Finsup72

I had an interesting experience yesterday. I was booked on a British Airways flight out of JFK (Terminal 7). However, I arrived at the airport nearly 3 hours early and figured I'd hop over to the Flagship lounge in T8 to have a quick bite before my flight as the food in the flagship lounge / flagship dining bridge is far superior to the British lounge. Given I'm an Executive Platinum with OWE status, I didn't think it would have been an issue. When I got to T8, I went into the TSA pre-check line and the lady checking boarding passes (not TSA) denied me since I didn't have an AA boarding pass. I tried to explain that I had lounge access, but she clearly didn't understand. I then asked an AA agent who wasn't sure if I was allowed in, so she asked her supervisor who denied me. I then asked to speak with the supervisor who said "you're not allowed, but go try Flagship check-in and see what they say".

When I went into the Flagship check-in area, the agent said "I have no clue if you're allowed but ask TSA if you really want". By going through the Flagship entrance, I was able to avoid the lady checking boarding passes at entry to the security line. Once I got to the TSA agent, my boarding pass screened properly, but the agent said "you know your flight isn't boarding from this terminal, right?". I explained I had lounge access in T8 and he let me through without a problem.

Once I got to the Flagship lounge, the agent looked me at strangely as if she's never seen a BA boarding pass before. She asked another agent off to the side if I was allowed in, and then she let me in without even scanning my boarding pass.

Long story, short - am I entitled to access OWE lounges regardless of which terminal my flight is departing from? It seems like I came across a bunch of people who were clueless about OWE/lounge access policies (including AA personnel).

JDiver

There is no oneworld requirement restricting lounge access based on status or class of service to one’s departure terminal, though a few airports do impose that restriction. (JFK is not one of those.)

We will move your thread to the lounge access HELP DESK. As you were in fact not denied access to the Flagship Lounge ultimately, the thread title has been modified. /Moderator

skunker

In theory, yes. The oneworld website even states that, but note that BA isn't listed among the carriers:

JDiver

The key wording, regardless of displayed logos, is “Access for eligible customers traveling on any oneworld member airline.”

skunker

Right, hence why I said "yes." The problem is that I'm sure more than one person would just look at the logos and note there isn't a BA logo and miss the fine print.

JDiver

Agreed. And it is such a PITA so many AA employees are mis- or uninformed. Or can’t even be bothered to check the actual rules or call a help desk.

The security queue guardians are sometimes the worst. (Though I love Pam at LAX.)

JJeffrey

Yea, this isn't a lounge access issue but rather the boarding pass checkers at T8 are ill-informed of the policy allowing you into any terminal at JFK with a same day boarding pass.

I've flown into T8 on AA connecting to BA at T7 several times. With a long enough connection I always use the Flagship Lounge first, it's never an issue to show your BA boarding pass for entry. You will get the usual spiel about the BA flight departing from T7 and boarding announcements are not made, etc., but otherwise of course everything is fine.

warakorn

I was denied at the IB lounge (with a fat oneworld logo) at FRA Terminal 2, departing on a oneworld-marketed and oneworld-operated flight in Business Class from Terminal 1.
The lounge cited that there was no agreement between LATAM and IB reagarding lounge access.

ajeleonard