appleguru

Delta's website and app indicate that STE+ (GM, PM, DM) should have access to the Air China Lounge at PEK. When I stopped by today, their signage did not indicate delta, and they did not let me in/sent me down the hall to the BGS Lounge by gate 5.

The BGS lounge had delta signage, but the agents indicated access was for PAX in J only (which concurs with the DL app/website). But she further said that STE+/DM/SKY Club members did not have access to any lounge at PEK.

Were they correct? No lounge access for STE+ on international itineraries at PEK?

3Cforme

Where you headed from PEK, and on what carrier?

jrkmsp

For the time being, that is correct. They're supposed to be working on a SkyTeam lounge there that will work for STE+.

appleguru

DTW, on DL.

thecortex

In July as a DM flying J, was invited to BGS lounge. It was literally the worst lounge I've ever seen so tried for Air Chins was denied. You weren't missing anything at BGS....

flyerCO

People need to understand what the Skyteam website is showing when searching for lounges. It shows both 1)Skyteam partner lounges - ie those operated by Skyteam airlines/Skyteam alliance, and 2)Lounges used by Skyteam airlines for J/F class passengers and (excluding DL) for those in Y. Just because it shows up doesn't mean that as STE+ you get access. It just means that a Skyteam airline uses that lounge at least for J/F passengers. When flying DL metal in Y, you only get STE+ access to lounges that fall under number 1. When flying other Skyteam airlines in Y, they generally will give STE+ access to passengers on their flights, even if it's not Skyteam operated.

CJKatl

Nevermind

appleguru

This is why delta lets you filter the list, which seems pretty clear... but is wrong??

appleguru

Oh, I know. After I showed he BGS staff the app, they called their delta rep and made "one time exception" and let me in. I walked around to check it out, left two minutes later to go find some real food.

(Actually, really not much worse than most China eastern / china southern lounges... they had soft drinks, water, coffee, booze, some hot food including dumplings, congee, noodles...)

mcjava

Ironic to see this. Two weeks ago was first time I flew Domestic (Shenzhen)-Beijing-Detroit , (Shenzhen-Beijing Delta codeshare on CZ.) ......... I have flown many direct DL flights out of Pudong and Hong Kong, or Guangzhou to ICN or NRT...... this was my first time domestic to international.

Got to Beijing, went through terrible security (a real cluster) just to get to the Delta checkin counters, waited 30 minutes for them to open, then when I checked in, they asked me "where is your checked bag?"

Huh?? Domestic to International???

They wanted me to go back out through security to domestic baggage claim. Acted like I was an idiot.

Of course CZ in Shenzhen did not tell me this.

During the 30 minutes we waited for checkin to open, not a single announcement about this. No signage reminding us "In Beijing, you must claim your domestic luggage and bring here yourself to check in again".

Made a big stink, they agreed to get CZ to hand carry my bags to them so I would not have to go back out landslide.

Then I asked where is the lounge? (I am Platinum, flying economy).

No lounge. Huh?? Most expensive economy ticket I have ever bought China-USA, and no lounge access?

Made a really big stink again, and finally the DL manager agreed to call to the lounge by Gate 5 to let me and my wife in.

Not a very good lounge at all, kind of OK by Chinese standards, but who wants to fly through Beijing instead of PVG when one of the perks of Plat or Diamond is access to lounges on international itineraries even when in economy?

Buster CT1K

Skyteam really is the "leftover airlines alliance." It's always amazing how third-rate Skyteam operations are, especially outside the USA.

flyerCO

This isn't an airport issue, this is DLs fault. They don't give STE+ access to third party lounges for those in Y. Blame DL for being too cheap, not PEK airport.

Xeno

I am doing RT J to PEK in two weeks so when I leave (Pek-SEA, etc) should I go with a PP lounge rather than where DL will send me?

pvn

This. It's pretty ridiculous and sad that they are the only skyteam members to do this to their STE+ members.

moondog

IIRC, BGS is the only PP option in T2 international. My SOP is to time my airport arrival so as to make lounge access a non-issue unless there is a delay. I used to target T-70 minutes, but I've upped this to T-90 minutes ever since there was full blown security just to enter the terminal (not all PRC airports do this drill yet by the way, and procedures vary dramatically between airports). DL's checkin cutoff is T-60, and they usually (but, not always) tend to be somewhat flexible on this.