David_Doyle

Lounge guesting is part of oneworld benefits* so I couldn't see that being enhanced.

Link

*There are a couple of Qatar lounges that do not allow guests.

Worcester

True but I normally find staff waiting to scan your BP. I would miss the nice chat with the staff though.

ant1029

This. Always thought automatic gates would be a great idea. Now if only they would invest the "cost savings" into their Product....

theultimateflyer

So was through-checking of luggage across separate bookings. Clearly oneworld benefits aren't set in stone.

Worcester

No afraid not, the only times I have flown Star is with TK and not to Germany (though having said that am off to MUC on Friday so may get the chance). Come to think of it I don't think I have ever flown Lufthansa.

UKtravelbear

Indeed and there have been complaints on here in the past about people having to wait because the receptionists were dealing with other passengers so this offers a quicker way in for a lot of people.

Even if it allowed 50% to be diverted from the desks that would be something to speed entry up.

Why is it that people use gate almost daily - at stations for example or at their place of work - yet are suddenly incapable of using one in an airport.

corporate-wage-slave

Well the way it works at these lounges - which in my view are almost as good as Flounge, with one in FRA on a par - is that there is either a scan yourself point and someone watching for any red bleeps, or a barrier that retreats on scanning the boarding pass. Again there's someone nearby to help if necessary.

There are only a few lounges where this would make sense, in that it would allow staff numbers to be reduced by 1. So in T5 it would be Flounge and the 3 Galleries Club (though B would be borderline), T3 Galleries Club, and LGW South. T3 Flounge is one person anyway. Perhaps T7 Galleries Club too. And that's about it.

For Flounge, it would improve the experience since 80% of passengers would be happy to Flash And Go, rather than standing behind the person (actually, always a male) arguing about the merits of their extended collection of cost centres being allowed access.

oscietra

When Qatar buys IAG in, oh, about 18 months, then I'd expect a similar policy at all IAG airlines.

There's a reason these cutbacks are being implemented so rapidly and VR is being offered. Impending corporate activity has to be top of the list.

RGMD11

Exactly, the personal interaction will be missing, it's BA's staff that often make the difference

Flythe96flag

Will we have a 'Millionaire's Automatic Barrier' at T5 South as well?

dodgeflyer

Except for the tiny problem that EU and UK regulation both denies a non-EEA corporation to own more than 49% of an EEA airline...

londonba2014

Ha ha - was in stitches at that!

raikje

I think this is something BA will file under the miscellaneous ancillary benefits - a reduction in the number of people trying to sweet-talk themselves additional guests, since the machines aren't susceptable to puppy-dog eyes or DYKWIA. Not that the staff are either, but that doesn't stop the attempts... See also the chip & pin readers on the self-tagging machines that LCCs use, there to remorselessly collect your excess baggage fees.

headingwest

Now where's the fun in that? All those arguments at the entrance are part of the entertainment for those inside!

ianfly

See that I can see as a genuine improvement. Why have so many staff when a machine can do the job.

I hope it has a loud siren for those who are rejected. And an even louder more obnoxious fire drill type sound for any bronze members trying their luck haha