footballfanatic

How is Qantas F vs AA flagship dining?

NWplatinum

uhhhh... read the past 3 pages?? Some prefer the QF lounge some prefer the AA FFS. I personally like the AA FFS because it’s quiet, and I’ve never seen more than 5 people including myself in there. A friend and I were in the LAX FFS lounge on the end of the night departure to HKG in F and we were the only ones in there.

We got VERY personal service where the bartender made us whatever we wanted and could order any food we wanted off the menu. I always like the AA burger more than the QF one too so that’s always an emergency option. But the AA menu also has some really good soups, mains and much better desserts. AA had a really delicious pasta dish several times with a butter garlic sauce and real prawns that was delicious. Not something you’d find in the QF lounge. Admittedly I was disappointed with my options last time in LAX in the FFS.

The QF lounge is always the same more or less menu-wise and it never changes. It’s really crowded for lunch and dinner. It’s hard to get served or seated. The desserts suck. Perhaps it’s hard the best the squid, and maybe a better selection of alcohol and custom made drinks. But aside from that I don’t know how many can go in the FFS be totally pampered and exclusively served on because you’re the only one in there usually. Versus a huge overcrowded QF lounge that more or less has run its course and is no longer up to par with the FFS and Polaris.

teemuflyer

This is obviously a new development. As I mentioned in my earlier post, it is possible that BA just found it easier to negotiate a blanket access to the FFD for F flyers to make the offering more consistent.

Also, given this access is for flights that are covered by the transatlantic JV, it could be to offer a "who cares which metal you fly on" F experience.

Rubecula

Call me a doubting Thomas but I would like someone to confirm they got FFD at LAX based solely on flying BA in F.

orbitmic

Is this a BA person or an AA person? If AA, that’s a great change. If it’s someone from ba, to be honest, I think it would make more sense to send an email to AA. What good does it do for you if BA tell you that AA should let you in if AA do not agree? My sense is that what is needed would be for AA to confirm that they accept ba F pax in ffd as they are the only ones who can make that actual commitment. I mean, if someone wrote to cx to ask if passengers arriving on cx F connecting to a ba flight should be allowed into the ccr, all of us would argue that they had asked the wrong people, wouldn’t we?

KARFA

I think the other concern would be I can see the BA person not understanding the different between Flagship lounge and FFD. Many of them don’t actually have the practical knowledge and experience flying that those of us on FT do.

skicowboys

I've messaged the AA twitter team to ask them, as you would hope they would know. I'll let you know what they say.

NWplatinum

Well remember it’s certainly possible since Cathay has the deal with American to use the flagship first at JFK for their first class passengers. I’m just curious actually more so about Cathay given that we know for a fact they have a deal with American at JFK.

Does that deal extend beyond JFK?

fripperies

Having read this more than once I genuinely can't be sure if it's serious. To have a chance of ordering want I should pledge a tip? Otherwise they hide the menu and treat me like a lackey? Surely that's a wind-up? Isn't it?

skicowboys

Well, so much for the AA twitter team. I asked specifically about FFD and I got the reply, "yes, you can access the lounge". I'll try again!

skicowboys

The revised answer from AA on twitter

"Sorry for the confusion. You would need to be traveling on us in order to access Flagship First Dining."

BlooJoo

Perhaps screenshot that, and send it to the person at BA with whom you've been speaking?

safari ari

Cathay specifically has a written clause in the JFK information section around FFD access.

DFW and MIA have no such written clause anywhere I have been able to find, yet from travel blogs and multiple threads referenced below, it has been confirmed BA F passengers get access thus far only at DFW and MIA.

Miami Lounge confusion

DFW lounge status

This now makes both comments from the BA and AA team contradict not only one another but also the facts we have on the ground. So it really is not a simple answer for LAX, let alone the confirmed DFW and MIA access.

BlooJoo

I get it, but the referenced poster has written confirmation from BA that BA F pax have access to all FFD locations, and written confirmation from AA that they do not. What I'm recommending is that the poster use one to challenge the other.

Fly_IAD

It should be very easy for one of the regular posters here who receives special services with BA to have one of that team confirm with the LAX staff what the arrangement is and likely within short order provide a copy/scan of the document that would without a doubt be available to AA lounge staff guiding them to admit BA F passengers to FFD. Twitter team likely would not have a clue.

My problem with QF lounge is that its so dark, only inner facing windows of corridor/security lane areas which is a real bummer as many of the other lounges (e.g. Korean/skyteam etc) look out with balconys over a beautifully lit view of the terminal.