LAX Lounge Experience
#16
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Dunedin, New Zealand
Programs: Air New Zealand Airpoints - Gold Elite, Velocity - Platinum, Qantas - Gold
Posts: 180
#17
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 6,332
Considering how many folks have arrived to check in for a 1430 flight ...at 1400.(isn't that 4 oclock?)..or at 1600 for a 1630....(isn't that 6:30???)m I would suggest the staffer was being very helpful indeed...
YOU may not have needed the help but others clearly do....
YOU may not have needed the help but others clearly do....
#18
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: AKL
Programs: NZ*E, QF WP/LTG
Posts: 58
I've never bought lounge passes as I've always been NZ*E and only ever travel with one other person if I'm not alone, but hopefully others here can shed some light on it.
#20
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Dunedin, New Zealand
Programs: Air New Zealand Airpoints - Gold Elite, Velocity - Platinum, Qantas - Gold
Posts: 180
Yes, true. However, there was some mention on here a few weeks ago of people gaining paid entry to the Star Alliance LAX Lounge. I was just interested to see if anyone else had experienced this.
#22
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,296
Just moving this thread in a slightly different direction; does anyone have any recent experience with gaining paid entry into the Star Alliance Lounge @ LAX? Myself and a mate are flying back Air NZ Business Class to Auckland, but we're traveling with two other mates who are flying Economy and don't have any Air NZ status. Advice?
The United Club in T7 (which you can access with your J ticket) offers day passes for $59, but that's not worth it IMO.
#23
Join Date: Aug 2014
Programs: NZ Elite (*G)
Posts: 82
Not sure if it is still possible, but I have definitely managed to pay for access to the *A lounge at LAX.
This was back in 2015. Two business class ticket holders on Swiss traveling to ZRH with no status, and myself in economy on Air NZ travelling to AKL with only *A Silver.
We just asked nicely after they checked the business class boarding passes, if there was any possibility we could purchase a guest past. Attendee checked with manager and it was a thumbs up.
I paid via credit card through a *A web page on their iPad. From memory it was around $60 USD.
Who knows if I just got lucky and whether this is even possible anymore. Had no expectation of getting it, so it was a bonus.
This was back in 2015. Two business class ticket holders on Swiss traveling to ZRH with no status, and myself in economy on Air NZ travelling to AKL with only *A Silver.
We just asked nicely after they checked the business class boarding passes, if there was any possibility we could purchase a guest past. Attendee checked with manager and it was a thumbs up.
I paid via credit card through a *A web page on their iPad. From memory it was around $60 USD.
Who knows if I just got lucky and whether this is even possible anymore. Had no expectation of getting it, so it was a bonus.
#25
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 229
If any of your party have Diners Card, access is available to the KAL lounge. It is vastly inferior to the *A lounge, but is certainly far closer than the UA lounge. It has showers, wifi (not great), drinks and a very limited range of snacks.
#26
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Dunedin, New Zealand
Programs: Air New Zealand Airpoints - Gold Elite, Velocity - Platinum, Qantas - Gold
Posts: 180
#27
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Auckland NZ
Programs: NZ Gold Elite, AS, AC, QF
Posts: 746
About 6 months after the *A lounge opened in LAX I asked about paid access: Nooope! In fact, none of the airline lounges in TBIT offered a drop-in fee. I'd flown in on NZ and had a 4.5 connection to LH's FRA flight. Had banked on getting a shower; instead I had a h00r's bath at the sinks in the terminal. As others have pointed out, since it's not an NZ lounge per s, I couldn't use any of a fistful of Koru passes accrued through my credit cards.
That they renovated the terminal but with zero paid shower access airside is a major fail in my book. Thank goodness I got my gold status back a few weeks later.
That they renovated the terminal but with zero paid shower access airside is a major fail in my book. Thank goodness I got my gold status back a few weeks later.
Not sure if it is still possible, but I have definitely managed to pay for access to the *A lounge at LAX.
This was back in 2015. Two business class ticket holders on Swiss traveling to ZRH with no status, and myself in economy on Air NZ travelling to AKL with only *A Silver.
We just asked nicely after they checked the business class boarding passes, if there was any possibility we could purchase a guest past. Attendee checked with manager and it was a thumbs up.
I paid via credit card through a *A web page on their iPad. From memory it was around $60 USD.
Who knows if I just got lucky and whether this is even possible anymore. Had no expectation of getting it, so it was a bonus.
This was back in 2015. Two business class ticket holders on Swiss traveling to ZRH with no status, and myself in economy on Air NZ travelling to AKL with only *A Silver.
We just asked nicely after they checked the business class boarding passes, if there was any possibility we could purchase a guest past. Attendee checked with manager and it was a thumbs up.
I paid via credit card through a *A web page on their iPad. From memory it was around $60 USD.
Who knows if I just got lucky and whether this is even possible anymore. Had no expectation of getting it, so it was a bonus.
#28
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Programs: NZ Elite; QF Platinum; CZ Gold; MU Platinum; Marriott Titanium; Accor Platinum
Posts: 1,466
Even if they had access to customer preferences, which i have never experienced even a airline operated lounge to have, why on earth would you care whether it was 24 hour time or 12 hour time.
I would think that preferences with airlines would be more useful around things that matter like aisle or window; any special meal requirements etc.
I agree with others that the lounge attendant was probably trying to be helpful, as probably many passengers might be confused by the time.
#29
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Programs: NZ Elite; QF Platinum; CZ Gold; MU Platinum; Marriott Titanium; Accor Platinum
Posts: 1,466
Op here you https://www.quora.com/Why-does-the-U...e-12-hour-time
The Lounge attendant was actually showing helpful initiative IMO in adjusting the boarding pass to suit local customs.
The Lounge attendant was actually showing helpful initiative IMO in adjusting the boarding pass to suit local customs.
#30
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,618
Because it changes boarding from being on time to a 12 hour delay in this instance. I doubt AirNZ would have been helpful if I had disappeared for 12 hours and showed up at 845 expecting to get on the plane.