Lounge chancers
Jan 18, 2019, 5:33 am
#31
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: London Stratford, E7
Programs: BAEC Gold! Thanks to FT
Posts: 3,368
His videos are very samey now first one was Amsterdam to Barcelona with no money, coast to coas5 USA win no money Australia, Dubai and India with no money and numerous cities...but some people will try anything.
Jan 18, 2019, 6:34 am
#32
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Switzerland
Posts: 1,572
Jan 18, 2019, 7:02 am
#33
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Peterborough, UK
Programs: BA Silver; IHG Spire; Avis P+; Global Entry
Posts: 1,505
There is a guy called a Simon Wilson who is a ‘youtuber’ and he often blags way into airport lounges, (pretends to be on the phone when several people at the desk avoiding eye contact or saying on his phone call I’m just going back into the lounge’) hotel spas and lounges and business centres and lots of free food as fast food places. He has blagged his way onto Thalys trains, Megabus coaches in the USA and into a McGregor flight in Las Vegas.
His videos are very samey now first one was Amsterdam to Barcelona with no money, coast to coas5 USA win no money Australia, Dubai and India with no money and numerous cities...but some people will try anything.
I first found him when i was "look at the cheek of this guy sneaking into the lounge", now i like the guy pretty funny
Jan 18, 2019, 7:21 am
#35
Join Date: Jul 2007
Programs: BAEC OW Gold/Emerald
Posts: 538
I know... The TV programme should focus on the heroes who are the Lounge Dragons. A series that highlights their daily viligance as they take on and bring down the DYKWIAs, ignorant, and Simon Wilson chancers of the world. If the custom officers can get there own programme why not celebrate the Lounge Dragons?
Jan 18, 2019, 7:43 am
#38
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Columbia, SC
Programs: UAL 1KMM,Hilton Diamond
Posts: 758
Same everywhere
I'm a UA flyer. Trust me, same is in *A lounges. Common one that holds up the line, ‘I didn’t know my card had expire , can you look it up ( let me in this time). In many airports, the lounges are tucked away, people have to make an effort to find them. Why work that hard to sneak in.
LH door guards don’t play. They have heard every excuse and the answer is no.
LH door guards don’t play. They have heard every excuse and the answer is no.
Jan 18, 2019, 7:55 am
#39
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold, Honors Gold
Posts: 227
The best one I can remember witnessing was at the LCY gate lounge prior to BA001 to JFK. A youngish bloke wandered in and explained that whilst he knew he wasn't technically allowed access his dad was a gold member and that he didn't want to stay long, so could an exception be made? He didn't look particularly surprised to be refused.
Jan 18, 2019, 8:32 am
#40
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: SFO
Programs: AS 75K, AA Gld / 1MM, Marriott Plat
Posts: 43
Sometimes when bored I sit near the dragons at a lounge and I'd estimate the 'chancers' are as high as 1 in 3. The United Club in San Francisco was always good for a laugh. A common ruse there was an attempt to use the Priority Pass card, which hasn't covered United Clubs / Red Carpet Clubs at any time in my memory.
My favorite was the guy who walked up and said, "Is this the American Express lounge?" Mind you there is a HUGE sign right behind the dragons that says "United Club". And when the dragon said no, the guy says, "Are you sure?" On my way out I asked the dragon if he was sure we weren't in the American Express lounge and he said, "quite sure", rather mirthlessly. Apparently that kind of thing stopped being funny for the dragons some time ago...
My favorite was the guy who walked up and said, "Is this the American Express lounge?" Mind you there is a HUGE sign right behind the dragons that says "United Club". And when the dragon said no, the guy says, "Are you sure?" On my way out I asked the dragon if he was sure we weren't in the American Express lounge and he said, "quite sure", rather mirthlessly. Apparently that kind of thing stopped being funny for the dragons some time ago...
Jan 18, 2019, 11:24 am
#41
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,808
It seems like 8 of 10 times I go to a lounge, there is someone arguing with the reception about how and why they should be let in. It's DYKWIA after DYKWIA, arguing that even though they are not on that carrier that day that they are a triple conceirge key platinum unobtainium trillion miler, or that even though the next segment is in coach they should be let in, or that they should be able to guest their 19 companions, or that they USED to have status etc.
Jan 18, 2019, 11:52 am
#42
Join Date: May 2011
Location: BOS
Programs: AA PLT, Marriott LTP
Posts: 493
I have to believe trying to worm your way into a lounge happens a lot. Not too long ago I was heading to the AA club at my home airport in BOS. I noticed there was a guy hanging around the entrance. When I went in, he kind of followed me then while I was checking in, thus occupying the agent, he walked around me and into the club. I said to the agent, you know that guy just walked in. She eventually tracked him down and booted him out. He was friendly about it. From what I recall, it seems like he did this often. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. Sleazy in my opinion though....
Jan 18, 2019, 12:02 pm
#43
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,029
Aren't the toilets at the AMS lounge outside the lounge? IIRC that would make it a particularly useful lounge to try it on, as there would be even more foot traffic than usual just walking in and out...
Jan 18, 2019, 12:18 pm
#45
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 87
I see this a lot in Miami when AA passengers discover that the Caribbean and most of Mexico plus Canada is not international travel when they are in J and thus get no access to the Admirals Club. Also at the new Club those who get in via club membership then try to get into the new Flagship Lounge (shared lobby) with the same proviso that it's only for international J and F and not the Admirals Club which I presume must be jammed with domestic passengers.
So not chancers but people used to airlines where all J/F is a freebie lounge invite.
So not chancers but people used to airlines where all J/F is a freebie lounge invite.
