Squerez

Hi all,

the reason of this simple thread is just to understand if someone ever faced the following situation :

I got a ticket from a ST airline (to be precise, OK CSA)
I have a Gold card from that ST airline which allow me to enter in the ST lounge (to be precise, I would visit the lounges of AZ, OK and SU)
I will credit my flight to another ST airline where I have no particular status to enter the lounge (to be precise AZ, where I have Silver status)

Do you ever faced controls to check correspondance between card used to enter the lounge and the card/program you credit for the used flight?
In other words, do they will allow me to enter lounges even if the flight is credited to another airline where I have no status but still member of the same alliance?

In fact the OK CSA rule say
4.6 With every booking and check-in, a passenger must present his valid OK Plus Silver, Gold, or Platinum Card, in the event that he is planning to take advantage of the benefits offered to the holders of those cards.

This should in theory prevent me to enter in OK CSA lounge but not in the others where they should look only at the Gold status.
In fact I'm free to credit the program I prefer if I have already a Gold status in one airline...but I want to recover it in the other.
I expect moreover that people will never check the status on the ticket but just the airline I'm using and the card I use to enter in the lounge.

What would you expect?



By the way: I faced correspondance controls only with Malev in BUD and Lufthansa in LJU where they wanted me to credit miles in the program I wanted to exploit and not another...even if partner of the same alliance.

Cupart

Your entry to the lounge is purely based on the FF number entered when doing the booking (of course this can be changed at anytime).

When you want to enter a lounge it's the number on the BP that counts and nothing else. BUT, you could always try and:

1. Change the FF number on the BP to your OK CSA Gold FF number and there after enter the lounge.
2. Upon exit, say that you have changed your mind, and get them to change the FF number back to the AZ.

Maybe this is not possible after you have checked in, but maybe worth a try anyway?

Just my thought...

Btw: Why have two E+ FF Cards? I thought E+ gave same "rights" across the ST line?

MichielR

I have done this on *A, not ST. Was especially useful in the last months when BD DC was being shut down in NL and migrated to LH M&M. Also useful when a fare earned lower miles on one airline than another. Used my LH (*S) card in the system and my BD (*Gold) for lounge entry. Worked fine in BRU, AMS, GVA, ZRH, MAD, etc, never had any questions asked except in HAM who were just curious why.

I have no reason to believe that it will be any different for ST. Just show the BP and OK card at lounge entry. If they swipe the BP, then they will have to swipe the card as well; if they don't swipe the BP they probably won't even notice that the status and number on the card are different from the BP.

bobsmo

I have entered lounges (both PRG OK CSA lounge and AMS KL Schengen lounge) on cards that are not the card that the ST flight is credited to many times.

Squerez

Thank you very much for your comments. Usually they don't swipe my BP...
Then I shouldn't have any problem.

By the way, my status with AZ is Elite (Silver) while with CSA is Elite Plus (Gold) because I've been matched with my LH Senator (Gold).

I love CSA service but being based in Milan I prefer to maintain at least a minimal status with AZ...also because Silver grant me more award seats and I have tons of miles to spend

mc40638

I agree I love CSA service.

Since I am GM with the new rules (since Diamond was introduced, ie. Elite Plus) I am no longer eligable to use the CSA lounges. However, sometimes they do not check very carefully and sometimes they do. The same is true for the Delta / SkyTeam lounge in Budapest and the KLM lounges in AMS.

Since I am a crown lounge member, I can access the KLM lounges using my crown card, but not if my connecting flight is a KL code share on a non skyteam airline. Sometimes a little begging and looking frustrated and tired works <grin>.

I am pretty sure I will not renew by Crown membership since it is pretty worthless internationally. Domestically my Delta marketed AMEX card gives me what I need.

This is all too complicated IMHO. Agreed, delta.com essentially has an enter your 'status' and we will tell you what lounges you can use page.

I believe there is a simple and fair solution.

1. Crown Room membership should have different tier levels. Basically you should be able to purchase an 'international' or 'europe/asia/africa/etc' package.

2. If your status changes because of medallion level or because of an AMEX card, you get a prorated credit on the crown room upgrade and membership. Silly to be paying twice for the same service. If your status gets downgraded or you cancel your card, upgraded access would require a prorated fee.

3. Crown room members should be able to purchase day passes at a reduced rate at all SkyTeam lounges.

BTW, A very nice gentleman offered to have me enter the CSA lounge as his guest (I declined). He told me he had the reciprocal problem with Delta Lounges in the US. CRAZY.

Cupart

Funny, as I have NEVER been asked to show my FB Card anywhere in the world. It's always based on the number printed on the BP and checked on the computer by the lounge dragons...

Great with consistency isn't it?

Squerez

That's the typical case where I couldn't enter the lounge!
Then one reason more to prefer human checks instead of automatic swipping
In fact humans look at the card and the ticket where you see the airline logo but rarely read the ticket and which card has been credited for the travel.

Well, I will avoid hubs where dragons swipe

mc40638

That explains it. The times I have connected through Prague have been when I checked-in in Madrid or Budapest. Both of those locations the CSA checkin is handled by Iberia or Malev, and they do not have access to the detailed information.

Why AF/KL does not handle CSA checkin in Madrid is beyond me. The only reason I can guess is that in general AF (which dictates to KLM since KL really does not exist anymore) are .......S. Poor customer service all around.

I bet the owners of AF are afraid of a strike at any minute (the French way). The French labor laws are so tough that the employees are very well protected. (This is not a bad thing). I just wish they were nicer.

The only airport where I have consistently been treated badly is CDG.

Two incidences come to mind:

1. 11 hour layover at CDG. Bad weather. Decided to stay at CDG. Looking for internet. When to the information booth and the nice man told me I need to go to Paris since there is none at the airport. I was discouraged and fortunately found a bunch of internet kiosks (good service actually) within 100 metres. The information man was clearly lying.

2. Bought a candy bar on the way back to the US. The clerk was grumpy - no words were exchanged. She just throw the change back at you. I told her it would not hurt to smile every so often. She started to curse at me so loudly I am sure everyone at the nearby gates heard.

And in Madrid.

Long story, but due to lots of delays and being rebooked by Delta to Iberia, my luggage was lost. After waiting in a long line the Iberia lost luggage person was very helpful. She located the luggage and told me in came in on a KLM flight was was in a different terminal. She filled out the lost luggage form just in case. She tried calling KLM and no one answered. She gave me directions to the other terminal and where to go.

When I go to the terminal it was somewhat confusing (since I had to get back on the secure side to claim my luggage). I went to the AF/KLM desk, showed my Elite card and asked for some help. The (insert the b-word) said I will not be able to get to the other side and that I need to call this toll number at AF/KLM. I asked her to call the Iberia person, because that sounded insane. She glared at me and told me she is absolutely not going to call anyone for me. I asked to speak to a supervisor and she ignored me. I proceeded to the general information desk and the sweet person there said it should be no problem. That I should just go to where the passengers were leaving with their bags and walk in the other way and see one of the custom agents and explain the situation. I did that, and the custom agent was great. The lost luggage person, who did not work for AF, was somewhat embarrassed and shook her head. She was also wonderful and had her people hand deliver my bags to me.

Two days later I was flying to Lisbon and I stopped by AF to talk to a supervisor. He said there was no excuse for the treatment and took all my information. I bet he did nothing with it.

I also complained to the Medallion desk and they were at a lost for words. Contrary to popular belief the French are really friendly and helpful, unless they are paid to be helpful. Then they need to be nasty and rude.

I avoid AF and CDG whenever I can and tell others to do so as well. It is really unfortunate that DL now has this new alliance with them and not another carrier who respects customers.

Cupart

What does this have to do with AF, let alone ST?

This is based on an assumption?

Seriously, seems like you're wasting everybody's time. The reason they were lost for words were probably because you had a rant at them too .

I have met more rude and unhelpful people in The US (including those hiding behind their ultra fake "have-a-nice-day" polished up bleached teeth which are even worse). Now saying that the French are rude and nasty is is outright wrong. I'm not French and I have never had a noticeable bad experience with any AF member of staff. I have heard moron passengers complaining about this and that even though they in theory didn't have the right to do so.

Great. Stick to Iberia (the absolute worst carrier in the world by miles) as their attitude is way better than anyone elses.

This said, I'm not saying that AF/KL is the best airline in the world. There is still plenty of room for improvement but you post is all over the place and based on daily routine errors that happens to any airline (obviously not Iberia)

mc40638

I have written other posts where I qualify my disdain for AF. It was an oversight not to include that the French nice and helpful and pretty wonderful. My comments are limited to AF and CDG in particular. I am sorry that I did not say this earlier in this post.

As far as calling the Medallion desk, there was no rant, and I resent the assumption that I must have done so.

They just said that was unacceptable but of course they have no control over AF and particular that one employee. But I still contend there is a general attitude within AF in particular and the service sector at CDG. I am not the only one who feels this way.

As far as wasting time --- you have a right to that opinion, but what is the point to saying so other than to be unpleasant. If it is a true waste of time or an inappropriate post, I will leave that judgment to the moderators.

Yes there are rude and unkind people everywhere; there are also pretty nice ones.

I try not to fly Iberia but that is based on them being part of One World. Yes, I had a good experience with Iberia, and yes I have had bad ones too. The good ones were not outstanding and the bad ones were not awful. That suits me fine.

Excuse me, but the AF person who was UNWILLING to help is not a 'daily routine error'. Losing luggage is a daily routine error. Missing connections is a daily routine error.

Cupart

French labour Law is not applicable anywhere else than in The Republic of France...

I have many times been very frustrated with AF/KL and especially FB, but over all I haven't been even close to what you're describing and I have spent many of hours in company with AF/KL over the last couple of years. I therefor find it strange that you have had such bad experiences that I start to wonder if there is something more behind the misfortune you have encountered.

Funny thing is that your carriers were Delta, Iberia and CSA. Not AF or KL other than your bag came with a KL flight.

Btw, are you 100% that it was AF/KL personnel you spoke to and not an outsourced company like more or less everywhere else? Was the extreme rude person French or Spanish?

Squerez

Guys, please remember to stay on topic!

I didn't mean to create a "cahier des doleances (list of complaints)" for AF/KL service (there are other elevant threads on the subject) but just share info on the access of lounges when you use 1 ST Gold card and credit a 2nd ST FFP.

pieterde

To the original question: in my experience in Europe this is not a problem at all. While I was racking up miles to get to OK Plus Platinum, with my lowly non elite plus OK Plus number in the booking and the boarding pass, I've been able to enter AZ, KL, AF lounges in France, Italy, UK, Belgium and the Netherlands by just showing my Freccia Alata Plus card to the nice gents and ladies at the entrance.

Henry III

I've never had the specific problem Squerez inquires about, as I belong to only one FFP, so my status card is always the same as that quoted on my BP.

However, I do have some experience w.r.t. lounge dragons requesting credentials.

The most thorough, in general, are those in the AMS non-Schengen Crown Lounge, where I am frequently asked for both my BP and FB card (though the request is always polite and, more often than not, friendly): both are scanned by The Machine and some keyboard entry is done also.

At CDG, the situation varies considerably, but I always have my FB card on hand, just in case (especially when it's quite busy).

Obviously (I hope), showing simply the FB card would not be sufficient, as one needs the BP as evidence of a ST flight that day!

My one mild shock (for want of a better word) was at the AF lounge in FDF. This is 'guarded' by an electronic sliding door that requires a PIN code to open but, as I checked-in online, I didn't have said code. However, without revealing my more mysterious (nay - magical) skills, I managed to pass through this door and, smiling, I presented my BP and FB Plat card to the young lady at the desk ...

... she looked at me rather condescendingly (verging on contemptuosly) and said, in a particularly school-teacher-like manner, "Sir, you really don't need to show off your Platinum Card, as everything is already printed on your BP!"

These days, I just present both, then: (a) let the receptionist (note avoidance of the term, "lounge dragon") do whatever they feel is required, and (b) just take any induced sarcasm with circa 25mg of sodium chloride.

-- Henry