Access to third party lounges?

It is good to see the list of oneworld lounges updated with the arrival of the new airlines.

However it still gives the impression that you can access some third party lounges: "Access may not apply at a limited number of third party lounges" (rather than saying "Access does apply at third party lounges").

Has anyone had any luck with access to any third party lounges? I have been firmly turned away from the lounge that BA uses in Paris, but wondered whether it is worth trying to get in the third party lounges when I am in Moscow and Beijing?

The Paris 3rd party lounge (AF lounge in reality) is a special case and is due to capacity restrictions. There have been numerous threads on this case and you will find them on the BA, QF and OW forums if you want to have a poke around to find out more.

Some 3rd party lounges do let you in, these are at small airports with light elite traffic. For example at DPS. It always pays to ask, but expect to be turned away 95% of the time.

I had no problem getting into the very full lounge at DME (Moscow), probably because although it was a third party lounge, it is "exclusively for BA".

I hope it will be as easy in Beijing ...

In NRT, BA uses the Northwest lounge. In fact I'm posting this from that very location. It allows access for BA customers by oneworld status, class of service, and even Qantas Club membership. In that respect it operates exactly like a real BA lounge.

Mind you, they also have some BA signage in the lounge, but it is still a third-party lounge.

BA had its own Terraces lounge at NRT until AA and CX moved to the other terminal to co-locate with JL; rather bizzarely, BA refused to move, and closed its lounge (making the deal to use the much less nice NWA lounge). I had presumed that BA stayed in the wrong terminal to protect its Club/FIRST brand and retain its existing lounges; but apparently not. I've heard rumours that the NWA lounge will be refitted as a Terraces (so effectively BA has bought out the NWA lease, but NWA retains usage rights).

Checked in at the business desk for my Finnair flight from Beijing in Y and was given a voucher for the Air China first class lounge.

It was comfortable with small snacks, but most importantly I could plug in my laptop and use the free wifi.

An OW Sapphire/Emerald can go to any OW lounges when traveling on OW flights. However, for 3rd party lounges, it is dependent on the airline you are taking. In PEK, Finnair passengers go to Air China lounge, but CX passengers go to BGS.

There seem to be two views: most third party lounges let you in, or most don't.

Hopefully the OW site "Access may not apply at a limited number of third party lounges" suggests the former.

My score is 2 out of 3 so far: next try will be Venice.

Just used the Americas lounge airside in F concourse at MIA - pass issued by IB. Very nice.

As a Sapphire you are entitled to use other OW lounges, including AA lounges when on an international itinerary. The potential problem occurs when the lounge is operated by a third party.

Very interesting and good to know, thanks for that info.

This is true; however at MIA the other OW lounges are airside in concourses that one cannot access from the F or G piers without going outside security and back in, never mind a long march through MIA mobs.

The IB flight (MIA-MAD) was fine except all the hot water systems in the plane were inop, hence instant Nescafe for breakfast and sanitary wipes in the loo in lieu (ha ha) of water ex-tap.

In ARN now just having got off IB MAD-ARN, a longish sector in an A320 with She Who Must Recline Fully putting her tawny locks where my book is supposed to go... IB's Euro J is basically Y with 3 inches more knee room and nobody in the middle seat, plus lots of food. Not complaining, but people who ride in those seats (IMHO) should be a little more considerate. She was in the bulkhead row, I was the scrunchee in 2A.

I will save my venom for AA at JFK and LGA - damaged bag, no-can-do attitude, all in 100F heat. As they say on the BA board, Grrr... LGA.

I had no trouble getting into the Marco Polo lounge in VCE when flying in economy on BA as an AA elite, so from my sample so far, I am hopeful that CDG is the exception rather than the rule ...

Got off QF 64 JNB-SYD a few hours ago (a bit bleary) and thought we'd try the SAA lounge at JNB instead of the BA lounge (SAA codeshares QF 63/64 hence the lounge access.)

Never again. Dark, crowded, poor food, small Italian children acting out, totally unintelligible flight announcements... Ick.