Ed Size

I just had to make the experience that the BA lounge at ORD send me away with my business class ticket on AB and status of AY. They told me that they do not except AY status holders here since AY and AB operate their own lounges, and since their lounge is packed they have the right to send me away. (the lounge was not packed, a friend of mine is in there - plenty of room).

Just wonder was that because of the AB ticket or is this really the rule?

MADPhil

There is a general escape clause for access based on OneWorld status, and probably for class of service on other OneWorld airlines, when the lounge is busy. This can include anticipation of demand if passengers from one of their own flights are expected soon. The ORD lounge is quite small. I often arrive as the early BA flight is emptying out and passengers on the late flight are starting to arrive and it can be quite busy for a while at that point. Since AB is still in OneWorld you should have qualified although, since the operating carrier is supposed to pay, BA might be a bit nervous.

intuition

Classic BA bull.
IME it is very common attitude when there is a contract lounge for your airline/card. Sure, they are free to "not expect" OW card holders, just as I am free to expect Mixed fleet staff to be drunk on the job. Doesn't mean it is correct or by the book.

intuition

Ask your friend to send a picture of the "packed" lounge. Ask for agent to call a supervisor to inquire about oneworld access rules.

Sometimes they bend and do the right thing, sometimes they insist despite they are in the wrong. Claiming it is packed is clearly a lie, and it even seems to be a prepared lie as part of making their own entry rules.

Claiming the lounge might be full later, so we can deny select passengers in advance is moronic.

MADPhil

However BA is far from being the only lounge operator that does it in order to protect access for their own members or passengers. For example, AA stopped selling day passes while lounge capacities were reduced for construction and AS are notorious for doing it.

Purjelentaja

There was some discussion here about BA ORD lounge policies a year ago, and it seems to be general policy there not to let in other ow customers when not flying BA, regardless of status, and knowingly violating ow lounge rules. My only experience at ORD was similar to yours, with the exception that with a long tiring discussion the dragon let us in to the semi-empty lounge.

I would recommend you to write feedback to AY on this issue.

intuition

While that may be true, the "deny entry due to lounge full" relies on a faît accompli state - "Now the lounge is full and so at this point it is not possible to let you in, despite you have access rights". It is not a tool to allow a lounge agent to pick which customers s/he wants in the lounge. Either the lounge is full or it isn't.

I might be ignorant, but I actually only experienced one airline having this practice and it is pretty widespread with BA. It just goes to show how they look upon their alliance friends and how weak the alliance model really is. There is no actual alliance body, it is just a perceived entity that relies on its members to do the right thing.
If a number of alliance members are inventing their own rules to discriminate against alliance customers, then I guess OW is losing in importance and eventually will just fall apart.


Refraining from selling lounge passes is another thing IMO, as they never were "guaranteed" to begin with.

GaryK84

I wonder if it would have made any difference if your friend had tried to guest you in?

Trav1970

As an AY Plat/Emerald traveling on a J ticket, I just got rejected entry into BA's First and Business lounges at ORD. Both lounge dragons gave the same explanation: "lounge is full". As my Emerald status means nothing to BA, I guess this means I won't be purchasing any BA tickets anytime soon. As in within next year.

Kuva-arvoitus: Find an error in the attached image.

Steve_Hun

Just a guess, but might be the oneworld Emerald sign at the bottom

intuition

"OneWorld - an alliance only when we say so"

Ed Size

Good for BA that their business ex ORD is soooo good. I thought it had to do with my AB ticket - so that was not the reason, just snobby tommys.

lkrt

Well, I don't know about ORD but generally speaking BA lounges are nothing to write home about. I can't believe how tacky and cheap even their newly-refurbished lounges look.

cistavoda

The contract lounge there is horrible.

Ed Size

I never been to a BA lounge worse then the ORD contract lounge of AB - a wait a minute BA lounge Milan was worse. But at least they had Gin (no Gin at the contract lounge at ORD).