garykung

Allow me to say this again - you did not pay for the visit.

I understand how people see the AF you paid as payment for lounge access. The problem is it is not a simple pass-through. In fact, the credit card issuers reserve the rights, as always, to cancel benefits as they see fit.

A classic example is Admiral Club access from Citi Prestige. The AF of Citi Prestige has not been reduced due to the removal of Admiral Club access. So can you really say that the Admiral Club access worth nothing?

percysmith

garykung

A pro-rated refund was not provided. Citi indeed pulled a stunt like this:

ARCHIVE: Admirals Club Access with Citi Prestige Card (ENDED 23 Jul 2017)

Citi Prestige : Admirals Club access benefit

That's why just because you paid the AF, you did not actually pay for the benefits themselves.

mia

No, Citi provided a full year's notice and everyone had an opportunity to renew or cancel with knowledge of the change.

euromannn

AS lounge in Seattle Concourse D will not allow me in using PP claiming revered for business and AS card holders.
Seems each time it's an early morning flight and I go to the lounge at 6am and fairly empty but AS rejects access.

PP has been fairly good in Europe and Asia but rules are strictly enforced where no access through security until same day and 2 hours prior to flight.

LupineChemist

Honestly, I think the expansion of the restaurants is really great but I've only been in the game a few years but it's always seemed clear that PP was weakest in the US. I wouldn't go out of my way for it if I were a purely domestic traveler.

tmiw

It's not really any surprise considering that a lot of US airports are only now starting to get renovations to catch up with current usage (never mind what would be necessary to end up with airports the caliber of, say, SIN). I don't think PP can really do much other than add restaurants until those renovations finish.

mia

Not always. Before the consolidation of the legacy USA-based airlines (DL/NW, UA/CO, AA/US) most of those airlines had surplus capacity in their lounges, and most accepted Priority Pass at some or all locations. Consolidation reduced surplus capacity in passenger seats, resulting in higher fares; and in lounges, resulting in elimination of Priority Pass as a means of access. Today only Alaska Airlines still accepts Priority Pass, and frankly I don't know why they continue because their lounges are often near capacity.

Priority Pass has addressed this structural change by building some of their own lounges. (The lounges named The Club at ... are operated by a related company.) The restaurant credits are another strategy, which will likely be refined before it is greatly expanded.

euromannn

Disagree about Alaska Airlines lounge flexibility on Priority Pass. AS hub is Seattle and the AS Lounges are difficult to get into with PP in Seattle.

Twice in past year Alaska Airlines Concourse "D" in Seattle refused me access when it wasn't even 20% full and then again at 5am opening with 3 people in front of me in line to lounge.

Reason given each time is not FULL but reserved for business and AS ticketed customers.

AS Lounge manager advises me to go to a different AS lounge which is impossible since it's in a different terminal and would force me to miss my flight.

The Club(other lounge at Sea-Tac on PP) has lesser options like no pancake maker which I "used" to enjoy in AS Lounge.
Just returned from Taipei, Bangkok, and Ho Chi Minh and enjoyed all three lounges that PP allowed me access.

CMH1k

These are horrible places. I was forced to use the PP at MAN (Manchester, UK) because the waiting area was mobbed. They wouldn't let me in because their card reader wouldn't read my card (even though it clearly had the exp. date dated stamped on it), so I paid 30 pounds because I had 3 hours to kill.

It was crowded and full of rookie flyers cramming as many chips and salsa and cheap bottled beer into them as possible. A real nightmare.

mia

There are 1,000+ Priority Pass lounges, most independently operated. A poor experience with one lounge isn't a basis to judge the entire program.

behyx

Can I check if my wife and me have our own unlimited PP cards (only valid for 1 entry per card, no guests), are we able to bring 5 more guests into Priority Pass restaurants in MEL? I understand we have $36 worth of credits per person ($72 for us), and let's say all 7 of us dine, and total bill came up to $100, we just need to top up $28 will do? And our 5 other guests will not be charged additional 'per-person' fee?

corporate-wage-slave

I've had trouble preserving the quality of the magnetic stripe on PP cards, several of them over the years, no doubt thanks to mis-treatment. Usually the lounges type in the numbers, and are happy if they get the OK from that, but if they mis-type then it can lead to a stand off and having to resort to one's best interpersonal skills to persuade them to try again.

However this is where the App Priority Pass is brilliant, most lounges now accept the QR code on the App and it's just a one off set-up that is needed, takes just a few minutes. You may will need to set up a profile, and unless you kept your membership letter, a quick telephone call to PP to get a PIN. Make a note of that number since if the App updates you may need it again, but it works well for all concerned.

MAN is one of the worst airports I have to deal with, and the lounges can indeed have some people determined to get every penny of value out of them....

JamesKidd

Do PP offer any restaurant credits at any of London Heathrow Terminals ?

cboy

I'd like to know too