Query - Lounge access using BA status
 

Hi there,

just had a quick one - I am looking for a flight from LHR to DOH - deciding between QR or BA and by chance I stumbled across this extract:

link --> https://www.qatarairways.com/en-gb/P.../oneworld.html

my question is is that statement true for all members or just QR as i cannot find anything on google about it?

sorry if in wrong thread but i wasn't sure where to put it

Do you have any status with BA or QR?

BA

Was curious as ive only mainly accessed BA lounges overseas or third party lounges with BA status (like Plaza premiums in YYZ) but never tried accessing another airlines lounge when not flying on them

In which case if fllying LHR-DOH on Qatar you use the Skyteam lounge in T4 unless you are in Business or First, in which case you can use the Qatar lounge. If you are flying BA then the usual T5 lounge arrangements apply, depending on your card colour. By all means clarify what you are trying to find out here but if flying Qatar on a BA Silver card or higher, usually a lounge of some description will be available to you.

Well spotted. This does seem a restriction for QR members and not for BA members so it wouldn't affect you. I have had a quick look at the QR board and it doesn't seem to have been noted so far? Certainly something they would want to discuss on there.

thanks for this - while im sure that a lounge will be available on either end its more of the case that of the statement made. Ive seen people say that upon flying from T3 go to the CX or QF lounge for instance when flying on AA to JFK - but if the statement holds and i fly to USA in Y then im forced to only go to the AA lounge

I'm surprised this hasn't come up on the QR board either. I'm going to tag the QR mod team to see if perhaps they can shed some light here on whether this is merely a QR restriction quoting some (apparently obscure) oneworld policy, or if it's possibly going to become more widespread.

@msm2000uk
@Zol

QRPC have a number of rather obscure rules, and indeed this is one - and something we have discussed on the QR Forum in the past.

QR operate a differing lounge policy to that of other OneWorld members, whereby Premium Cabin (Business & First Class) are treated above status cardholders - contra to BA (for example).

This means a Platinum cardholder in Y, receives little by way of thanks - opposed to a once a year flier on a Sale Fare in J.

M

I always refer to the lounge guide on the oneworld website

https://www.oneworld.com/airport-lounges

It notes specific exclusions for Qatar Airways Privelege Club, American Airlines AAdvantage and SriLankan Flysmiles members and lists specific exclusions at the particular airport but in general OW Sapphire status gives you access to any OW biz lounge regardless of cabin flown provided you are flying on a OW airline.

In the past I have been denied access to a BA lounge but given access to the OW operating carrier lounge but only because the BA lounge was time specific and closed before my flight departed.

Note if you are travelling on Qatar from T4 you will also have access to the Malaysia Airlines Golden lounge.

This information may not be up to date - I came out of Doha on a BA J ticket two weeks ago and used the AL-Mourjan lounge (it was even printed on my boarding pass) - and so did my wife travelling a few days later.

That is interesing. I note that you mention it was printed on your boarding pass so that suggests BA is directing passengers to use that lounge. I wonder if the usual lounge BA uses is undergoing refurbishment or whether it is a permanent enhancement? Never flown via Doha so it's not one I've looked up on the Oneworld website before now.

The oneworld website is usually reliable. I wonder how often it gets updated.

There is a nuance on that one. While al Mourjan is listed as an excluded lounge (and I really don't know what Qatar ties itself in all these knots), nevertheless the lounge is open to oneworld departures from DOH, so long as the passenger is in Business or First. The exclusion is therefore on status travellers, but not on cabin. So a GGL flying Qatar economy isn't welcome, but a Blue travelling BA CW is allowed entry. So they have a Qatar specific policy, rather than adopting the usual oneworld norms.

Same rules at their lounge in London and Paris. There are other, not-so-good lounges in DOH for status passengers travelling oneworld.

Interesting - thanks for the clarification c-w-s.

Yes, well worth a visit.

With so much focus on T5 and T3, it’s often easy to forget that for around 20 years, T4 was of course home to BA at LHR. Today it can sometimes seem an ‘unheralded’ terminal, but one major benefit is that - amongst the vast array of lounges (over 40 in all, AFAIK ?) spread across the entire airport, two of the very best just happen to be in T4 : Qatar, and (the F class section of) the Malaysian lounge.