NO SOUP FOR YOU! (CX noodle bar access for BA pax at SFO)
Jan 30, 2019, 9:48 am
#46
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: London, UK and Southern France
Posts: 18,364
While this sounds incredibly mean and pathetic, one can almost imagine a sequence of events that leads to this absurd result, with the local BA manager negotiating with CX on access lounge and pointing out that CX are charging more for lounge access than lounge XYZ elsewhere at SFO, the CX lounge negotiator then pointing out that the CX lounge has superior amenities compared to lounge XYZ including hot food at the noodle's bar, at which point the BA manager states that BA customers do not need hot food, followed by the CX lounge negotiator looking incredulously at the BA manager and saying: "if this is what you really want...", and the BA manager agreeing the lower price in return of no noodle bar access.
Jan 30, 2019, 10:30 am
#47
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold, Hotels.com Gold
Posts: 576
Jan 30, 2019, 10:43 am
#48
Join Date: May 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 5,380
I am actually surprised that CX would make a price differential between noodle bar and non-noodle bar. Once the facility is in place and the fixed costs such as equipment and chef are accounted for, the difference in costs vs the filled rolls, cheese plates, meat plates etc that are also on offer must be negligible. For CX to make a price differential on this aspect of their lounge supply only doesn't seem plausible. The champagne and high-end spirits cost more surely? This is mostly why I find this account odd.
Jan 30, 2019, 12:37 pm
#49
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Bridport, Dorset
Programs: Mucci, BA Bronze, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,129
One of the things I find interesting about the BA threads is the amount of trust put in the comments of ground staff. Does the chef in the CX lounge really have direct access to what BA said or did/done (grammar, right?)?
It could totally have been a CX decision.
It could totally have been a CX decision.
Jan 30, 2019, 3:08 pm
#51
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold, A3 *Gold
Posts: 887
I wonder if the OneWorld lounge contract says that access must be granted but is grey on if all amenities have to be offered or not? And the Local team are capitalising on that by charging for noodle access to which BA have said no way....
doesnt seem that this this could be a global decision or we’d have seen it elsewhere, not least Heathrow where BA pax must cost Cathay a lot in Noodles. I suggest those who have experienced it do escalate to BA as I suspect globally it’s not something they would want to see happen more so needs nipping in the bud...
doesnt seem that this this could be a global decision or we’d have seen it elsewhere, not least Heathrow where BA pax must cost Cathay a lot in Noodles. I suggest those who have experienced it do escalate to BA as I suspect globally it’s not something they would want to see happen more so needs nipping in the bud...
Feb 21, 2019, 7:26 pm
#54
Join Date: Oct 2018
Programs: BAEC Gold, IHG Platinum, ALL Gold, Bonvoy Gold Elite, HHonors Gold
Posts: 384
I don’t know about SFO, but we lowly BA pax definitely did enjoy the noodle bar at LHR T3 CX lounge. We were only flying WT+, with me guesting m’bronze missus thru my Silver status. No question of showing BPs or any other problems at all.
Feb 21, 2019, 10:36 pm
#55
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
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lucky you. Much of week, cx refuses access to the lhr lounge to people on non cx flights till 6pm because they were to full with students etc.
Feb 22, 2019, 12:01 am
#56
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Join Date: Dec 2004
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Feb 22, 2019, 1:49 am
#57
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: NW London and NW Sydney
Programs: BA Diamond, Hilton Bronze, A3 Diamond, IHG *G
Posts: 6,344
Feb 22, 2019, 2:02 am
#58
Join Date: Oct 2018
Programs: BAEC Gold, IHG Platinum, ALL Gold, Bonvoy Gold Elite, HHonors Gold
Posts: 384
Our BA flight was at 1605, and we generally only go to CX first for the noodles only, before fleeing the rush of HKG pax, and off to the AA lounge for the self-service bar and cookie jars.
Feb 22, 2019, 7:48 am
#59
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: RBKC
Programs: AA EXP and Eurostar Carte Blanche
Posts: 3,849
This would be very big news indeed; I've never heard of BA passengers being denied entry to the CX lounge at LHR T3. How long ago is it believed that this started happening?
