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Old Jun 4, 2014, 10:29 pm
  #1  
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Denied lounge access at AMS

I just arrived in AMS and tried to get into the lounge to take a shower before heading into town and was denied access. They told me with Delta I have to be DEPARTING in order to use the lounge. I've never had any issues at CDG and even here, having been in before upon arrival.

I am DM with Delta and travelled here in J on an Award Ticket. Am I really not allowed access to the KLM lounge immediately upon arrival???


Last edited by 355F1; Jun 4, 2014 at 10:51 pm
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Old Jun 4, 2014, 10:52 pm
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Directly from the lounge access rules --

"Note: SkyTeam Elite Plus benefits are provided only at the departure airport and not on arrival airport unless connecting to a qualifying Sky Team flight."
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Old Jun 5, 2014, 12:45 am
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You should have gotten access. However, NOT as a SkyTeam Elite Plus (this is indeed only true for departures), but as a SkyClub member. Did you show them your membership clard?
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Old Jun 5, 2014, 1:05 am
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I've never had issues using the lounges at AMS as arrival lounges, but this seems to be an unwritten exception for international lounges. At CDG this has not worked for me, but CDG does have a separate designated arrivals lounge. Note that the SCs at NRT aren't accessible to arriving passengers so we can't use that as a test.
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Old Jun 5, 2014, 3:09 am
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Originally Posted by LBJ
Directly from the lounge access rules --

"Note: SkyTeam Elite Plus benefits are provided only at the departure airport and not on arrival airport unless connecting to a qualifying Sky Team flight."
Damn....well there is my answer.


Originally Posted by cygnus
You should have gotten access. However, NOT as a SkyTeam Elite Plus (this is indeed only true for departures), but as a SkyClub member. Did you show them your membership clard?
I showed them on the Delta App my Diamond Medallion Status (which I literally just achieved 2 days ago); the only "card" I had was my AMEX DL Reserve, which doesn't mean anything over here...

Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
I've never had issues using the lounges at AMS as arrival lounges, but this seems to be an unwritten exception for international lounges. At CDG this has not worked for me, but CDG does have a separate designated arrivals lounge. Note that the SCs at NRT aren't accessible to arriving passengers so we can't use that as a test.
The last time I was here in February I was traveling on KLM metal....so maybe that's why they let me in...???

Anyway, I went back to the lounge and asked for the supervisor who told me that Delta, as of about a year ago, no longer pays KLM for ANY of their members to use the Crown Lounge as an arrival lounge.

I was a little upset because there really isn't anything as nice as getting off a TATL flight and taking a shower. Plus, even though it was an award ticket, it was still a Business Class seat. If I would have paid $6k for this ticket and been denied I would have written Delta a very angry letter...lol.

Oh well....I'm in Amsterdam for the next five days with some friends from San Francisco and we are going to have a great time. ^

Last edited by 355F1; Jun 5, 2014 at 6:13 am
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Old Jun 5, 2014, 4:33 am
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Originally Posted by 355F1
If I would have paid $6k for this ticket and been denied I would have written Delta a very angry letter...lol.
I'm going to take a wild guess, that those who spend $6K of their own money to fly transatlantic probably have assured they have access to their hotel room at 8am.

Let's face it, if you are (personally) spending $6K instead of $1.2K+/- for a flight that is (most probably) under 9 hours; chances are, paying for early arrival at your hotel is not that big of a deal.

Now, OPM, that might be a different story...
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Old Jun 5, 2014, 7:07 am
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Funny; I've never heard of an "arrivals lounge." I always understood that you could only use lounges with those types of facilities when connecting. That is the whole point, I thought..?
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Old Jun 5, 2014, 7:25 am
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Originally Posted by JulienMSP
Funny; I've never heard of an "arrivals lounge." I always understood that you could only use lounges with those types of facilities when connecting. That is the whole point, I thought..?
A good arrivals lounge is a great perk of flying international biz class. Take a shower, able to skip breakfast on the plane for more sleep.

I have gained access arriving at AMS, but only on connection so not sure of their rules. I know their lounge aganets can be difficult sometimes.

As others have said CDG has a decent AF arrivals lounge, and Virgin has a very good arrivals lounge at Heathow.

American, BA, Air Canada all have arrivals lounges at Heathrow as well.

United has a list of arrivals facilities on their website - Sometimes lounges, sometimes just hotels where you can get a room just like Yotal with DL at LHR.
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Old Jun 5, 2014, 7:45 am
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Originally Posted by cygnus
You should have gotten access. However, NOT as a SkyTeam Elite Plus (this is indeed only true for departures), but as a SkyClub member. Did you show them your membership clard?
The AMS clubs are indicated as "For departing flights only".

https://www.delta.com/skyclub/viewSk...irportCode=AMS

As a non-status on an arriving J award, I got access to the FRA lounge and shower last year.
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Old Jun 5, 2014, 10:16 am
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Originally Posted by A4K
A good arrivals lounge is a great perk of flying international biz class. Take a shower, able to skip breakfast on the plane for more sleep.

I have gained access arriving at AMS, but only on connection so not sure of their rules. I know their lounge aganets can be difficult sometimes.

As others have said CDG has a decent AF arrivals lounge, and Virgin has a very good arrivals lounge at Heathow.

American, BA, Air Canada all have arrivals lounges at Heathrow as well.

United has a list of arrivals facilities on their website - Sometimes lounges, sometimes just hotels where you can get a room just like Yotal with DL at LHR.
Has DL discontinued the mini-hotel for LHR arriving BE passengers?

Last edited by Xeno; Jun 5, 2014 at 10:34 am
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Old Jun 5, 2014, 10:22 am
  #11  
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Only if connecting

Only if you are connecting to a ST Carrier.
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Old Jun 5, 2014, 10:40 am
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According to the AF website (http://www.airfrance.us/US/en/common..._airfrance.htm), OP should have been granted access. See bolded text below:

Flying Blue Gold and Platinum or SkyTeam Elite Plus
You and a guest of your choice can take advantage of free entry to the 530 Air France and SkyTeam lounges.

You have access to the lounges when you travel:
on an AIR FRANCE, KLM, or SkyTeam international flight,
on an Air France flight within Paris that departs from Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Paris-Orly West and airports in certain select cities,
on a KLM flight within the Netherlands that departs from Amsterdam-Schiphol,
on a SkyTeam flight within one country that connects to a SkyTeam international flight on the same day,
upon arrival on a long-haul SkyTeam flight to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Terminal 2C,
upon arrival on a SkyTeam international flight to Amsterdam-Schiphol (KLM Crown Lounges), Dubai, Glasgow, Houston, Johannesburg, and Toronto.
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Old Jun 5, 2014, 11:08 am
  #13  
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Originally Posted by Xeno
Has DL discontinued the mini-hotel for LHR arriving BE passengers?
For flights arriving T4 it is still a benefit.
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Old Jun 5, 2014, 11:30 am
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Originally Posted by cygnus
You should have gotten access. However, NOT as a SkyTeam Elite Plus (this is indeed only true for departures), but as a SkyClub member. Did you show them your membership clard?
This was my way in a couple of weeks ago. As a DM you should also have a Skyclub card.
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Old Jun 5, 2014, 10:13 pm
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Originally Posted by cygnus
You should have gotten access. However, NOT as a SkyTeam Elite Plus (this is indeed only true for departures), but as a SkyClub member. Did you show them your membership clard?
I've gotten into the AMS Crown Lounges upon arrival by showing my SkyClub card.
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