BA First Lounge at JFK. Access denied with AA Emerald
Mar 20, 22, 3:40 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2022
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 1
BA First Lounge at JFK. Access denied with AA Emerald
Hello - I posted this on TPG, but this seems like a very directed thread for this topic - I have Oneworld Emerald as a Platinum Pro with American Airlines. I recently was flying business on Iberia and checked in with the BA lounge desk and and went to the British Airways First Lounge at JFK. I was told 5 minutes later that I did not belong in that lounge and was asked to move to the larger business lounge. I thought that flying any class on a OneWorld partner allowed access to any First/Business/VIP lounge available? Has anyone had any issues at JFK (or anywhere else) like this. Trying to figure out why they felt to change the OW admission policy?
Mar 20, 22, 3:51 pm
#2
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges and Environmentally Friendly Travel
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, UK
Posts: 21,471
Welcome to FlyerTalk. As a Platinum Pro card holder you certainly met the entry criteria. My only guess is the lounge team either misread or misinterpreted the admission policy check sheet.
Mar 20, 22, 4:03 pm
#3
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 55,151
And I add my welcome to Flyertalk too.
We do see reports of BA lounges in the USA declining entry to those flying AS or AA - and indeed flying AS from T7. Happily there is an AS lounge alternative in T7 more likely to be open at the time of AS' flights. However this was for Iberia and I am sure a BA Gold going to MAD would be admitted, indeed steered away from the Club lounge. My best guess is that the agent was perhaps for the ExPlat card perhaps, as evidence of Emerald status. I'm aware Emerald on AA was widened some years ago, but that's the best I can suggest.
We do see reports of BA lounges in the USA declining entry to those flying AS or AA - and indeed flying AS from T7. Happily there is an AS lounge alternative in T7 more likely to be open at the time of AS' flights. However this was for Iberia and I am sure a BA Gold going to MAD would be admitted, indeed steered away from the Club lounge. My best guess is that the agent was perhaps for the ExPlat card perhaps, as evidence of Emerald status. I'm aware Emerald on AA was widened some years ago, but that's the best I can suggest.
Mar 20, 22, 4:10 pm
#4
Join Date: May 2009
Location: London
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 2,355
From the BA website:
The First lounges are available for passengers who are:
The First lounges are available for passengers who are:
- flying on a scheduled British Airways flight in First
- a Gold Member of the British Airways Executive Club on a scheduled flight operated by British Airways or one of our oneworld partners
- an Emerald member of any of the oneworld airline frequent flyer programmes on a scheduled flight operated by British Airways or one of our oneworld partners
Mar 20, 22, 7:55 pm
#6
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: CMH
Programs: BA Silver, AA Plat, NK $9 fare club
Posts: 631
Wow, that is so unprofessional to remove you from the lounge after you were granted access! You obviously met criteria, but if you didn’t, they should’ve just eaten it. That’s terribly unfortunate that happened to you,
Mar 20, 22, 10:41 pm
#7
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Tit/ LT Plat, Hilton Diamond, GHA Tit, BA Gold
Posts: 7,452
Do I remember correctly that Plat Pro was originally OneWorld Sapphire? What are the odds that BA never gave its contractors new entry lists?
Mar 20, 22, 10:50 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Originally Posted by EuropeanPete
Do I remember correctly that Plat Pro was originally OneWorld Sapphire? What are the odds that BA never gave its contractors new entry lists?
Mar 20, 22, 11:39 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
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Originally Posted by Fraser
I was thinking this too...but you'd think the BA boarding pass would correctly reflect Emerald status, no? I haven't flown BA with elite status from another OW carrier to try...
Mar 21, 22, 5:03 am
#10
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Mexico
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 2,161
Sounds like a mistake. I checked into the Flagship lounge in Miami as an Emerald and was sent to the Admirals Club only for the lounge agent to realise they had made a mistake and redirect me the other way.
Mar 21, 22, 5:03 am
#11
Join Date: May 2004
Programs: DL Platinum, BAEC Silver, TK Elite, SQ Gold
Posts: 2,501
A fair number of airline boarding passes get partner carriers status wrong. For years in JFK the LA boarding passes showed BA Gold with the correct number as OW Ruby. Showing a proper card, or even a digital one with the Emerald logo, was sufficient to go into what then was the equivalent of T8 First Lounge (AA Flagship). A bit later, they opened it up to basically everyone, so it didn’t make a difference, but I’m just pointing out that partner airlines often get the OW status totally wrong (changing Emerald to Ruby in that case).
Mar 21, 22, 6:46 am
#12
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: LCY is always preferred
Programs: BAEC Gold, IHG Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 946
Originally Posted by Schultzois
A fair number of airline boarding passes get partner carriers status wrong. For years in JFK the LA boarding passes showed BA Gold with the correct number as OW Ruby. Showing a proper card, or even a digital one with the Emerald logo, was sufficient to go into what then was the equivalent of T8 First Lounge (AA Flagship). A bit later, they opened it up to basically everyone, so it didn’t make a difference, but I’m just pointing out that partner airlines often get the OW status totally wrong (changing Emerald to Ruby in that case).
Mar 21, 22, 6:56 am
#13
Join Date: May 2004
Programs: DL Platinum, BAEC Silver, TK Elite, SQ Gold
Posts: 2,501
Originally Posted by SpurMan
AA often used to pick up BA Gold (Emerald) as AA Gold (Ruby). Haven't experienced that personally, but know of people that have, though not in quite a while.
Mar 21, 22, 8:21 am
#14
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: LDN / NY
Programs: BA Gold, Marriott Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 282
I was also met with challenges getting into the Lounge at all when I flew Alaska end of Feb. I was told to go to the Alaska, I told them I was OWE. They said that they couldn't scan my boarding pass on my phone, so I got a physical, only then did they call to get advice on whether I was allowed in. I remained calm, they however had an attitude. Their last ditch question on the phone did make me smile, "Even the F lounge?".
I think they have new hires at the front who haven't been trained properly. Hopefully they remain in place and familiarise themselves with the different FFPs and access rights.
I think they have new hires at the front who haven't been trained properly. Hopefully they remain in place and familiarise themselves with the different FFPs and access rights.
Mar 21, 22, 2:28 pm
#15
Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 432
I had a similar experience with AA Platinum Pro; the agent did let me in but acted like she was doing me a favor. But then again, I've had similar experiences even on AA. I don't think ground agents know any programs well including their own.
