LAX - TBIT oneworld Lounge Access (Combined thread)
 

Hello FT!

I've been a long-time lurker, but an experience this past week at the LAX oneworld Lounge has moved me from a long-time lurker to a first-time poster.

I'm a BAEC Gold and was flying AA LAX - ORD out of T4, and had about ~4 hours to go before my flight. While talking to one of the AAngels in the T4 AC, she mentioned that I could access the oneworld Lounge in TBIT as, per http://www.oneworld.com/ffp/lounge-access:

I was skeptical, as in most airports that I've seen, you can only access the terminal from where your flight is departing. But she said that as of 5/1/14, ticketed passengers with a boarding pass who have a same-day flight departing LAX can pass through TBIT security, in order to increase business at the shops and restaurants.

After passing through TBIT security without issue, I walked up to a smiling young man and young lady manning the oneworld Lounge's front desk. I gave them my boarding pass and BAEC Gold card, excited to experience the lounge after a very long day. At that hour, the lounge was completely empty, as the evening rush wouldn't begin for 4-5 hours.

The smiling young man suddenly stopped smiling and handed my boarding pass and FF card back at me and said I couldn't enter, as I didn't have a flight departing from that terminal. As the oneworld lounge access page was still in my phone's browser, I showed them the policy, but young man told me that the website was wrong.

Not wanting to fight the issue, I told them I understood that they were bound by policy, and asked if there was a supervisor or manager on-duty who might make "an exception as a one-time courtesy", but was told they were the only two people on-duty and no one higher than them would be in all day (it was a Friday mid-day, not a weekend or other off-hours time). The young lady told the young man the choice whether to make an exception was "up to" him, but he denied the request and chimed in saying that I "shouldn't even be in this terminal".

Is there some official policy somewhere that says you must be departing from TBIT in order to access the lounge?

If not, who can you appeal to in these types of policy-interpretation situations? For example, AA operates their own lounges with AA Premium Services personnel, with supervisors, managers, etc. The oneworld Lounge in TBIT is operated by Qantas, but who do lounge personnel report up to - in other words, who would be the next-level higher in situations where the interpretation of a policy is at issue? Perhaps the Qantas LAX station manager?

I really do like this lounge, so if some of you fine FT-folk can help bring clarity to this issue, I would truly be grateful.

As I read the policy they were wrong to refuse entry. Please write to both QANTAS as operators of the lounge, and oneworld, asking them to point out the precise exception that was relied upon to deny access, and let us know what you find out.

Commiserations, by the way. What an unpleasant and unnecessary experience

Given the TBIT lounge renovations are not yet complete (with the 2nd stage of Business and First yet to open) there do appear to be some additional restrictions in place -- it is often packed in the evening peaks and have seen reports of Emeralds turned away, and certainly no additional guests allowed.

That said if you were there 4+hrs before the peak and not likely to stay that long, it does seem to be a poor decision.

I could understand that - and if they would have stated it was due to capacity restrictions, that would have made more sense.

As an additional data point, a colleague (also a BAEC Gold) with an AA flight out of T4 attempted to access the lounge off-peak on a different day and was also denied for the same reasons.

My concern is that they're interpreting the access policy to be "no flight out of TBIT, no lounge, no exceptions" - regardless of lounge capacity restrictions.

F lounge opening update?
 

Any update on when the first class one world lounge will open?

Thanks

When I spoke to one of the CX staff three weeks ago, they were saying middle of December. Keeping my fingers crossed as I have a CX and BA flight.

Last word I have come across is 'around new year's day' - but that was four weeks ago:

http://airwaysnews.com/blog/2014/11/...lounge-at-lax/

Any recent data points on this situation? I have an upcoming int'l AA flight coming up and I'm EXP... I'd hate to argue with them if they don't allow me access.

Thanks!

The new F lounge is now open, and they let me in yesterday with no problem. I'm a CX Diamond (OW Emerald) and I was flying PEY.

I didn't even know the F lounge was open yet so I tried to go into the J lounge. I handed the gatekeeper my CX-printed F lounge invitation and he turned me away and pointed me to the F lounge instead (separate entrance, down the hall to the right).

No problems getting in, tons and tons of empty chairs, good food and service. I do sort of miss having a buffet bar to go pick at, but the kitchen put out fresh food fast.

More about it here: (same forum, different thread)

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...l#post24014391

Also, see here from the Australian Frequent Flyer Website: (and following posts)

New LAX Qantas/oneworld lounge at TBIT | Australian Frequent Flyer

I have a question:
I have LAX -SFO-NRT, AA F then JAL F.
I don't have any status, would i be able to access oneworld F lounge in LAX?

And about this feature:
"Signature Sofitel service offered to customers travelling in First, including dedicated check-in, fast-track immigration and dedicated boarding"
Anyone experienced this? Do they mean fast-track for security?

No it is for arrival immigration.

F lounge at LAX is in TBIT whereas your LAX-SFO flight is likely to depart from T4. This means clearing security twice (once in TBIT and again in T4).

I don't think it's "fast-track 'immigration' " but LAX TBIT has different security lanes for F / J and Y pax.

You would have to check in at T4. You'd have PRIORITY ACCESS and Flagship lounge access at T4.

Sofitel service would be based on flights out of Tom Bradley.

If I'm traveling solely in First class for a domestic flight on AA do I have access to the TBIT lounge?