31570324

TK Gold and A3 Gold Member, so no access, thank you.

warakorn

Of course, A3 gold members dont have access to LH lounges, when departing on 4U-operated flights. This doesnt come as a surprise, since 4U aims to reduce costs. LH Lounges will most likely. bill 4U for lounge access.

SPlDER

So 4U should not be surprised, that *G avoid their flights ;-)

31570324

But during booking the flight at a OTA there is no information, that its not a LX flight. Just if I check at swiss own website I can see its a EUROWINGS flight and if I continue searching I can see its a Germanwings flight.

No problem, I will choose a different flight where I will have lounge access for the same price.

warakorn

This is very common industry standard.
Codeshares are often hidden - if you dont pay attention, you could easily on a Air Dolomoti, Thai Smile, Silkair or Germanwings flight and gets booted from the lounge.

1353513636

Wouldn't LH bill A3/TK if a A3*G/TK*G entered the lounge? I thought the cost cutting part was about the free bags and hoping that people will buy up to get the *G bennies they get for free when flying *A.

htb

Strange "industry standard" that's forbidden at least in Germany (and probably the whole of Europe) as well as the US where the operating carrier has to be disclosed.

HTB.

warakorn

Well, I do not have proof. However, its very logical that the operating airline is footing the lounge bill.
I recall someone here quoting some kind of paper, provided by a lounge dragon, which stated otherwise.

There are two reasons for my thesis:
1)
In many cases the operating carrier and the lounge at the departure airport are provided by the same airline. The money just moves from different cost/profit centers.

2)
A3 would go bust if it has to pay EUR 50 each their elite members are accessing Star Alliance lounges.
If the operating airline pays, it would at least get some revenue from the ticket.

3)
Why would LH initiate efforts to limit lounge access to Star Alliance gold members (e.g. Air Dolomiti and Germanwings). If A3 pays, then LH would in turn be more enticed to let Star Gold Germanwings passengers into the lounges. But I assume the operating carrier (e.g. Germanwings) has to pay lounge access.

1353513636

I think the number of A3*G isn't quite as great as it may seem from reading FT...and clearly as program rules were changed it must have become a problem.

I thought LH was doing things like Germanwings/Air Dolomiti to cut down on expenses from other *G benefits they would have to cover like mileage accural, extra luggage eg as well as try and get people to fly 100k miles to get SEN if they were European instead of joining something like Asiana club and getting the same benefits.

PLeblond

Germanwings recently started offering Air Canada/Aeroplan Qualifying miles.

Along the lines of your exceptions, would an Aeroplan *G on a Germanwings ticket have access to an LH lounges?

Edited: If the ticket was purchased on LH website, as a flight operated by 4U, would that change anything?

Germanfflyer

Correct^
But it is FAR lower than € 50!

warakorn

It could change, however, as of today I am not aware of any rule, that would allow Air Canada Star Golds access to LH lounges, when departing on 4U.
I would assume that AC/Aeroplan would need to sign a bilateral agreement with 4U, that AC/Aeroplan would foot part of the bill for lounge access (same as UA did already with 4U).

Metal counts, sorry!

Geoflying

I shall test this on Sunday when as an AC*G I fly 4U LHR-CGN and I shall report back

warakorn

I am also excited to hear your report next Sunday.
However, I would really wonder if access is granted. A memo has been released to all LH Lounges late last year, mentioning a special bilateral agreement between 4U and UA.

Geoflying

Nope - even though I can collect Aeroplan Miles on 4U they would not let me in. They were very polite about it but firm. However the AC MLL did let me in because I am SE but they made it clear that they were not even supposed to do that since 4U is not Star Alliance and that they were doing me a favour (very nicely and politely though). No 4U announcements or displays on the board in the MLL so finding the gate, I am on my own. The B gates are 15 minutes walk from the A gates as well.