Eastbay1K

So, if I'm flying VX from LAX or SEA I'm not welcome? AS doesn't want the PP $ for the entry? AS makes more $ from PP entries than from a BR membership in some cases. More South of Expected, but it probably doesn't affect too many of us too often. Yet, it is another little chip chip chip. Has there been a single bit of good news as of late? Seriously. It isn't going to get me to renew my BR membership - If I'm on AS, I can still get in. But I've actually given the BR concierge my PP card when I'm entitled to a free entry (i.e, paid F) just so AS can make a few extra dollars on my visit. No more. They don't want my $ when I'm flying another carrier but want to visit the BR? They don't want employees (of AS or another carrier) flying SA to be able to visit the lounge (and get paid by PP for the visit)?

South of Expected.


Anchorage (ANC)/Los Angeles(LAX)/Portland(PDX)/Seattle(SEA)/San Francisco(SFO)
ALASKA AIRLINES BOARD ROOMS

September 15, 2011

Alaska Airlines Board Rooms in Anchorage (ANC), Los Angeles(LAX), Portland(PDX), Seattle(SEA) and San Francisco(SFO) have new entry conditions effective 01 October 2011:-

All Cardholders and guests are required to show a Boarding Pass with confirmed same-day travel for access to the Lounge - Passengers traveling non-revenue are not eligible for access

OverThereTooMuch

The info doesn't seem to be posted on the PP website yet.

I wonder if it was a very recent decision by AS to make this change. I agree that it sucks, but it seems to match the policies of several other US airlines.

This also chips away at the value of the PP card.

jackal

Agree. When meeting friends with PP or partner lounge memberships in the BR, I always suggest they use their own credentials so as to help the BR make a few extra bucks in revenue. You'd think AS would be appreciative. If anything, PP should be the one complaining about having to pay too much to AS for PP cardholders visiting the BR.

It's certainly not as though this is the difference between a crowded and open BR, so I can't fathom what the reason for this change is.

Have you written AS Customer Care yet? I'm curious to see how they weasel out of this one...

beckoa

Just how much does the AS BR get in compensation for a PP visit?

It may make fiduciary sense, especially if the crowds are getting too crowded due to excessive PP use

Although with your case they do make a bit extra but its kinda rare.

jackal

As I mentioned above:

I would be surprised if more than one or two PP cardholders a day come into the BR without a boarding pass*, even in SEA. Who on earth except for a couple of crazy folks on FT would bother to trek all the way out to the airport just to visit a lounge on a day they're not traveling. That's certainly not enough to cause crowding in the airport.

*The verbiage doesn't seem to specify that one needs to show an AS boarding pass, just "a Boarding Pass with confirmed same-day travel." Thus, this policy change really will only affect those who visit the BR who are not traveling, unless the verbiage as posted on the AS site is intended to mean "an Alaska Airlines boarding pass," in which case it is ambiguous and needs to be clarified.

ANC RED-EYE

I see it listed with the description of each Board Room:

OverThereTooMuch

Yeah, you're right, apparently I forgot how to read last night. My brain was looking for the Oct 1 date, didn't see it, and assumed nothing was different.

Also, I missed the part that jackal caught, which was that it was ANY boarding pass, not specifically an AS one.

dave1013

"All Cardholders and guests are required to show a Boarding Pass with confirmed same-day travel for access to the Lounge"

Can someone confirm if this policy will affect people who are not traveling but want to go visit the BR anyway? I haven't done it in a while, but the last time I did, I was given a boarding pass that, IIRC, was for standby travel.

Hopefully this is just a PP thing, and not applicable to BR members.

If this latest action precludes non-confirmed travelers from visiting the BR, it's a BIG !! I'm hoping it doesn't.

Eastbay1K

Well, I find it vague. I know how it technically reads but I am not confident that this isn't an oversight, or won't be misinterpreted by BR staff.

United757

Oh no...!

"All Cardholders and guests are required to show a Boarding Pass with confirmed same-day travel for access to the Lounge"

How will Beckoa get his soup?!

OverThereTooMuch

What was the original source for the message you posted? Was it in a BR, or was it from the PP website?

PP's website mentions in several places that you have lounge access regardless of the airline you're flying. Seems like they should be the ones telling their customers that things are changing.

I'd swear that there were some other airlines that also limited access only to PP cardholders that were flying on that same airline. Can't recall where I saw that now (in the printed membership materials or online; either way, I can't find the source).

Edit: Found it. It's the standard airline club access that the AMEX Platinum offers. With that one, except on USAir, you need to have a ticket with that same airline.

Eastbay1K

The PP Website

mikelat

Wow, what a bunch of BS. I was looking forward to my Priority Pass membership for BR access in Seattle before my many flights. Very crappy of AS to have an agreement in place with Priority Pass for all card holders to have access regardless of carrier and then cut the heck of its value. Guess now I can only use it on my flights that start on a AS flight to LAX/SFO. Even more reason to move away from AS and focus on AA.

beckoa

Refundable ticket?

But AFAIK its only for some PP folks... and its still ambiguous from what I can see...

ANC

I noticed that right away as well. Its not quite clear if it must be an AS boarding pass or from any airline with that day of travel. What made it more confusing is that it then goes on to say non rev doesnt get access. And if you are on VX you are a non rev for AS :/ The writing is foggy