How does *A airlines work together for lounge access?
 

Just curious..

How do they work together to provide free lounge access?

Assume this one person flies mostly on SQ, but credits his miles to LH FFP. When he qualifies for LH*G, he is entitled for lounge access when flying *A airlines, right? Who pays for his free access? With LH*G card, I assume LH picks up the tab. Then isn't LH -in this case- losing money? Not receiving revenue from flights, but having to pay for its *G member lounge access?

StarG

Apparently, each time you access a lounge the carrier whose FFP you use gets charged (some people say US$25 or so). Don't know if this is the way it always works, as Lufthansa for example never seem to swipe my card.
In terms of carriers losing money, I think things tend to even out. If carriers do pay for their members to access foreign lounges, without getting revenue from the flight (except a small portion for the points/miles), then at least they receive it when the reverse happens to them.

Cheers, Zac

[This message has been edited by Zaco (edited 10-29-2003).]

BD are religous about taking numbers from cards, certainly in EDI and LHR

I'm an AC Maple Leaf Club member, but for the last two years have flown solely on and collected miles for UA. I've noticed that the RCC folks just take a look at the card and add a check count in their paperwork whenever I show my card. No number was taken down, I assume it's just an honour system between everyone when they balance the books later.

I was transiting through HKG a couple of weeks ago together with a colleague of mine who is LH*G (SEN). Upon entering the *A Lounge (which is operated by UA I believe), we both had to present our cards and BP's, interestingly, they were not interested in taking the number of his card, but were writing down Name and card number of my AC*G card.

I have travelled with almost all of the *A carriers at one time or another and no one else is as exacting and drawn out about recording card details as BMI no matter how big the queue to get in the lounge. Then again, you only have to look at their check-in at LHR to see that BMI like to have long queues!

I remember SQ writing down my UA number, but not my LH number.

UA just keeps a count on how many people use what card. they have a sheet of paper, that you can usually see, divided up by airline....

I used the AC lounge in SYD in January flying NZ to Tonga.

Girl wrote down both our 1K numbers and volunteered that United was billed $US25 EACH for the visit. Seeing the NZ lounge is FAR superior to United's, little wonder. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/tongue.gif

------------------
~ Glen ~ sipping bubbly from UA 747-400 exit row 15A near you SOON!