business class lounge pass on ID ticket
 

Hi guys!

I have a question regarding business class lounge pass. I have 1 lounge pass after I passed 200 club points last year. I would like to use it as the validity period is almost over.

I have an upcoming flight to Delhi (CX695) and I will be traveling with my friend. We bought the ticket separately since he was not able to confirm whether he will go to Delhi or not when I made the purchase. I will be in J and he will be in Y. However, he's on ID ticket as he is a staff with another airline. His confirmation whether he gets a seat or not will only happen at check-in.

So, the question is, can I use my one business class lounge pass for him even though he's on ID ticket (standby)? I understand that this lounge pass request must be submitted online and not during check-in so that during check-in, his reservation will be tied with the lounge pass.

By virtue of CX's own wording, my friend should be eligible for this lounge pass because he is traveling on the same flight with me (MP member) and the flight is operated by CX/KA. However, I have heard from other friends that whenever they travel on CX on ID ticket, they are not eligible for lounge access even when they are in J or F cabin.

Anyone with similar experience? Thanks in advance!

I cannot fully answer your question about how to "print out" the lounge pass for an ID passenger as part of the additional tier benefits.

However, I can confirm one element of your question: ID pax can indeed use the lounge in other situations. Nothing in the OW or CX status rules prevents ID pax from using the lounge, provided they are entitled outside of their possession of an ID J class / F class ticket.

What I mean by the above paragraph is ID passengers aren't prohibited from using the lounge....just they can't access it due to their ticket. So they need another way.

For example, if you have a friend flying on any OW airline on an ID ticket, and you're entitled to guest someone in by virtue of your status, this is no problem - you may guest your friend in (provided they're on a OW ticket). Or, if an ID passenger also happens to have status (SL, GO, DM, etc.), then he/she can access the lounge due to the elite status entitlement. ID pax can't access the lounge even if flying J or F alone, but if their status permits it or are guested in, they can.

So I don't see why an ID passenger in theory can't use the lounge pass as you're asking. However, given CX forces you to use the online system and the system has to "print out" the pass automatically, it does seem more difficult. My *bet* is for the confirmed ID tickets, which staff usually know about ~24 hours before, then it will work. This occurs when the flights are widddeee open and CX has no problem confirming the ID pax boarding pass early on. However, more often the staff must go to the airport to get their ticket, and I'm not sure if the CX check-in agents at the staff counter will issue the lounge pass. They are notoriously...unhelpful to their own staff.

I see! Thank you QRC3288 Your explanation regarding staff travel and lounge access by virtue of elite status makes sense.. Unfortunately my friend is not CX staff and he does not have OW status. Only with ST and *A. I guess I will just have to see until 24 hours prior to departure whether he gets the seat or not then I will try to go online and redeem the lounge pass.

He just checked and Y class still has about 100 seats free for Jan 31 departure so I will cross my fingers :)

yes, as long as he gets his confirmation and boarding pass early, I don't think there will be any problem.

i also think there SHOULD be a reasonable chance it works even if the ticket is issued at the staff check-in desk at the airport, because even staff ID tickets are issued proper Amadeus or whatever booking records. So you have a record locator number, ticket number, etc. This is all you need to enter when you're allocating your lounge pass benefit.

The #1 most obvious problem is just that the flight fills up a bit more, and CX decides not to release ID tickets until the last minute, as they frequently do. He obviously can't enjoy the lounge if he receives his boarding pass 40 minutes before departure.

For #2, which is if CX releases the ticket to him early but they play games or try to deny the lounge benefit because he's on a staff ticket...I could totally see this happening. CX has a notoriously toxic culture towards how CX treats their fellow ID ticket-holders, particularly younger ones. Both at the check-in process and on-board. It's bizarre and a terrible reflection on the entire company's culture, but that's just how they do it...and I'll let other smarter posters than me opine.

Once again, I really appreciate your feedback here QRC3288. I just tried to input his 160- ticket number and redeem the lounge pass for my friend. Website says, it's only available 48 hours prior to the flight.

Right now it will be a wait and see game ;) And if the staff indeed play games on me, I will remember your advices

Unless CX is very different from other airlines, staff are prohibited from using lounges on staff travel tickets.
When travelling on staff travel, even if the passenger has status every airline I know of prohibits them using the lounge.
The only exception is duty travel where their level in the business allows lounge access for work travel.

Without offense, I can confirm what you're writing is completely inaccurate for CX. I have no idea about other airlines, but this is the CX forum. Everything I wrote about the situation with CX ID tickets and lounges is accurate.

That's what I think too, but not sure about this case as it is "paid for" by a normal passenger - better check with CX.

I suggest OP writes MPC.

I can assure you ID passengers are permitted in the HKG lounges provided it isn't their underlying ticket that gives them permission. (aka, holding an ID or ID F ticket is NOT grounds for entry to the lounge, as expected).

ID passengers CAN be guested in, or they can be allowed in by virtue of their elite status (if they have it). Without going into details, I am 100% certain about this for CX. I have no idea about other airlines.

I will add, it would be circumventing their own MPC T&C if they prohibited who I can guest in, or if an ID passenger has status but is denied entry under certain ticket types. The MPC T&C are extensive, and extremely clear on entry criteria to lounges: excluding ID passengers (or other fare types) is not one of the myriad rules. The lounge entrant must be flying on CX or KA, or other OW carriers. The cheapest fanfares are, in some cases, virtually the same price as ID tickets fyi. CX doesn't deny a DM entry to the lounge because he's on a fanfare.

Anyway, academic/theoretical arguments aside I am 100% positive about this in reality.

This is indeed 100% accurate. Even on an ID ticket if the ticket holder is a MPO member by virtue of their status they are afforded lounge access. They can also be guested in within someone else's entitlement.

However unless the flights empty you'll probably get a boarding pass at T-40 and have to run to gate 71!

Isn't our forum ambassador a status holder - or was, for a while after taking up employment with CX and able to use the status benefits?

This is not correct.
I have frequently guested staff friends traveling on the same flight in the F lounge based on my OWE card.
Their ID ticket (J or F) does not give them access to a lounge. But nothing "prohibit" them lounge access. They can be guested.

Thanks everyone for your opinions and feedback regarding my question! I really appreciate it! Let's see what will happen :) I will update this thread again. I have also sent an e-mail to MPC and we'll see what they reply

the posts above implying ID passengers can't use the lounge are just flat-out incorrect information.

but specifically for the lounge pass benefit, I am interested to see what happens because nobody has posed this question before, and the lounge pass benefit is such a new thing.

The T&C for the lounge passes do indeed have exclusions (non OW passengers, for example), but ID passengers aren't one of the exclusions. Technically, I dont think CX has solid grounds to exclude them - they never told us members, for example, certain types of CX tickets were excluded prior to us spending more on CX. Not to mention, ID passengers can already access the lounges if guested in or if they have status. Both of these points I'm certain about.

However, I don't have first-hand knowledge about the lounge passes, as I haven't tried to redeem lounge passes for ID ticket holders. I *think* entitlement will follow CX's logic above, which is: "ID passengers do not get lounge entitlement with J or F ID tickets like normal tickets do. However, 1.) MPC elite members can access lounges regardless of underlying ticket fare provided they are flying a OW carrier (no exclusion of certain ticket types, even super discount ones like ID), and 2.) MPC elite members can guest people in, provided the guest is flying on a OW carriers (no exclusion of certain ticket types, including cheap ones like ID, again). If CX were to selectively prohibit certain types of tickets from lounge access from folks they've already granted access/guesting rights to under their own rules (DM, GO, etc.), they are basically violating their own T&C. This logic *should* hold true for the lounge passes, but let's see what happens. We all know non-OW tickets aren't allowed in. I *wish* that wasn't true, I frequently have colleagues and friends traveling *A and whatnot, but at least we know those are the rules. For ID passengers, this has never been prohibited. If CX went that route another concern of mine would be fanfares - as I mention above, sometimes they are as cheap (and occasionally even cheaper) than ID tickets.

I think the main roadblock will just be the A counters where staff check-in, and if your friend encounters a jerk/uninformed person working the desk. I bet it could get resolved at the end of the day, but time isn't your friend since presumably he's only going to show up a few hours before the flight.

I can back up QRC3288 - what he says is correct.

I have guested in a travelling companion who was travelling on an ID ticket (J class - not that it matters) into the Pier F class lounge last year with no issues. I have also guested a travelling companion on an ID ticket in outports too - Ho Chi Minh City, London.

QCR3288 is absolutely correct that ID pax are not entitled to lounge access by virtue of their class of travel, but they can access the lounge if they are entitled to access due to some other reason (such as being guested in).

For avoidance of doubt, this comes straight from CX's intranet:

thank you Doraemat and wkc. Indeed that is the response that I received after I emailed MPC.

Let's see how it really works out on the day itself!

Hi guys,

I just want to update you on how everything went.

When online check-in opened for CX695, I went online, checked myself in and then claimed the lounge pass. I just had to input my friend's PNR and the website confirmed with a code given. I gave this code to my friend for his documentation.

Fast forward at Check-in A at HKG, my friend tried to check-in at 2pm (flight is at 5pm) and check-in agent said it's still too early for him to check-in. Advised to come back at 3.30pm. So we hung around till 3.30pm and came back to Check-in A. Was told that my friend got a seat but he can't print the boarding pass for whatever reason. Finally got the boarding pass for my friend at 3.50pm but no lounge invitation was given.

Since it was already quite late, we just rushed to the Pier lounge (our flight was leaving from gate 67). Luckily both of us have e-channel registered passports so we were able to complete security and immigration in less than 10 mins. Took the train and arrived at The Pier around 4.15pm.

Gave our BPs to the lounge dragon and that's it. When I asked the lounge dragon, she said "your guest is traveling on staff ID, correct? And you claimed the lounge pass for him. I can see it here in the system. Please enjoy the lounge". We were both able to go in and enjoy a glass of champagne before leaving the lounge again because boarding already started.

So there you go. No problem at all redeeming lounge pass for guest on staff ID ticket. However, just like QRC3288 already mentioned, I suspected the check-in staff held the boarding pass for as long as he/she can. Hence, our experience at the lounge was not optimal.

They do not release seats for ID until the very last minute

that particular flight was not full as I saw some empty seats during the flight. we checked the load at 3PM and it showed Y >10. the check-in agent also said that my friend will get the seat. he just can't give him the boarding pass. I guess it's rule of the game at CX

nah, I'd say most often this actually isn't the case.

sometimes BPs are issued 24 hours in advance for ID passengers. Other times, guys can collect them at the A counter upon arrival. These two are definitely over 50% of the time.

It's route and timing dependent, but as a rough rule I'd say 25% of the time they get their BPs before arriving at the airport, another 25-40% of the time they have to get them at the A desk but well before the cutoff, and 35-50% of the time at the last minute.

I will add, ID passengers can have their boarding passes taken back from them even after early issuance. This happens most often in the case of unexpected flight cancellations or extended delays that have spillover effects onto otherwise empty flights.

Again, QRC3288 is correct - if the loading is quite light, ID pax would be able to check in up to 24 hours before the time of departure (ie: 24 hours after revenue passengers) - but this does not allow you to print your boarding pass as it would if you are a revenue pax.

You would then be able to collect your boarding pass at the airport.

Another vote for QRC3288 being 100% correct.

For total clarification, here is the actual CX lounge guide (noting this applies ONLY to CX owned and operated lounges).

https://www.markrs.co/images/cx_lounge_policy.jpg

So ID tickets holder can be guest in lounges
but cant enter lounge even if they have diamond member status?

What about priority pass?
Lots of credit cards provides prestige membership of priority pass,
can CX staff enter lounge with ID tickets?

This is wrong. If the ID ticket holder has their own status, they can enter the lounge.

I'm pretty sure if they have a priority pass, they can enter the lounge. PP doesn't really care about how you got your ticket, only that the lounge is going to charge them for the entry.

I know if a EK staff member who travels on EK ID tickets, and he definitely gets into priority pass lounges.

https://www.prioritypass.com/en/conditions-of-use

Heres a quote from the official site

18. Admittance to lounges is strictly subject to cardholders and any guests, if permitted, being in possession of a valid flight ticket and travel documents for the same day of travel. Airline, airport and other travel industry employees traveling on reduced-rate tickets may not be eligible for access.


I'm sure they have similar rules for CX lounges

Ha mate, you're just making stuff up! Can you just scroll up and read the thread you're posting to? CX does not have a "similar" rule; what you're "sure" of is, in fact, totally incorrect.

No offense here or anything...it's just the obvious posting of incorrect information is a detriment to the forum. At least read a few posts above where you're posting.

What you're inferring is blatantly contradicted by the remainder of this thread. Just read the thread!

yes i have always wondered why that is the case? jealousy? but jealous of what?

Sorry im not making stuff up, i start to use CX id tickets last year and i still have MPC gold status, i have enter the lounge for a few times already until my last travel the door man stops me and told me id tickets are not allowed.

What lounge? I am certain CX permits status holders on ID tickets to use their lounges. For all CX-operated lounges there shouldn't be a problem. Technically, you could run into a problem at a non-CX operated lounge, because some other airlines don't permit ID holders in. Was this possibly the case?