Refused Lounge entry at PHL

Old Mar 5, 2019, 9:10 am
  #136  
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Originally Posted by ratypus
1. I think I would be entitled to go to the BA lounge under OW rules, but may get a refusal (based on this thread)?
That would be my interpretation of the threads above.

Originally Posted by ratypus
2. Is there somewhere nice enough by way of AA lounges instead? I'm not dead set on the BA lounge if that's going to cause 'problems'. Which of the many AA lounges at PHL do people recommend. Somewhere reasonably quiet for a rest and a drink would be fine. One or two drinks rather than five - so voucher bar is OK.
See the posts above for recommendations, but PHL has 4 Admirals in all so it depends a bit on your next flight and where it is going.
https://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInform...s/phl-club.jsp
(also the AA forum of course)

3. Connections: I will obviously have to clear US immigration and then customs (but will try my best to travel hand baggage only) - is there a separate 'transfer' route through security, and if so does it have fast track? Or am I better off going fully landside and coming through regular departure security, which I assume must have fast track for OWE on AA domestic First...?
In the USA there is no such thing as international transfer, you always end up landside, that's the way things are over there. However in PHL - as with a few other places like MIA and JFK - they kind-of provide a clear pathway back to airside via a semi-dedicated route. PHL is in fact the best USA airport with that kind-of Flight Connection facility since it's rare for the local traffic to use it. From the CBP area it is clearly signed, but you need to clear immigration first, you follow those signs, and they back via security to airside. Ironically you end up very close to the BA lounge, which has star billing in terms of its presence in PHL. But 2 AA lounges are very close by.

For "Fast Track" security, have a look in FT's Security webforums for Global Entry and TSA Pre-Check, there is also the CLEAR system, but unless you are a regular visitor then I doubt it will be worthwhile.
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Old Mar 5, 2019, 1:40 pm
  #137  
 
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^Agreed with CWS.
Re-checking in PHL after arriving internationally is very easy. Just veer to the right instead of going into the arrivals hall on the left.

I'm based out of PHL. I'm BA Gold, I use the BA lounge all the time on domestic flights... Have not been turned away with an AA boarding pass for years (and I think that was at Silver). It definitely depends on timing and capacity of the BA flights for sure.
I've always thought the lounge staff were extra pleasant and accommodating... especially loose with the allowance of folks allowed on the left side of the lounge if you have friends/coworkers on the right

The AA lounges in PHL are much more spacious. If I'm not looking to get a nice buzz going, it's off to them, usually.
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Old Mar 6, 2019, 3:21 am
  #138  
 
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OK thanks - I think I would be there right around peak time for the BA lounge. I'm not a huge fan of BA outstation lounges generally, so I'll probably just head to Admirals either in A-West or B/C since both look OK for a couple of hours. My main priority will be to sit down, maybe shower (do they have showers?), catch up on emails and maybe have one drink...(maybe not even that).

I'll pick A-West or B/C depending where security brings me out and which gates my next flight departs from - it's to PBI so I assume B/C gates? Or is there an obvious favourite as between those two Admirals lounges?

In terms of connection - that's very helpful, thanks. I normally make a real effort to travel HBO on these itineraries, but is PHL somewhere it's fairly painless to retrieve checked backs and re-check them? I'm not on a super-tight connection (just over 3 hours), just want to avoid standing in too many mega-queues.
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Old Mar 6, 2019, 3:26 am
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Originally Posted by ratypus
OK thanks - I think I would be there right around peak time for the BA lounge. I'm not a huge fan of BA outstation lounges generally, so I'll probably just head to Admirals either in A-West or B/C since both look OK for a couple of hours. My main priority will be to sit down, maybe shower (do they have showers?), catch up on emails and maybe have one drink...(maybe not even that).

I'll pick A-West or B/C depending where security brings me out and which gates my next flight departs from - it's to PBI so I assume B/C gates? Or is there an obvious favourite as between those two Admirals lounges?

In terms of connection - that's very helpful, thanks. I normally make a real effort to travel HBO on these itineraries, but is PHL somewhere it's fairly painless to retrieve checked backs and re-check them? I'm not on a super-tight connection (just over 3 hours), just want to avoid standing in too many mega-queues.
The BA lounge is decent as far as outstations go. I am not the biggest fan of the admirals club, and while they're not as good, they're still alright. It's easy to collect and drop bags again, as it's all on the same path, the main problem you'll face is immigration / customs queues, but with three hours it should be fine.

I couldn't find any lounges with showers, but there's a minute suites where they might have some paid showers.
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Old Mar 6, 2019, 1:26 pm
  #140  
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Originally Posted by ratypus
In terms of connection - that's very helpful, thanks. I normally make a real effort to travel HBO on these itineraries, but is PHL somewhere it's fairly painless to retrieve checked backs and re-check them? I'm not on a super-tight connection (just over 3 hours), just want to avoid standing in too many mega-queues.
BA have just (last few weeks) introduced a brand new "short transfer segregation" at PHL, which essentially means that passenger data held in LHR is processed and understood at the PHL end. Now 3 hours would not be my definition of a short transfer, but at least in theory the baggage should be there swiftly. But if queue avoidance is the name of the game then you would be HBO.
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Old Mar 7, 2019, 4:32 pm
  #141  
 
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Flying today from PHL to LHR to JHB totally on BA. I am Emerald and wife is Sapphire. Both flying in J fully paid tickets. When we got to the BA club in PHL, we were refused entry to the First section (they would let me go in but not my wife). I protested. Asked for manager. Manager came 20 minutes later after multiple calls. They still refused us entry based on "capacity controls". The man at the front and his manager were totally unhelpful and dis-respectful. They would not let us in because of the Qatar flight and they were "15 people overbooked".

We then went in to the AA Club in A West. Much better atmosphere (maybe less alcohol choices, but they have soups and a good view and a lot of appetizers). People at the front desk very friendly! (unlike the BA club)! Never again in the PHL BA club... I guess it is not worth MY time again to ever go to the BA Club in PHL, even when flying on BA.
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Old Mar 7, 2019, 8:49 pm
  #142  
 
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Originally Posted by IAN-UK
Not sure you have grounds for complaint about being denied access to the BA lounge - it's small, and they worry about not being able to accommodate their own passengers.

But you surely need to protest about being charged for drinks in the AA facility. They've always seemed pretty good at handing out vouchers - though perhaps these don't cover premium brands (and at $11 you may well be a premium gin person ).

wait, there are airport lounges, that CHARGE for drinks ?????
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Old Mar 7, 2019, 11:47 pm
  #143  
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Originally Posted by hungry



wait, there are airport lounges, that CHARGE for drinks ?????
Yes, and (some) food ... hence why the BA lounge is generally considered a more attractive option than the AA one at PHL.
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Old Mar 8, 2019, 12:30 am
  #144  
 
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Originally Posted by NWIFlyer
Yes, and (some) food ... hence why the BA lounge is generally considered a more attractive option than the AA one at PHL.
... if your priority is getting hammered. Not all drinks are chargeable, they provide a couple of vouchers for premium drinks and often throw in a few extra - maybe I just took like I need them
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Old Mar 10, 2019, 3:01 am
  #145  
 
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I am flying LHR-PHL next month with BA on the 747 in F. I am connecting to AA (BA marketed) flight to MIA in AA First class (business) I am a BA gold (Emerald) Will I get access to the BA lounge and the F part of the lounge since I am arriving from BA F?
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Old Mar 10, 2019, 3:27 am
  #146  
 
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Originally Posted by TravelManBiz
I am flying LHR-PHL next month with BA on the 747 in F. I am connecting to AA (BA marketed) flight to MIA in AA First class (business) I am a BA gold (Emerald) Will I get access to the BA lounge and the F part of the lounge since I am arriving from BA F?
When are you doing this trip? I suspect after the introduction of the new timetable. I will assume you are traveling on the BA67 arriving at 15.35 - depending what time your connecting flight departs may depend if you will get access. If it is way before the BA and QR flights you probably will. However it may depend on which terminal your connecting flight leaves and how long your connection is - if Terminal A may worth going to the BA lounge if Terminal B or C I would just go to the closest AA lounge.
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Old Mar 10, 2019, 4:02 am
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Yes, it is BA67 in end of April. Next flight is with AA at 1745 from Terminal A also. So from your answer I will most likely get acces to the lounge and maybe also the F part of the lounge?
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Old Mar 10, 2019, 4:42 am
  #148  
 
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For anyone wondering what the A-West AA lounge looks like.. this side is above A15, there is a mirror image above A16 through the doorway at the far end (lounge entrance).
The entire BA lounge (First and Club) fits into the space in this photo, which is why it is so capacity restricted.
I prefer the other side as it's quieter and you can also see that you're on your way home!



A-West AA lounge, above A15

A-West AA lounge, above A16

Last edited by LBP2; Mar 10, 2019 at 4:55 am
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Old Mar 10, 2019, 4:55 am
  #149  
 
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Originally Posted by TravelManBiz
Yes, it is BA67 in end of April. Next flight is with AA at 1745 from Terminal A also. So from your answer I will most likely get acces to the lounge and maybe also the F part of the lounge?
Yes you should get access as you will probably leave the lounge between 5-5.15pm before it gets very busy. As your aircraft is a 763 it will definitely be A terminal - depending on the gate I would consider the AA lounges as they could be lot closer to your gate. The view from the AA lounge close to gate A15 is worth it for the views posted earlier in this thread.
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Last edited by fatmac70; Mar 10, 2019 at 5:11 am Reason: typo
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Old Mar 10, 2019, 5:05 am
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Originally Posted by TravelManBiz
Yes, it is BA67 in end of April. Next flight is with AA at 1745 from Terminal A also. So from your answer I will most likely get acces to the lounge and maybe also the F part of the lounge?
Ive visited the BA lounge twice within the past year when connecting off of the BA67 and onto an AA service. I received access to the BA lounge both times. For whatever reason, they needed to see my gold card as the AA boarding pass wasnt sufficient to feed into their system. One of the times, they even apologized that they wouldnt be able to give me access to pre-flight dining as my onward flight was with AA. (I didnt expect it anyway.)

Unless the BA lounge is crowded, I find it superior to the AA lounges, but I recognize opinions may differ.

There are long-standing reports (both here and on the AA forum, I believe) that BA denies access when they are, or expect to be, full. Ive never personally been denied access. The closest I came was (several years ago, as an AA OWS flying AA to MAD) having the nice lady at the front desk say she almost was going to turn me away because they expected to be full. I promised to be respectful and leave if they did become full. She gave me access and I did leave when it filled up.
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