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delta cutting access to many of the international lounges

Old Jan 13, 2014, 6:10 am
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Last edit by: mnbp
As of May 1, 2014, Delta no longer provides status-based access to third party lounges (lounges operated neither by Delta nor by a SkyTeam partner) for passengers departing on a Delta-operated flight. Based on reports in this thread, this does not apply to passengers departing the airport they're in on a flight operated by a SkyTeam partner: all other SkyTeam partners continue to provide status-based access to third-party lounges to all SkyTeam Elite Plus members, including Delta elites. Access to third-party lounges is determined by the policy of the operating carrier of the flight departing the airport.

Nothing has changed for passengers flying in business or first class on Delta.

From the link provided in the OP:

SkyTeam Benefits

LOUNGE ACCESS
Effective May 1, 2014, all Delta third-party operated international lounges will become Business lounges. (6)
  • On or after May 1, 2014, Delta SkyTeam Elite Plus passengers flying in the economy cabin will only have access to DL Sky Clubs and SkyTeam Lounges.
  • Passengers must be traveling in Business Class to have access to Third Party Lounges.


Third party-operated Lounges:

Latin America & the Caribbean:

Bogota, CO (BOG)
Caracas, VE (CCS)
Lima, PE (LIM)
Quito, EC (UIO)

Europe/Africa/Middle East:
Accra, GH (ACC)
Arlanda, SE (ARN)
Athens, GR (ATH)
Barcelona, ES (BCN)
Brussels, BE (BRU)
Copenhagen, DK (CPH)
Dakar, SN (DKR)
Dubaij, AE (DXB)
Dublin, IE (DUB)
Dusseldorf, DE (DUS)
Frankfurt, DE (FRA)
Lagos, NG (LOS)
Madrid, ES (MAD)
Malaga, ES (AGP)
Malpensa, IT (MXP)
Manchester, GB (MAN)
Moscow, RU (SVO)
Mumbai, IN (BOM)
Munich, DE (MUC)
Nice, FR (NCE)
Pisa, IT (PSA)
Roberts, LR (ROB)
Shannon, IE (SNN)
Tel Aviv, IL (TLV)
Zurich, CH (ZRH)

Asia Pacific:
Bangkok, TH (BKK)
Beijing, CN (PEK)
Fukuoka, JP (FUK)
Guam, GU (GUM)
Hong Kong, HK (HKG) access to VS (partner) lounge. This lounge IS available to STE+, despite VS not being a SkyTeam partner.
Nagoya, JP (NGO)
Osaka, JP (KIX)
Saipan, MP (SPN)
Shanghai, CN (PVG)
Singapore, SG (SIN)
Sydney, AU (SYD) (no longer relevant after opening of SkyTeam lounge in Dec 2014)
Tokyo (Haneda), JP (HND) DL promotion provides access to two TIAT lounges at HND through Oct 31, 2017. Promotion includes any SkyClub member traveling on any airline same-day flight, and all GM, PM and DM members traveling on any DL flight. Extension of Haneda Lounge Access Promotion
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delta cutting access to many of the international lounges

Old May 5, 2017, 11:54 pm
  #601  
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Originally Posted by L4ibsch
Since the consensus here is that operating carrier is the determining factor on lounge access and third-party lounges should be OK if not flying DL, I'd like to share my experience of being denied lounge access in Manila three times in a row as DL GM when ticketed on and flying KLM in Y class (yes, as in expensive).
Did KLM issue a invite or did you try and use your card to get in at the loinge? The KLM checkin agent shouldve issued a lounge invitation. Otherwise the lounge has no way to bill KLM instead of DL.
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Old May 6, 2017, 2:48 am
  #602  
 
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Originally Posted by BenA
This doesn't match my experience with KL - access to third party lounges for STE+ in Y is one of the only things they manage to usually do right. Have you reached out to KLM via Twitter or Facebook Messenger to complain? They tend to actually be really responsive through those channels and perhaps you could get an explanation for why the lounge access was denied.
That matches my experience as well -- I usually don't even have to ask for a pass, they give me one -- or tell me about the lounge -- before I even ask. Now my experiences are all EU so maybe it is different in Asia. In the past couple of years KLM has let me into lounges at NUE, CPH, PRG and I think ARN (don't actually remember if I went) and some others I'm sure but they all blend in after awhile

My Priority Pass only gets used when flying DL
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Old May 6, 2017, 8:12 am
  #603  
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It's generally good practice to ask about a lounge invitation during check in. You should also carry your physical FF elite card (and PP, AmEx, etc.) with you when traveling internationally as some lounges or individual dragons will demand the physical card.
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Old May 6, 2017, 10:39 am
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Updated wiki page with details of the Haneda (HND) lounge access promotion for SkyClub members.
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Old May 7, 2017, 3:03 pm
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Thank you for the comments and suggestions, everyone.

I did not mean to insinuate that KLM generally denies access to third-party lounges for DL GM. I meant to report that in MNL I've kind of found a black swan, if you want, an anomaly. In fact, I have no problem on my return trip which also starts at an airport with a third-party lounge. I believe it is significant in this case, that Delta uses the lounge in MNL as well.

I was denied lounge access by local KLM check-in staff as well as staff from the contract lounge. I contacted KLM via social media but not only did it take forever (I took two more intercontinental round-trips from MNL in the meantime) but it also seems to not be going anywhere. At first, the message was that I was of course entitled to lounge access but that has since changed to "DL GM are generally not eligible for third-party lounge access". I tried to suggest they status match me in FB to make the problem go away and keep my business which is well north of 10K in a slow month. Their suggestion was to take the issue up with DL. OK... Well, up to you, I guess...

I certainly feel now that going for status with Delta might have been a mistake. I'm more familiar with *A.
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Old May 7, 2017, 11:42 pm
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Originally Posted by L4ibsch
I'd like to share my experience of being denied lounge access in Manila three times in a row as DL GM when ticketed on and flying KLM in Y class (yes, as in expensive).
Like DL, KLM does not give lounge access in MNL if flying in main cabin regardless of status or fare paid. Been that way for several years.
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Old May 8, 2017, 6:24 am
  #607  
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I suppose it stands to reason that if DL can restrict access to third party operated lounges to J pax only, so can the other Skyteam carriers. I do somewhat understand the frustration however as KLM does not document this fact anywhere on their website.

On a side note, I was flying on KE DPS-ICN in coach last month and the KE agent gave myself and spouse lounge invitations for the third-party "Premier" lounge. It seemed a bit odd as Skyteam member Garuda Indonesia has a lounge right next door. Why wouldn't KE just direct me to use the Garuda lounge?
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Old May 8, 2017, 7:09 am
  #608  
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Originally Posted by LBJ
I suppose it stands to reason that if DL can restrict access to third party operated lounges to J pax only, so can the other Skyteam carriers. I do somewhat understand the frustration however as KLM does not document this fact anywhere on their website.

On a side note, I was flying on KE DPS-ICN in coach last month and the KE agent gave myself and spouse lounge invitations for the third-party "Premier" lounge. It seemed a bit odd as Skyteam member Garuda Indonesia has a lounge right next door. Why wouldn't KE just direct me to use the Garuda lounge?
KE doesn't likely want to pay Garuda what they want to charge. Plenty of airlines don't use the lounges of their alliance partners for their contracted lounge. If you went over to Garuda with your DL card they would have let you in. However DL and not KE would have been paying for the admission.
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Old May 8, 2017, 7:14 am
  #609  
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Originally Posted by flyerCO
KE doesn't likely want to pay Garuda what they want to charge. Plenty of airlines don't use the lounges of their alliance partners for their contracted lounge. If you went over to Garuda with your DL card they would have let you in. However DL and not KE would have been paying for the admission.
So DL would really like to prevent its SkyTeam ElitePlus GMs, PMs, and DMs from using third party contract lounges when flying in coach on partner flights, but so far the partner carriers have generally not been cooperating?
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Old May 8, 2017, 7:22 am
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
So DL would really like to prevent its SkyTeam ElitePlus GMs, PMs, and DMs from using third party contract lounges when flying in coach on partner flights, but so far the partner carriers have generally not been cooperating?
In those cases the other carrier is issuing an invitation, thus they're picking up the tab. If you simply show up to the Garuda lounge with just your DM card, DL pays. If you show up with a KE lounge invitation then KE pays.
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Old May 8, 2017, 2:29 pm
  #611  
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Originally Posted by L4ibsch
Since the consensus here is that operating carrier is the determining factor on lounge access and third-party lounges should be OK if not flying DL, I'd like to share my experience of being denied lounge access in Manila three times in a row as DL GM when ticketed on and flying KLM in Y class (yes, as in expensive).
It's because at many outstations a boarding pass is not enough. You need to get a lounge invitation from the check-in desk or the transfer desk if connecting from another flight. If you are not given the invitation, you can ask for it and usually they have a chart with the different Skyteam Elite+ cards.
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Old May 8, 2017, 4:41 pm
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Originally Posted by SDQBound
It's because at many outstations a boarding pass is not enough. You need to get a lounge invitation from the check-in desk or the transfer desk if connecting from another flight. If you are not given the invitation, you can ask for it and usually they have a chart with the different Skyteam Elite+ cards.
And in outstations like MNL when flying DL or KLM, where neither DL or KLM have their own lounges, you will simply be told "sorry po"
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Old May 9, 2017, 6:57 am
  #613  
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Originally Posted by fpmurphy
And in outstations like MNL when flying DL or KLM, where neither DL or KLM have their own lounges, you will simply be told "sorry po"
In my experience it has been the opposite. Once you identify yourself as an Elite Plus (as long as you are not flying Delta, of course), you will be given access.
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Old May 15, 2017, 11:40 am
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I flew PRG-JFK(-LAX) on Delta yesterday (May 14) and was surprised when checking in that I was told I could visit the MasterCard lounge. I asked if I needed a pass but the check in agent just said to show my boarding pass.

So I did, fully expecting to be turned away (the Menzies Lounge across the way was a Priority Pass lounge so that was plan B) but was welcomed in. Perfectly fine lounge and way more comfortable than the holding pen post security...

I don't know if this is a change or they were just confused by the "PREM" on my boarding pass (as a DM).

As it turns out, I did receive an OpUp but while check in agent could have known that was coming, I doubt the lounge guardian would have.
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Old May 15, 2017, 11:48 am
  #615  
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Originally Posted by fpmurphy
And in outstations like MNL when flying DL or KLM, where neither DL or KLM have their own lounges, you will simply be told "sorry po"
No most check-in agents give you the invite. Never not gotten one at MNL when checking in with KLM.
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