NZ status will extend to VA using the EY lounge in SYD because your AUH flight isn't EY operated.
https://www.virginaustralia.com/au/e...lounge-access/
Would be interested to know the outcome though.
Edit: Looking at the NZ website looks like the combination is NZ/EY to get to AUH. And the NZ website info is really just for VA TT https://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/co-o...ustralia-group. I'd call and ask if you wanted to know prior to your flight otherwise I'd probably still try at the NZ desk in SYD.
Got an AMEX card for the AMEX lounge in SYD? or Sky team is paid lounge access - bit pricey though.
Last edited by NZbutterfly; Nov 3, 2016 at 9:09 pm
Dec 4, 2016, 3:46 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2010
Programs: Air New Zealand
Posts: 41
Yeah,
We're actually on VA tickets but EY flights. So looks like no dice either way. Yuck....
B
We're actually on VA tickets but EY flights. So looks like no dice either way. Yuck....
B
NZ ticket SYD-AUH also? (despite VA metal), flying economy or PE?
There's been a shake up of lounges VA use as of 1st Nov so I'm not really sure what that means for your situation. The TT routes remained NZ lounges so if on an NZ ticket hopefully you'll have access to NZ's lounge as a minimum. VA do use the EY lounge but I'm not hopeful your NZ status will extend to VA using the EY lounge in SYD because your AUH flight isn't EY operated.
https://www.virginaustralia.com/au/e...lounge-access/
Would be interested to know the outcome though.
Edit: Looking at the NZ website looks like the combination is NZ/EY to get to AUH. And the NZ website info is really just for VA TT https://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/co-o...ustralia-group. I'd call and ask if you wanted to know prior to your flight otherwise I'd probably still try at the NZ desk in SYD.
Got an AMEX card for the AMEX lounge in SYD? or Sky team is paid lounge access - bit pricey though.
There's been a shake up of lounges VA use as of 1st Nov so I'm not really sure what that means for your situation. The TT routes remained NZ lounges so if on an NZ ticket hopefully you'll have access to NZ's lounge as a minimum. VA do use the EY lounge but I'm not hopeful your NZ status will extend to VA using the EY lounge in SYD because your AUH flight isn't EY operated.
https://www.virginaustralia.com/au/e...lounge-access/
Would be interested to know the outcome though.
Edit: Looking at the NZ website looks like the combination is NZ/EY to get to AUH. And the NZ website info is really just for VA TT https://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/co-o...ustralia-group. I'd call and ask if you wanted to know prior to your flight otherwise I'd probably still try at the NZ desk in SYD.
Got an AMEX card for the AMEX lounge in SYD? or Sky team is paid lounge access - bit pricey though.
Dec 4, 2016, 5:30 pm
#6
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: New Zealand
Programs: NZ Elite, QF Platinum (LTS), VA Platinum
Posts: 1,672
the changes are recent. Or paid access skyteam lounge. AUH there is the Al Rheem lounge if you have priority pass or you can pay to access but it's actually quite small and was incredibly full on my only visit with not a lot food wise but it was only one visit.http://www.ausbt.com.au/al-reem-loun...um-etihad-gold
Just focus on the flight, especially if you're on the A380. I think EY are very good in economy, the internet is 100 times better than EK and $22USD for entire flight I think.