Always Flyin

Since we are talking about United Airlines operated lounges, and not Star Alliance operated lounges, I think UA's interpretation is going to take precedence.

Rudi

well, unfortunately individual (by the present agents at the lounge entry or their supervisors) interpretations, as wrong as they may be, well always 'win'.

I am not aware of any StarAlliance lounge that is really run by StarAlliance as a legal entity, and not by an individual StarAlliance-airline; the so-called and marketed StarAlliance lounge in Zurich is run and managed by Lufthansa (and fees are charged to all 'other' airlines for their FT-guests).

digbyamb

Start booking your flights on AS/QX as United has now stopped access to all *GOLDs without a same day international boarding pass on United.

This is a shameless money grab by United vailed in smoke and mirrors!

I went through DEN yesterday and the word is out, no more access without an international departure ticket on United, no exceptions!!

[This message has been edited by digbyamb (edited 07-22-2003).]

JohnnyP

I'm not sure how denying access to *A Gold members helps United to make money??? They probably gain revenue from other *A partners by charging them for access by their members...



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"There are those who travel, and those who travel well."

gnaget

Yes, at the SQ lounge at LHR at height of the SARS crisis (the lounge was completely empty!) the attendant looked really, really happy when she swiped my card.

MSY-MSP

Ok after reading all of these posts on the topic, I decided to call in a favor from a friend of mine at UA loyality services. (we went to law school together) As I travel a lot of transborder, this was important for me to know. Here is the gist of her response after talking to the people at Loyality services and RCC.

The new policy on access to RCC by *gold was created in response to Air Canada's request to limit access by their *gold members to the RCC. Apparantly as part of their bankruptcy proceedings, they had to reduce costs associated with providing RCC access to their members when traveling w/in the US. It seemed that they were having a larger number of visits by their elite members than they had traveling on their flights. In response the RCC has eliminated access to the RCC club to *gold members traveling on purely domestic UA tickets.

Access to the RCC is still allowed for all *gold members traveling on an international ittenary. This includes Premier Exec and 1K of United. Other *Gold members should not have a problem with the access requirement, on domestic portions of tickets booked and issued by another *alliance carrier. However, to gain access to the RCC the *gold member should have a copy of the ticket showing the current segments booked as part of the international ittenerary.

Ok, here is what i think is going on here.

1) No access to RCC for any *gold who booked a UA ticket that is domestic.

2) Any *gold can access the RCC if the domestic segement is part of an international ittinerary. This should apply even if the domestic segments are not flown the same day as the international portion, UA *Gold excepted.

3) The RCC attendants aren't going to be this well versed in the new rules. (they will see UA ticket domestic, and say NO!)

4) To gain access have a copy of your ticket clearly showing that it is part of the international ittenerary and you should get access.

Also just checked the *A site, and it says that RCC club access is not allowed for UA *gold customers on domestic tickets without an international segment. IT appears that the term UA customer does not mean what FF card you hold, but who you bought your ticket from.

I hope this helps.

MSY-MSP

I am cross posting this to the AC forum.

Hagbard Viking

So, UA lets AC ruin it for both UA and for *G members of other programmes. If this is indeed the reason, why not just deny access to AC*G on domestic tickets? Sure, it would make AC look bad, but now UA looks bad. Why would they want to if they are not at fault here? Somehow, I'm still wondering if this is the true reason...

Where are you looking? As far as I can tell, the wording has not changed:

United Airlines' Premier Executive and Premier Executive 1K customers have access to U.S. Red Carpet Clubrooms only when they present a ticket or boarding pass for a same-day international flight

See: http://www.staralliance.com/star/con...ld_member.html

MSY-MSP

Here is the portion of the site I was directed to
http://www.staralliance.com/star_all...ge_access.html

I guess different portions of the site have different rules. Go figure.

The main part is the new description on the bottom under the star gold portion of this page.

My guess is that AC said they won't pay anymore, and this response was the easiest way for the matrons at the door to handle the new policy, without having to single AC out.

MSY-MSP

[edited for grammar]



[This message has been edited by MSY-MSP (edited 07-22-2003).]

BrisbanePE

This seems quite ludicrous. Why on earth would the RCC accede to a request that not only denies them income, but they expand the request to even further deny themselves income!!! Makes no sense at all to me.

If AC/Aeroplan is in such dire straits and they can't afford their commitments to *A then they should bow out IMHO.

Rudi

then they should bow out IMHO

they can't for different reasons, (only) some of them are:

* bowing out costs a lot of (punishment) money, charged by the remaining StarAlliance carriers
* LH did only help AC (with financial aid, loans) 2 years ago, when AC agreed to even stonger links (guarantees) with Star
* Star overall, helps AC (and all other Alliance members) more than it costs (bringing in costumers, and not loosing current costumers because of a missing Alliance)

ProudEdmontonian

Although I think I know the answer based on the title of this thread, I'll ask the experts anyway.

So if I take United Express ex-YEG on one of their 4X daily DEN CRJ flights since the Morons from Montreal (a.k.a. AC) provide no trans-border non-stop from YEG I'm on a 'pure domestic' flight and can't access the RCC in DEN? Or does the fact I start in Canada in YEG (and presumably return to YEG) make this an 'international' trip connecting in DEN and thus allow me access to the RCC?

Rudi

well yes, your answer guessing is (probably) right PunishedEdmontonian - we all are 'punished'.

Football Fan

Thanks for this information. So does this mean that if I have a business class RTW ticket on LH stock that has domestic segments on UA (ORD-DEN-LAS-SFO-HNL) which are all booked in UA's "First" class, I have RCC access, even though the international segments are weeks away from the domestic segments?

The wording on the page with the link Rudi gave in the first post seems to indicate otherwise - only if I have a "same-day international ticket"...


[This message has been edited by attorney28 (edited 07-23-2003).]

Cloud Lounger

I think it more likely that this policy new or old has more to do with ensuring that US members of any Star program pay for RCC membership instead of skirting the fee by being Star Gold. Remember that even UA elites can only access RCCs on an international ticket!

Swanhunter

As I posted above, I was also told it was due to AC taking their ball home as they were loosing too much cash. I can't see how anyone in UA - even in their wildest dreams - would think that most non US residents would stump up the cash for RCC access .