Himeno

A while ago, I was flying RJ ORD-AMM. RJ uses the AF lounge at ORD. I went to the BA lounge which was advertised as open until roughly when the RJ flight would start boarding.
When I entered the BA lounge, they said 'we are boarding the BA flight, lounge is closing' - even though all the signage said it should be open for another hour.

zehbra

Hello everyone

I am OW sapphire (with QR gold). I had a flight with finnair in Y, and on my ticket, it even said something like "Lounge Invitation to the Oneworld Lounge" at ZRH.

Long story short: I was refused entry to the lounge on the basis that Qatar uses a different lounge (Dnata Skyview lounge) and the two companies don't agree.

In the Dnata lounge i was of course told that since i was flying with finnair, they couldn't grant me lounge access.

Just thought you should know if flying from ZRH.

ernestnywang

You should be allowed entry to the OW ZRH lounge. I would write a letter to AY to complain, and perhaps ask for some compensation or goodwell gesture.

San Gottardo

Zurich is indeed very odd. I was flying out of there on QR, heading straight to the oneworld lounge. The dragon didn't want to let me in, saying it's for oneworld only, so I showed her the oneworld logo on my boarding pass, as well as my QR Plat card and my BA Gold card. "How much more oneworld does it get?" I declared and just walked in. Then some person with an Iberia jacket turned up and wanted to escort me out, saying "this is for oneworld only". As I had time and was in the mood for a civilised debate I got myself a drink, asked him to sit down, got my iPad out and took him through the QR webpage, the OW webpage and also the BA webpage all saying that QR is a member of OW, that when flying a oneworld airline in Business (which I was) or having Sapphire status (I had two of those) I could use a oneworld lounge (which he said this was). So logically I should be in this lounge. His mindless repeating "bit this is a oneworld lounge" and my repeated reply "I know, that's why I am here" led him to give up.

It cost him 10 minutes (plus the time to come to the lounge), it cost oneworld one mineral water for him and a cup of tea for me, and it got me a nice entertaining 10 minute debate.

QR should get their act together in Zurich and act on the fact that it belongs to OW, a fact the airline has made much noise about.

zehbra

I had that debate as well - however on the oneworld site it now clearly states that QR uses the dnata lounge. So QR Status + QR flight = Dnata Lounge entry. That works without problems.

I'm really quite confused as to whom I should complain to. I feel like it isn't finnairs fault completely. They printed an invitation on my BP - as they should. It seems to be a mismatch/miscommunication between lounge staff and QR agreements with the rest of the OW group....
So really everyone can blame someone else. Hurray. I guess I'll write to both QR and Finnair and ask them politely to find a solution to that problem. Not that I'd expect a response..

ernestnywang

Well done! There is one problem, though. On OW's website (http://www.oneworld.com/ffp/lounge-access/), "The Zurich Lounge" is listed as "a third party on behalf of: airberlin, American Airlines, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia." Since you were flying on QR, they have the right to not give you access. How come this lounge is considered a 3rd party and whether or not that is right is another question.

Yes, QR Status + QR flight = Dnata Lounge entry. However, if you are on AY, then it doesn't matter whether you have QR status or BA, AA, etc. status, you are allowed to access whichever lounge AY desginates (which in this case is the ZRH OW lounge). Again, as said, you should complain to AY. QR is not at fault here, and can merely redirect your complaint to AY.

zehbra

Mh that makes sense.. I'll write to AY and report back if they care to answer.

serfty

Maybe, as well, a question for the guy in the IB jacket who seemed to consider it a 'oneworld lounge':

zehbra

Wonders DO happen... well, or at least replies do happen. It took them only about a month to reply to my request with a pretty standard sorry for your inconvenience bla bla including:
... yes, yes it was. (and yes, that was copy-paste)

however, they also wrote
So I'd be interested in comments from people who travel more frequently with finnair, if there's any change.

Acid

I'm flying JFK-ZRH(AA) - Tenerife(AB) on an AA coach ticket.
Do I get access to OW lounge with Citi Executive/Admirals Club membership?

I'm assuming since the 2nd leg is on Air Berlin - I will be denied access - is that correct?

Dave Noble

Admirals Club membership only provides for access to AA and QF lounges and not to other OneWorld lounges

Acid

Zurich one is also listed as one being allowed for AC members - only if on AA issued ticket and metal. I have an AA issued ticket on AB metal - so wasnt sure how strictly its enforced.

Dave Noble

That isn't a OW access, just AA providing for access for its members departing on one of its flights

intuition

Finnair printed the lounge invitation correctly and the fault lies with the lounge. However, complaining to the airline, like you did, is the better option. Finnair usually investigate and answer any lounge complaint but like you experienced it will take a long time.

It is unlikely you will receive any compensation or goodwill action. (IME, getting reimbursed for costs are easier; ie if you after getting denied at the oneworld lounge paid for entry to a similar lounge you might get the money back if you kept the receipt. )

zehbra

Yes, that was exactly my confusion. I don't want to blame finnair too much since they treated me very well otherwise as far as FF-benefits are concerned (noise canceling headphones in Y, correctly printed lounge invitations/lounge passes..).
Also, I don't really expect any compensation or goodwill action, but I would be interested if anything has changed, i.e. if they actually talked to and solved the problem with the lounge operator.