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Refused Access to Lounge on Paid J - How to deal with this

Refused Access to Lounge on Paid J - How to deal with this

Old Aug 31, 2013, 7:04 pm
  #31  
formerly rxfleming
 
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Refused Access to Lounge on Paid J - How to deal with this

I would have lost my rag with this BA Staff Member and really let loose with my mouth. It's absolutely unacceptable to threaten anyone with police sanction because they are following the rules and the staff member doesn't have a clue about the actual rules.

This is why BA are losing customers. Amongst all the other crap that plagues them.
travelwithross is offline  
Old Aug 31, 2013, 7:21 pm
  #32  
 
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There are a small, yet always present number of BA staff who are vile. It is almost always down to their own stupidity and arrogance. (It's a shame this forum often defends this group). Once encountered, extract yourself immediately from their presence, they are always hopeless and beyond useless.

What you should have done is given your partner directions to another galleries lounge with capable staff, not jerks.
studio76 is offline  
Old Aug 31, 2013, 9:25 pm
  #33  
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
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I seriously hope that someday someone films one of these encounters and it becomes a hit on Youtube. This is clearly a problem that BA is well aware of and chooses not to address. I guess they're counting on the revenues from people's being denied services they have paid for.
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Old Aug 31, 2013, 9:35 pm
  #34  
 
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I can understand why the application of Discretion might be so difficult given BA allows under-trained/incompetent/jobsworths staff to rotate into these key premium customer facing roles. Still think a complaint is pointless.
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Old Aug 31, 2013, 9:50 pm
  #35  
 
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Originally Posted by IAMORGAN
It's a recurring problem. Agents get moved around so much that they don't work in the lounge much and the managers are presumably equally poorly trained.
Telling a customer that she is 'a pain in the arse' is outrageous. It's beyond a training issue.
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Old Aug 31, 2013, 10:27 pm
  #36  
 
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The bad thing here is that irrespective of Mrs k_getchell's right to enter the lounge this sort of language and behaviour is unacceptable. Imagine someone considering moving to BAEC and "giving the lounge a try" and being rebuffed in this way. BA would instantly lose a potential customer.

That Mrs k_getchell did have the right to enter and was given such rude short shrift is incredible. I just wish I had been behind her in the queue to enter the lounge. I would would have offered some pretty severe advice to the offensive dragon, including asking her to apologise.
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Old Aug 31, 2013, 11:16 pm
  #37  
 
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Originally Posted by pomkiwi
Not in the same league but I can confirm that the staff at the entrance to GF were not at their most welcoming today. Mrs PK and I (both BA G card holders for a few months more) approached with our adult daughter (no status) I approached the desk and my BP was scanned followed by my daughter. The staff member looked at Mrs PK and then told me that I was only allowed to bring one guest into this lounge. I smiled and replied that Mrs PK was also a G card holder. 'Oh all right then' was the response. My wife was not spoken to nor welcomed at any point

Really not out of the top drawer of examples of how to make reasonably premium customers feel valued.

The guy tidying up just past the desks could not have been more charming or welcoming however....
This is rather typical of BA lounge dragons as they make assumptions. Lost count of how often the same remarks were made toe when itching up with wife and two kids ..... Everyone of whom has status.

The cleaners need to takeover running the lounges, far nicer wimple in every way.

Access issues at one world not confined to LHR. Have had issues in last week gaining access to HNL Sakura lounge and LAX admirals club when on international through tickets. Sorted out and no grief but staff don't seem to know rules.

Once in had to wonder why I bothered as both lounges pretty dire!
binman is offline  
Old Sep 1, 2013, 2:18 am
  #38  
 
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Originally Posted by rxfleming
I would have lost my rag with this BA Staff Member and really let loose with my mouth. It's absolutely unacceptable to threaten anyone with police sanction because they are following the rules and the staff member doesn't have a clue about the actual rules.

This is why BA are losing customers. Amongst all the other crap that plagues them.
BA aren't losing customers though.
dubbin is offline  
Old Sep 1, 2013, 2:21 am
  #39  
 
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Originally Posted by binman

The cleaners need to takeover running the lounges, far nicer wimple in every way.
They ARE nicer wimple! I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed.
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Old Sep 1, 2013, 2:27 am
  #40  
 
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Sounds like a terrible experience.

Although it shouldn't be necessary I always carry print out of lounge access rules that pertain to my status and journey with the relevant parts already highlighted just in case...
Platy is offline  
Old Sep 1, 2013, 2:36 am
  #41  
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Just a thought if the LHR EDI ticket was booked separately then maybe the person at the front desk was thinking you are only flying economy and dont have access, not knowing that the passenger is entitled to entry because of flying in business class with AA. If the tickets are not on the same PNR this can cause you problems. Mind you after flying across the atlantic on AA, being told to leave because I am a pain in the arse would be nothing compared to the pain suffered being on board an AA flight.
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Old Sep 1, 2013, 2:59 am
  #42  
 
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Originally Posted by mayodave
Mind you after flying across the atlantic on AA, being told to leave because I am a pain in the arse would be nothing compared to the pain suffered being on board an AA flight.
Except if they travelled in J on the 777-300, then they probably would have rested better than CW.
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Old Sep 1, 2013, 4:10 am
  #43  
GWH
 
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I can understand the reasons that people come forward with to explain the lack of access to lounges.

I traveled with Lufthansa and the star alliance for ten years in all classes. I have entered lounges several hundred times, with paid and award tickets, with and without status.

Not once was I denied lounge access when entitled to it. Once there was a print out problem on the bar code of a boarding pass. I was courteously asked to stand at the side, while the lounge dragon tapped away on the computer and solved the problem. It took one minute. I was very happy.

I have been denied access at LHR arriving club world on BA and travelling on in domestic, same PNR. The treatment was curt and discourteous. Standing and discussing the point, while other passengers are passing is discomforting. I produced the MMB printout to no avail. Asked to see a supervisor, initial reaction as no entry in an off-hand manner. After requesting that the manual was looked at, there was a change of attitude and the comment that I would be allowed entry on this occasion. It took 10 minutes. No apology.

I did contact BA and received a bland reply and a complete lack of understating of the situation and the discomfort it creates.

It is sad this situation still continues.
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Old Sep 1, 2013, 4:25 am
  #44  
 
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Originally Posted by mayodave
Just a thought if the LHR EDI ticket was booked separately then maybe ...
Originally Posted by k_getchell
It was a single ticket, on AA stock with flight from LHR to EDI on BA ticket number. She had boarding pass (I pre-empted that she might have problems and told her to keep this) and a printed itinerary.
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Old Sep 1, 2013, 5:32 am
  #45  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
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Originally Posted by dubbin
BA aren't losing customers though.
Anecdotally (and none of us has anything better to go on), they are losing pax. The aggregate numbers may be up for a variety of factors but I believe the numbers of premium pax would be higher if BA had kept pace with premium products and had a staff trained to be customer focused.
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