stern84

Hi everyone,

I got upgraded from economy to business on en EK flight recently from MXP to DXB,
when I subsequently tried to enter the BA business class lounge (the one Emirates use) in Milan the receptionist did not allow me to enter the lounge as I was upgraded... Is it always like that?

Anyone got lounge access when upgraded? please tell me.

Also wondering if any other SKywards silver members have gotten the chance to enter the Business Class Lounge in Terminal 3 at DXB when flying economy. as a silver member I always have to go all the way to the old terminal

dearbee

with an op-up, you should technically be given access to the lounge. when i got mine at pvg, i was also given a lounge pass with my biz ticket. now maybe this is what's done at pvg, i'm not sure what's the procedure at other airports.

regarding access to biz lounge in T3, that is only for biz class pax and ek gold. ek silver traveling in economy can only access T1 lounge.

stern84

thanks for answer, so I guess I was unlucky...

maybe they were looking at my clothes and found that I didnt match in with the business people? I was wearing jeans and a large hood sweater. In the air, the flight attendants asked about my age (twice!) when I wanted champagne; I even had to ask specifically for alcohol, because at first they didnt serve me, and I am 24!! I dont look much younger than my age either...

dearbee

bah, you should have seen my attire. i certainly don't dress up when i'm flying. i seriously doubt it has to do with your dress. perhaps you were just unlucky that dealt with an unknowing agent. if i were you, i would have simply shown my business class ticket to that lounge agent. how the heck does he/she know that you were upgraded as opposed to having a paid biz ticket? if it's not an emirates lounge, i seriously doubt they can tell you were op-up'd. if they ask for a lounge invitation pass, just say the check-in counter didn't give you one and probably forgot.

if you're 24, chances are you still look "young" compared to people in their 30s and up. i wish i had you problem of getting carded. those days are long gone for me.

stern84

when I entered the lounge reception, she asked for my biz ticket, and after having studied it she asked if I was op-upgraded, I said yes, then she said I could not enter the lounge....
I didn't even dare to try the lounge in Terminal 3 upon arrival, but also did not have the time, before my connection flight in economy.

77Wguy

I guess that and perhaps she was not all that onto it equaled an unsuccessful lounge access attempt.
Technically yes you should have received lounge invite if the upgrade was due to operational requirements but I thought that would have been for EK lounge only not when they're contracted out as EK really doesn't have the say.

sadiqhassan

I may be off but AFAIK this is how it works:

EK decides which passengers are qualified to use the lounge by handing out invites. These invites signal to the contract lounge that EK will pay that lounge for this passenger to enter the lounge. For example in DAR, we were a group of 16 with 9J7Y. The check in agent happily issued 16 lounge passes and we all went in without issue despite holding Y BPs - which were never looked at. However, once in Tehran, we were given a hassle, even with J BPs, because we had no invite. YMMV.

OP: were you issued a lounge invite?

Cheers,

stern84

No, I didn't get a lounge invite. The lounge is operated by British Airways but is the one Emirates use at MXP. I was too happy and surprised by seeing the blue ticket when she handed over my boarding passes to even think of asking for a lounge invite!

Down_the_back

Lounge Invitations, are as they are "INVITATIONS". If you aint on the list they you cannot get in. When EK use someone elses lounge, in MXP the BA one, then BA, I assume, hand over the invitation cards to EK and are charged accordingly.

Maybe they are more leniant when it comes to using their own lounges.

Even when you flash your Blue or red boarding pass at most of the lounges, they still ask you for your invitation, this is why you are handed them in the first place, for audit purposes I guess!

BackFromAwayAndBackAwayAgain

Hmmm, why am I not surprised???

Let this be a lesson to you, and to everyone else.

BA sucks. You're almost always better off by just staying away and steering clear from them. Bunch of J-class snobs. I can't wait for the day when Iberia (or better: Ryanair) buys them out, and closes down on their stupid lounges and other silly program rules.

Now to answer your question: normally (AFAIK) with EK an op-up is an upgrade. 100%. No B.S. Unlike BA, EK usually tries to perform above customers' expectations.

.