CX vs AA?

If you're flying coach on CX, then MPO is the way as with GO and DM you get guaranteed seating whereas on AA you don't. Besides AA codeshare fares to other places in Asia when they don't have a fare with CX, will eventually cost more. And booking on on CX H fares and above (in order to earn AA miles) is really not cost effective

If one is flying in mainly J / F, then its AA as you get more bonuses if you're an elite member.

Haven't you read he's buying CX full fare Y to China all the time :p Anyway this is not about CX vs AA. It's all about why he (or someone like him) switched. Just doesn't make sense to me if someone planning to fly more will switch from AA Plat to SL because of the CX lounge. As you said, it is probably about other things. And scaling back SL lounge benefits probably won't affect them. But for those who plan to fly less then scaling back SL lounge benefit may change their decisions.

If you are in the 30K-45K range, as many CX SL are, they don't have enough to make AA Plat, and cutting back on SL lounge do hurt them. Stop trying to setup groups of people that only fits your argument.

This discussion is going around in circles, and there is no concrete change announced. I think everyone has had a chance to discuss, so I'm closing this thread now.

sxc
Cathay Pacific Moderator

I am reopening this thread as it has reached the media. However please stay on topic and needless arguing of the same points will have the thread closed again.

http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/a...-lounge-access

I don't know what tightening of qualification rules the person quoted is referring to. Sounds like needless sensationalism.

i was gonna say what this tightening is. but from earlier experience with the PE bidding upgrade, i have a feeling that there's something we don't know.

When did they raise the requirements for SL?

Normal practice of agency firm to exaggerate everything ;)

this might explain some current misunderstandings of whom is entitled to what

http://www.oneworld.com/ffp/lounge-access
If your oneworld® frequent flyer tier status is Emerald or Sapphire, or you are traveling in a First or Business Class cabin on any oneworld member airline, you can access more than 600 airport lounges throughout the world.
This means you can relax or catch up with work in comfort and style before departure, regardless of which oneworld member airline you choose to fly with.
• To be eligible, you must be departing on a flight that is both marketed and operated by a oneworld member airline.
• Some lounges may get busy at peak times, and access to them may be restricted as a result.
• Lounges operated by third parties are identified in the lounge finder tool (above). Access to these lounges is restricted to eligible customers when travelling on specific oneworld airlines as shown in the lounge finder tool.
• Arrivals lounges are excluded.
• Spa and Pre-Flight Dining facilities are excluded.
• British Airways Concorde lounges are excluded.
• Other exceptions may apply (see below).

oneworld lounge access for frequent flyers by tier status
Enjoy exclusive access to premium airport lounges around the world with oneworld Emerald or Sapphire frequent flyer tier status. Members of oneworld airline frequent flyer programmes with the equivalent of oneworld Emerald or Sapphire tier status can use lounges offered by oneworld airlines when departing on any flight marketed and operated by any oneworld member airline, regardless of cabin class being flown (exceptions are noted below).
•
Emerald tier frequent flyers can use First Class, Business Class or frequent flyer lounges.
• Sapphire tier frequent flyers are welcome in Business Class* or frequent flyer lounges. (*does not include Qantas Domestic Business Lounges)
• Emerald and Sapphire members may invite one guest to join them in the lounge. The guest must also be travelling on a flight operated and marketed by a oneworld carrier.
• You must be prepared to show your boarding pass and frequent flyer membership card, with oneworld Emerald or Sapphire tier status, to access a lounge.
The following exceptions apply:
1. American Airlines, US Airways and Qantas offer programmes enabling customers to pay to gain access to their lounges. These programmes are not part of the oneworld agreement, and members of these programmes are not entitled to access lounges under the oneworld agreement.
2. American Airlines AAdvantage® members and US Airways Dividend Miles members, regardless of their tier status or class of travel, are not eligible for lounge access when travelling solely on North American flights within or between the U.S., Canada, Mexico (except Mexico City), the Bahamas, Bermuda and the Caribbean. For more information, visit, http://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInforma...miralsClub.jsp and http://www.usairways.com/en-US/trave...b/default.html
3. Qantas Frequent Flyer Gold members, regardless of their oneworld tier status, cannot access Qantas Domestic Business Lounges.
4. Qatar Airways Al Safwa and Al Mourjan lounges at Hamad International Airport in Doha and Qatar Airways Premium Lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 4 are excluded.
5. TAM First Class Lounge in Sao Paulo Guarulhos International Airport is excluded.
http://www.frugaltravelguy.com/2014/...-programs.html

I have deleted the post that copied the content of the SCMP article. FT rules prohibit posting of copyrighted material: http://www.flyertalk.com/help/rules.php#copyrighted

sxc
Cathay Pacific Moderator

Cathay Pacific AE Card
 

I just received a letter from AE saying that the current free Priority Pass membership with the CX card is being withdrawn and replaced with 4 visits to a lounge per year - if you spend over $150,000 - and you have to submit a form before the end of December or you get nothing.

If CX are about to limit the number of lounge visits, you can see why the AE/PP benefit would also be reduced - if they didn't do that the PP lounges would be very full and it would cost AE a lot of money.

This is not the first time I've had a credit card with PP membership and then the benefit is reduced / withdrawn. I know expect it to happen - just a question of when.

Actually I think these two are irrelevant... especially AE CX Pt still have unlimited access to PPL in Hong Kong... Which did help to relief the pressure of HKG lounges as sometimes I also go to PPL instead ;)

Just a thought... CA provides different benefits at different airports (free parking, fast track, etc.) to their members, especially for PhoenixMiles Gold - to the extent I cannot remember what I get at different airports. If CX does need to impose crowd control, perhaps they can do something similar to limit accesses during peak hours at some airports. I don't think HKG is bad. TPE is worse...

I'm not sure I've seen CA ever try to do crowd control with their members except limit access to surrounding gates at one small lounge at PEK or offering the, IMHO, useless Platinum lounge.

Often I have issues finding seats still at peak hours at many airports, though it has improved with the new PVG first class lounge.

What they don't allow is lounge access at all for Silver members, but they still have overfilled lounge issues.

I meant CX can implement different lounge accesses criteria at different airports just as CA does that to free parking and fast track. CX lounges at certain ports can be very crowded. HKG is actually not that bad. It can be crowded but not to the extent that finding a seat is a challenge.