Airline Club - Gate Passes - Have you done it?
 

Ok, I've searched till I blue in the fingers for guidance.

I'm flying MHT-EWR-MCO roundtrip in a few weeks. My spouse is traveling Southwest about 4 hours behind my flights. I'm a Presidents Club member and have access to NW and DL clubs. The MCO club is operated by DL CRC and is airside (gates 60-99) and Continental departs the other airside concourse (i.e. different TSA screening location). Southwest is behind the same Delta TSA screening location.

My wife is ok to get airside to the DL CRC since her TSA screening is the same as DL. I would like to go to the DL CRC club and escort my wife and let her stay while I depart my flight.

Can I get Continental to issue me a "Gate Pass" upon airport checkin to access the DL CRC given I'm a Continental President's Club member and have full privilege to use the DL CRC. (Note: I've visited two CRC's already and have no issue getting in even though I'm not flying DL metal).

I've read the notes that "GG Checkpoint Line 53" should be referenced to get the gate pass. Question - Has anyone had success or problems in this situation actually getting the Gate Pass from Continental to another airlines terminal airside?

Thanks in advance for any help:confused:

You actually need to get a pass from Delta, not Continental. A CO pass will only get you into the "A" side at Orlando and you're trying to get into the "B" side. I don't know if DL will issue a pass for a PC member or not, nor do I know the procedure for getting them to issue one, but that is what you need to pursue.

Good luck.

Refundable WN ticket ;). Or if wifey flies WN often, any WN ticket will work, just cancel BP before flight time.

Can't do the refunable ticket option as I am already traveling and don't want to risk having my existing flight canceled out in the reservation system.

Since Continental TA can book me on DL metal (and issue a boarding pass for that DL metal) why can't the Continental TA issue a gate pass for DL airside? I was just trying to stay with Continental thru this process and not introduce a DL TA into the equation since I don't know the DL rules (i.e. the "GG Checkpoint" equivalent to Continental)

Again, Hopefully there is someone out there that has crossed the TSA screening areas successfully for partner lounge access.

Thx

I don't believe Delta is as keen on issuing gate passes as NW and CO are...but the literature usually states you should have a scheduled business meeting.

I've never tried it though.

How would a WN boarding pass negate any reservations with CO?

The airlines do not cross-reference each other's reservations systems to look for duplicates.

I've done this at PHL with no problem but the DL gates and the CO gates, while far apart, are both in the same airside security zone. You can try asking CO at MCO. The easiest way to be assured of success is to just buy a ticket for an airline that flies out of the concourse DL is in.

While you should be able to get a pass from Delta to access the CRC what you can NOT do is drop off your wife in the club and leave to catch your own flight. Guests in the clubrooms must be accompanied by a member at all times. A four hour layover is worth her paying Delta's $25 guest fee.

While this is officially the policy, and I would never suggest that someone go against the official rules, in practice no one will notice at the MCO CRC ;)

Answer provided by Presidents Club Service Center
 

Thanks sbm12,

I just got an "official" response from the Continental Presidents Club VP:

"Dear Mr. Morgan:

Thank you for contacting the President's Club Service Center.

In order for you to be able to access Delta's lounge, it has to be available in the terminal that you are traveling into or out of. Our gate agents will not be able to give to (you) a gate pass to go through Security.

Regards,

xxxxxxx xxxxxx
Presidents Club Service Center"


It looks like the only way to ensure clearing security/TSA into another gate area is via the refundable ticket route with online checkin/boarding pass generation followed by cancellation after you clear security. Seems like a convoluted way to use your Club Membership which doesn't even require flight reservations technically. Hopefully they don't start verifying reservation systems across airlines or this option will be lost as well.

Off to book a refundable ticket then!:rolleyes:

Thanks for the inputs from all!

You need to get a gate pass from Delta to access a Delta terminal. As to the folks at the CRC not noticing that you'll be leaving your wife behind I wouldn't count on that esp. after going through the whole gate pass process. Why take a chance on embarassing your wife for $25?

I've left people behind at clubs without any incident. Or maybe they just want to get rid of me :p.

If any questions just say "hubby went to eat and will be back."

At the PC in EWR I could enter with an Elephant and leave it behind and no one would notice!

Now that I have re-read the Presidents Club answer they did not answer my specific question which was - Could a TA (Ticketing Agent) issue a gate pass at checkin. Not if a GA (Gate Agent) could issue the gate pass. I didn't expect that a Gate Agent would have the capability/authority to issue gate passes.

Again - If CO can book you on DL metal and issue boarding passess why can't they issue gate passes to other airlines departing gates?

Delta WILL NOT issue a gate pass to CO PC members. I have been turned down several times at LAX when trying to meet a relative having a conexion with DL at LAX.

So whta I usually do is get a gate pass from CO and either go straight to the DL boarding terminal, or enter thru CO terminal and then inside walk to DLs area.

I have used CO gate passes to enter DLs terminal with no problems.