mtkeller

I just made GM (ST Elite+) on DL this weekend and have two trips on other ST carriers booked. I'm wondering if anyone has experience with reservations that already exist (AZ and AF in my case) at the time of a status change and showing the updated status. I'd like to be sure the new status shows to try to assist with lounge access, but I'm not sure if it will update automatically.

I did send an email to AF and AZ. Got a response from AF telling me to call AF web support, but I'd rather not do that unless someone can report that it's necessary. I booked on airfrance.us but live in the UK. They sent me a US number to call. Does anyone know if there's a UK number (not an 0845 one, either!) that would be for web support?

AZ is honestly the one that I fear I'll have the most issues with. Their website's systems are so unhelpful, it's pathetic.

Any thoughts or assistance would be appreciated.

Fims

Print online conformation of the new copy of the card and bring along when on AZ or AF. It can take a week to get it into their systems and in previous bookings it has to be manually re-entered (remove FQTV and then add again).

cityflyer369

I agree with Fims. Do not bother about what it says in the system. Just bring a print-out of your account that shows your new status and a date from which they can conclude that your new status must still be valid. This approach should work and and is hassle-free.

mtkeller

Thanks. I figure AZ is the one more likely to play a bit fast and loose and be OK with a printout, which is good, since they're the one I'm flying yet this month. The AF booking is a ways out, by which time I'll have my GM card (hopefully, assuming DL doesn't totally mess that up). Sounds like the card plus indicating that the booking was made before I got my new status should do the trick.

cityflyer369

I do not see any difference between AF and AZ here. Actually I think that accepting print-outs is common practice with all airlines in all three major alliances around the world, no matter whether its a Skyteam, Star Alliance or One World airline. (Of course, it can always happen that a particular staff member does not know a particular FFP, but if you are friendly, they should be willing to find out.)

mtkeller

The DL forum is riddled with stories of people who've been stonewalled at CDG by AF agents who will not take anything other than the DL card that's shown in their little book. KL at AMS is a bit better about taking other forms of proof, but I'd say that there are still more people who have reported failure with a printout than success. The good thing is that I've got Priority Pass to fall back on if things don't work out.

cityflyer369

Surprising to hear. I never experienced problems with print-outs with any airline. But, of course, I never approached AFKL with a non-Flying Blue print-out. Could it really be the case that they are more sceptical about print-outs from other airlines than all other airlines I dealt with?

mtkeller

It very well could be. I think it also depends on how well-integrated the computer systems are. I've read that some people have been successful with printouts from NW or DL at KL lounges because (at the time) the KL dragons could pull up enough details from the FF# to confirm the validity of the printout.

mtkeller

An update from the AZ Giotto Lounge in the G area of FCO T3: BP doesn't show any status (printed on shared system at TLV), but a printout of my DL status showing GM was enough to get me in. Didn't even need the printout showing that GM is now ST E+, either! Hopefully no issues at the LHR SkyTeam Lounge tomorrow as I embark across the Atlantic after a whopping 15 hours on the ground in the UK. (Basically will have time to sleep a couple hours at my flat and head back to LHR.)

raistlin

The operative words here are "AF agents"