Sep 8, 2016, 6:42 am
Last edit by: serfty
For access to the Qantas First Lounge at TBIT just one of the following needs to be true:
- Non US (not AAdvantage and not Mileage Plan) oneworld Emerald departing on a oneworld Marketed and operated flight.
- AAdvantage or Mileage Plan Emerald departing on a oneworld Marketed and Operated flight NOT solely on a "North American* Itinerary".
- First Class passengers departing on a oneworld Marketed and Operated flight not solely on a "North American* Itinerary".
- Passengers in First Class on a flight longer than five hours connecting§ to/from an international or domestic short haul (five hours or less) oneworld Marketed and Operated flight and not solely on a "North American* Itinerary".
- *Recent Reports Indicate Access via the following Criteria is being Denied with patrons being sent to the Flagship Lounge in T4*: .First Class passengers^ travelling on a three class transcontinental American Airlines Marketed and Operated flight on a designated route (e.g. between Los Angeles & New York).
§ Connecting the same day or before 6am the following day. Such Lounge access is based on the class of services of the long haul flight (First or Business) regardless of the class of travel on the short haul flight.
^ Regarding AA EXP in any cabin. This is a "Class of Service" based access, so status should not be relevant. Rules indicate NO ACCESS unless in First on 3 class transcon, but there had been some contradictory experiences about this. Early on EXP based access had sometimes been granted; not so much these days. Presumably this related to confusion about the rules on behalf of the agents.
PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING, YOUR QUESTION MAY BE ANSWERED HEREIN
Lounge access rules
All non-AA and Non-AS Oneworld Emerald members have access to this lounge on any oneworld itinerary regardless of cabin or final destination.
AA EXP have access when traveling to all destinations outside North America and Mexico City. Includes if pax is flying LAX-DFW-LHR because you are flying internationally that day.
No Class of Service access for domestic F without non AA and non AS Emerald status unless on designated (generally 3-class) flights to JFK and MIA.
Passengers on any 3-cabin AA flight to JFK, BOS or MIA in First Class.
Emirates pax do not have access except for Qantas Platinum One. EDIT: Appears to be that Qantas removed that access criteria from their lounge access page so I wouldn't count on this working.
No access if connecting to a non-Oneworld airline or partner.
Separate tickets within oneworld do not matter other than it has to be same day . E.g. QF F to AA Y on the same day.
To walk from T4 to TBIT will take approximately 10 minutes one way so plan accordingly if visiting this lounge.
More detail here: Lounge Access | oneworld.com
Qantas.com Access Rules, with specific carve-out for transcon markets.
Los Angeles / LAX Qantas First Class Lounge [Master Thread]
Oct 30, 2019, 12:23 pm
#466
Join Date: Jul 1999
Programs: QF WP, AA EXP
Posts: 3,520
American has explicitly stated that tipping is unnecessary in Flagship Dining, which would be the closest thing service-wise to the QF F lounge. This is coming from an airline operating from the worst tipping-culture country in the world. The lounge is an extension of the on board service, and you surely don't tip your FA's or CSM's. And yes, John who works there is definitely Australian.
Oct 30, 2019, 12:31 pm
#467
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Austin
Programs: AA EXP +2MM- LT PLT! HH Diamond
Posts: 6,086
American has explicitly stated that tipping is unnecessary in Flagship Dining, which would be the closest thing service-wise to the QF F lounge. This is coming from an airline operating from the worst tipping-culture country in the world. The lounge is an extension of the on board service, and you surely don't tip your FA's or CSM's. And yes, John who works there is definitely Australian.
I have many friends in the service industry in the US and they earn $2.13 an hour, plus tips. But the often the prices for the goods sold are lower than in most industrialized countries, so it evens out.
Oct 30, 2019, 2:30 pm
#468
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: QF WP
Posts: 15
Additionally, at risk of sounding off-topic, at my (US) college orientation for international students, we were all told that tipping is not so much paying for exceptional service, but rather the cost of having that service rendered. In context of a meal, it's an additional charge so that you can eat your meal. I guess the decompartmentalized charge gives customers a choice in not paying the tip/charge if they feel a service was not rendered. That said, a number of restaurants are now advocating a no-tip policy as they are paying their servers well above the legal minimum (and yet the servers still come around and ask how your meal is going, despite being one bite into an entrée).
Going back on-topic, there really should not be any receptacle for receiving tips in any Flounge at an international airport. Whilst tipping should be permitted and fine (due to the ethos of the States), perhaps this is an action that is best practiced with discretion.
Oct 30, 2019, 2:43 pm
#469
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Austin
Programs: AA EXP +2MM- LT PLT! HH Diamond
Posts: 6,086
I don't tip at AA Flagship or other F/J Lounges in the US either, but I do at the Admiral's Clubs, even for the free stuff, as they are indeed compensated differently.
Oct 30, 2019, 5:25 pm
#470
Join Date: Jul 1999
Programs: QF WP, AA EXP
Posts: 3,520
Gratuities were originally supposed to supplement compensation to service employees who were paid below minimum wage (that $2.13/hr figure everyone likes to talk about). Here in California, that is not the case, you can't pay a tipped service worker below minimum, and those minimums are increasing quickly. The cooks that make your food legally can't be part of tip pools, yet the bartender that pours you a beer can. Which one actually worked harder? They are both very likely making the same base wage. And a final thought, leaving aside any argument of who should get tipped and how much, remember what we are talking about in this instance. Most people in this lounge are traveling abroad. If they are even carrying cash, are they really going to make sure they reserve a few US dollars just to tip staff at a lounge where tipping is not the norm anyway?
I have no problem tipping people, especially when they really earned it. It's the continuing expansion of the practice and expectation of one in a non-traditional situation. Especially if it's so a business owner can avoid paying their employees better. That's what is turning the US into the "worst in the world".
I have no problem tipping people, especially when they really earned it. It's the continuing expansion of the practice and expectation of one in a non-traditional situation. Especially if it's so a business owner can avoid paying their employees better. That's what is turning the US into the "worst in the world".
Last edited by SNA_Flyer; Oct 30, 2019 at 5:33 pm
Oct 30, 2019, 11:57 pm
#471
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Melbourne
Programs: ►QFWP/LTG►VA WP►HyattExpl.►HiltonGold►ALL Silver
Posts: 21,992
Can we please take the topic re tipping in this lounge to =it very own thread:
LAX TBIT Qantas F lounge tipping?
LAX TBIT Qantas F lounge tipping?
Oct 31, 2019, 1:06 am
#472
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Newcastle, Australia.
Programs: QF Plat+ LTG/ OW Emerald, VA Plat, NZ Gold, HH Diamond, Hyatt Whatsit. Taxation is theft.
Posts: 2,636
Can we please take the topic re tipping in this lounge to =it very own thread:
LAX TBIT Qantas F lounge tipping?
LAX TBIT Qantas F lounge tipping?
That's a good tip.
Oct 31, 2019, 1:11 am
#473
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: CX Green, QF Platinum, BAEC Silver, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 10,780
When you queue up for the showers in the F lounge, they take your phone number and are meant to text you when it’s ready. I never received my text. (HK number). Has anyone else received their texts?
Oct 31, 2019, 2:40 am
#474
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: SYD
Programs: QF WP/LTG | UA P
Posts: 13,530
Oct 31, 2019, 8:13 am
#475
Join Date: May 2015
Location: ATL/MCO
Programs: Costco Executive, RaceTrac Sultan of Soda, Chick-fil-A Red
Posts: 5,661
OMAAT posted today that QF will begin selling access to this lounge for $150 for passengers traveling on any carrier in any cabin class. Business Lounge day pass available for $75 at LAX, LHR, AKL, HKG and WLG.
If I'd have a long layover at LAX and don't otherwise have any lounge access I could see myself taking advantage of this.
If I'd have a long layover at LAX and don't otherwise have any lounge access I could see myself taking advantage of this.
Nov 1, 2019, 2:36 am
#476
Join Date: Aug 2018
Programs: Qantas
Posts: 85
Yes. I still had my US sim and got the text fine. I was the only one on the page with a +1 number, every other one had +61 numbers.
Nov 22, 2019, 6:33 am
#477
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 2
Access to QF lounge when connecting to Oneworld Connect (Fiji Airways)
So, in a couple of months, I'm due to be travelling LHR-LAX with British Airways in F, and then six hours later LAX-NAN with Fiji Airways in economy. Awards flights, no status.
Will I be able to access the QF lounge at LAX?
I'm not sure whether the rules apply to people traveling on Fiji Airways, as from what I gather Oneworld Connect and Oneworld aren't the same thing.
And even if the Oneworld rules do apply, it's not clear to me whether I would be allowed access, given it is only the arriving leg which is F, departure leg being in economy. Oneworld rules seem to say it is based on the longhaul flight class, but both are longhaul!
Will I be able to access the QF lounge at LAX?
I'm not sure whether the rules apply to people traveling on Fiji Airways, as from what I gather Oneworld Connect and Oneworld aren't the same thing.
And even if the Oneworld rules do apply, it's not clear to me whether I would be allowed access, given it is only the arriving leg which is F, departure leg being in economy. Oneworld rules seem to say it is based on the longhaul flight class, but both are longhaul!
Nov 22, 2019, 7:37 am
#478
Join Date: May 2015
Location: ATL/MCO
Programs: Costco Executive, RaceTrac Sultan of Soda, Chick-fil-A Red
Posts: 5,661
So, in a couple of months, I'm due to be travelling LHR-LAX with British Airways in F, and then six hours later LAX-NAN with Fiji Airways in economy. Awards flights, no status.
Will I be able to access the QF lounge at LAX?
I'm not sure whether the rules apply to people traveling on Fiji Airways, as from what I gather Oneworld Connect and Oneworld aren't the same thing.
And even if the Oneworld rules do apply, it's not clear to me whether I would be allowed access, given it is only the arriving leg which is F, departure leg being in economy. Oneworld rules seem to say it is based on the longhaul flight class, but both are longhaul!
Will I be able to access the QF lounge at LAX?
I'm not sure whether the rules apply to people traveling on Fiji Airways, as from what I gather Oneworld Connect and Oneworld aren't the same thing.
And even if the Oneworld rules do apply, it's not clear to me whether I would be allowed access, given it is only the arriving leg which is F, departure leg being in economy. Oneworld rules seem to say it is based on the longhaul flight class, but both are longhaul!
I would assume not, the OW connect lounge access chart is very complex. Someone more knowledgeable than me will have to answer.
What can be done however is booking a refundable AA ticket to use together with your arriving BA segment and then cancelling it. This is frowned upon many, but do it once or twice it's not a problem. However make a habit of it, then the airlines will start cracking down so do what you're comfortable with.
Nov 23, 2019, 7:00 pm
#480
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,598
Don't bother. Just show up with your BA boarding pass. Agree with miamiflyer8. Simply buy a cheap AA ticket (like LAX-SFO) even non-refundable. Show them your AA boarding pass. Make sure to use Expedia.com which has a 24 hour refund policy. If that doesn't work, go the the AA Flagship Lounge... a 7-10 minute walk. Once you are in the lounge, cancel the ticket online with Expedia.com just before you leave for your LAX-NAN flight.