happiest_at_40000

This must be the one and only time EVER AA gets any praise for having clearly defined access rules lol. I cant tell you how horrible their agents are for understanding anything about access on connections and arriving. I have been denied wrongly 5 x since 2018. I just get a chuckle reading anything that says they actually got anything right. There is so much vagueness in their FL and FFD access for arriving and connections and it gets botched a lot by agents. Once I was actually told at LAX that I couldnt get in on LAX-SFO-JFK b/c LAX to SFO is not a flagship route and doesnt have the 321T on that route. It was more stupidity than anything but that said if AA would simply say Connections on the same day get you in anywhere along the journey it would sure help.

I'm curious do things run smoothly at LHR with the lounges and access- Chelsea is the first time its been a mess for all you BA folks?

MaxFlyer

I just can't believe that something so simple is so messed up. It's beyond a joke.

ISTFlyer

Actually no, although discussed much less in FlyerTalk due to fewer BAEC elites flying to/from those cities but the BA Lounge's in Philadelphia and San Francisco are known for denying BA elites when flying AA stating capacity reasons and not sure about SFO, but the PHL issue is there for at least 5 years and not solved.

KARFA

I wouldn’t say that’s a mess at PHL, IAD, etc. it’s always been pretty clear and there is some reasonable logic behind it.

Chelsea does seem to be a mess because several months after opening they are still changing the rules on a daily basis, and at the same time the lounge agents seem to be enforcing their own rules at a lounge which is supposed to be the most important and valuable outstation for the airline.

Koru Flyer

Funny thing is that before I use PHL, ORD, SFO BA lounges on a flight with AA, QR etc, I email GGL who state very clearly that I can use the lounges as a GGL on a OW flight. I print it out and then have a polite discussion with the lounge staff on entry who insist on taking a pic of the email and state loudly and clearly that they will write BA with how wrong they are on lounge access rules....but I can enter just this once.

So yes lounge access in the US has been an inconsistent mess for years. This one though is certainly special.

KARFA

and if all oneworld status passengers on oneworld flights could use the BA PHL lounge how do you think that would go down?

I mean, all power to you with your special dispensation, but you surely must realise there is a sensible reason for those lounges imposing such restrictions. It is far from a mess and not remotely comparable to the current Chelsea farce.

ISTFlyer

Three points for PHL

1- BA, AS, AA and QR are the only OW carriers flying to PHL with AS and AA premium cabin and own elite pax not being able to use the lounge. How many AA INTL or AA/AS non-AA/AS elites are trying to use the lounge? That couldn't be many. AA has cancelled at least 50% of their long haul network out of PHL since COVID-19 and they are not expanding there, at least for the moment. Let's also don't forget that BA has 1 daily service to PHL rather than 2 which was the case before.

2- If there is no room for OW pax, why is BA contacting their lounge for Aer Lingus passengers. This would be 20-25 pax most per day since they use an A321neo with J16 plus their own elites in the back of the curtain.

3- This is the case for years, why isn't the BA contact staff aware of this issue when this question is directed to them. At least the oneworld lounge could be updated stating the capacity constraints at peak hours.

The issue regarding PHL would be solved once the Flagship Lounge opens ( not hopeful that it would be soon though ) but even in the worst case BA could have communicated this issue on their website, or at least inform phone agents rather than passengers learning this rules at the lounge podium and getting denied entry.

Jaenks

Has IB left oneworld alliance recently?

ISTFlyer

Does IB fly to PHL other than codeshare flights?
If so, source please?

Jaenks

Sorry, mixed with ORD.

Koru Flyer

KARFA - at least when I have gone through PHL and ORD on a OW carrier, the respective lounges have been EMPTY. So yes I get space limitations. Although, my point was more that US BA lounges have for years been a rule to themselves that is obviously different to what BA HQ intends either through GGL line or the one world lounge guide. If BA do not have the space then do not (a) contract them out to non OW partners and (b) state clearly on the one world website and through BA that you cannot access.

to “special dispensation”, it was none of that. I did not ask as a GGL can I get special permission. I simply asked what the lounge access rules are for PHL, ORD etc when flying QR.

so Chelsea does not surprise me, but the backwards and forwards efforts of changing the rules each week is to a new level. As a large organisation, the mind boggles as to how many meetings and sign offs they must be wasting on this.

and imagine if Chelsea was actually a good lounge, we did want to enter……

ohianjo

Morning all,

In the lounge again this AM prior to the 08:05 to LHR. I asked which champagnes were available, and today it seems that only the Moët Ice is. All others had run out - as with half of the breakfast menu 🤭.

Ironic that the WIFI password is avocados when the avocado toast is temporarily unavailable 😛.

Good luck to anyone else on the Krug roulette!

ISTFlyer

For the Wi-Fi password, the Wi-Fi password is the same among all American Airlines Admirals Club, Flagship Lounge's + these joint lounges.
The only exception to this was when the joint lounges opened, the password for these lounges were "atlantic".

ademanuele

I just don't understand how they can still be running out of food and drink, this is not rocket science. The lounge has been open long enough to iron out these issues. Is there a food/drink shortage in New York 🤔 Looking forward to my visit in a couple of weeks 🤦🏻‍♂️

London Dude

LOL that makes sense as avocados was the wifi password at AA's Flagship Lounge at ORD when I was there a month ago!