I very much agree with you. I can see CX potentially cutting or limiting SL members' access to 3rd-party lounges, but not to CX-operated lounges. CX built lounges with capacity for SL in mind.

I didn't know priority baggage incurs additional fees from the handlers? How is that billed?

I don't have specifics but preferential cargo always has a premium in logistics, including us meat bags. If airlines can charge their customers more for priority bags, then the handlers do it to airlines and it goes all the way down the totem pole

Preferential cargo may go on a different flight. Priority bag or not, they all go on the same flight. They are just loaded to different containers and unloaded in different orders. There isn't an actual cost difference to the airline or the handler (other than the priority bag tag which is provided by the airline). An airline can charge extra for priority boarding, but that doesn't mean the ground handler (if the gate agents are outsourced) gets paid extra for each priority boarding? I don't know if the handler indeed does not charge anything for priority bags, but what you said does not make much sense to me, sorry.

I’d love to meet the revenue team that isn’t slapping surcharges when bags dropped at T‑3.5 h and T‑1 h receive same container positioning, all while letting airlines sell those perks and keep the margins

The short version is dynamic pricing. Auto sorting is both timing and ordering. There’s a physical limit to how many bags gets priority on both and they’re giving it for free to SL at any airport CX flies to.

But I don’t have insight into any contracts between an airline and ground handling. I’m just taking a guess.

The just announced CX loyalty program changes discussed in the other thread - no change to lounge access policy for Silver members. That was a nothing burger - at least as of now. But I guess anyone is free to speculate that the policy may/will change in the future.

Seriously? There are so many ports without CX’s own lounge!

I highly doubt this is the case (at least for now). At least it’s not announced anywhere including CX website. I don’t think such changes would be implemented unannounced (Unlike the boarding group trial, which I think is completely wrong).

https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_...er-member.html

• Cathay Pacific Business class lounges*
  Enjoy unlimited access to our award-winning Business class lounges when you fly with us. Available only to members departing on flights marketed or operated by Cathay Pacific.

Is the description same as before? Now they highlighted "Cathay Pacific" business class lounges.

Wait. Did they ever announce the change? That would be really bad and borderline ridiculous. What is the management thinking to secretly cut the member benefits? I know it makes some sense, but devaluing SL without any announcement (just come up with some random excuse) is not great. I’m surprised it didn’t cause any backlash (Maybe the public doesn’t know)

I think same wording as previous?

https://web.archive.org/web/20200418...-benefits.html

Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon Business Class Lounges

Available only to members departing on flights marketed but not necessarily operated by Cathay Pacific or Cathay Dragon.

The same wording is used across Silver, Gold and Diamond. So I guess it doesn’t mean that way.

I also was so confused. Hence I consulted multiple CX agents via phone and whatsapp at occasions and solidly confirmed SL is not entitled to contract lounge admittance at outstation anymore. I took a further step and invite the agent to clarify with their seniors and received the same return.

I shared my recent experience of using outstation lounge with the agents and was told it was a mistake or a special greet from ground staff. They even request me to inquire the outstation ground staff on what basis they are to grant me the access.

And I also visited webarchive and checked the terms on the website of SL’s perks and lounge admittance, which have not been changed since mid-April 2024. I raised this fact to the agent and one of them confirmed it was in effect with the update on lounge pass redeem terms at the top of this thread.

Not as I am aware of.:(

I'm waiting for a Whatsapp agent who'll tell me a three digit CX flight is not operated by Cathay Pacific https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/34692432-post11.html

Aside from this incident, there is also a consistent problem of outport ground crew not familiar with company companies. I know those staff are not full time, but I do expect them (especially the site in charge) to be a bit more familiar with the rules and procedures. I had multiple incidents this year in outport (and call centers too) where they are quite clueless.