Who Pays for Lounge Access in Star Alliance?
Jun 26, 2017, 3:18 pm
#1
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Who Pays for Lounge Access in Star Alliance?
There are frequently disputes in different threads about who pays for lounge access in Star Alliance. Does anyone have real evidence as to whether it is the operating airline or the airline issuing the *G card? My view is that it is the former.
Jun 26, 2017, 5:14 pm
#2
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Flying premium cabins: The operating carrier pays
Jun 26, 2017, 5:26 pm
#3
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There is no "real evidence" beyond the *A operating agreement which is a simple contract. It's largely as noted by cfisher above.
If you are entitled to lounge access as a benefit of the ticket, it is the operating carrier of the flight. Otherwise, the carrier which provides the benefit to you.
Because not all premium cabin tickets include lounge access, e.g. domestic F in the US, if you are *G via AC status and flying domestic F, it would be AC which pays (because the domestic F does not include lounge access with limited exceptions).
If you are entitled to lounge access as a benefit of the ticket, it is the operating carrier of the flight. Otherwise, the carrier which provides the benefit to you.
Because not all premium cabin tickets include lounge access, e.g. domestic F in the US, if you are *G via AC status and flying domestic F, it would be AC which pays (because the domestic F does not include lounge access with limited exceptions).
Jun 26, 2017, 7:58 pm
#4
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Jun 27, 2017, 1:49 am
#5
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The entity who's credentials you are using to access the club gets charged for your visit. For example:
United Airlines MP *G member
Departing BKK on Thai Airlines J ticket
Accessing the BR or SQ Club
If they swipe your *G card United is charged
If they scan your boarding pass Thai is charged
In the situation above I usually present both and let them choose.
SL
United Airlines MP *G member
Departing BKK on Thai Airlines J ticket
Accessing the BR or SQ Club
If they swipe your *G card United is charged
If they scan your boarding pass Thai is charged
In the situation above I usually present both and let them choose.
SL
Jun 27, 2017, 2:42 am
#6
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Sometimes an airline has a preferred lounge (like the one you go to). Do they get a discount? Say SQ tells you to use lounge A. But you use lounge B, which is Star Alliance. Is it just because lounge A is better suited for SQ customers or is there an actual agreement?
Jun 27, 2017, 2:45 am
#7
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Keep in mind that there is a significant swap between lounges. As in, a UA member using an ANA lounge in Japan, and an ANA member using a United Club in the US. I doubt if much money really flows between airlines for club access.
Jun 27, 2017, 6:54 am
#8
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Charges for lounge access are tallied along with other incurred costs in the clearing house used by *A members.
At some airports airlines designate certain lounges to manage pax flows better and avoid crowding. DEL is a prime example: LX sends their pax to a contract lounge, SQ lounge agents pretend to be not aware of *A access rights and LH sends their F pax to the premium plaza lounge upstairs.
At some airports airlines designate certain lounges to manage pax flows better and avoid crowding. DEL is a prime example: LX sends their pax to a contract lounge, SQ lounge agents pretend to be not aware of *A access rights and LH sends their F pax to the premium plaza lounge upstairs.
Jun 27, 2017, 7:43 am
#9
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The entity who's credentials you are using to access the club gets charged for your visit. For example:
United Airlines MP *G member
Departing BKK on Thai Airlines J ticket
Accessing the BR or SQ Club
If they swipe your *G card United is charged
If they scan your boarding pass Thai is charged
In the situation above I usually present both and let them choose.
United Airlines MP *G member
Departing BKK on Thai Airlines J ticket
Accessing the BR or SQ Club
If they swipe your *G card United is charged
If they scan your boarding pass Thai is charged
In the situation above I usually present both and let them choose.
The interesting question is how a pax visiting several lounges on the same flight, e.g. the SQ, BR and TG lounges at BKK, is billed to the operating carrier or the FFP. I doubt any airlines will accept to pay 3x lounge access if the pax decides to visit the SQ, BR and TG lounges.
Jun 27, 2017, 7:55 am
#10
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Surely the party that picks up the bill, is not determined whether the agent scans a BP or swipes a FFP card. If the pax is in premium cabin and would have access regardless of elite FFP status, the operating carrier will pay. If the pax has access due to FFP status, the FFP will pay.
SL
Jun 27, 2017, 8:23 am
#11
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The boarding pass is the key, the *A clearing system needs the details of the ticket to determine who has to pay. *G card details need to be captured if the ticket is not sufficient alone.
For example last November I wanted to go to the LH SEN lounge in MUC with a SAS business ticket which had my SAS EB number for FFP accrual in it. The system initially denied access to the SEN lounge so the agent had to swipe my LH SEN card to account for status and I could enter. In this case LH paid for my visit to the SEN lounge. Had I gone to the LH C lounge, SAS would have paid for the visit.
For example last November I wanted to go to the LH SEN lounge in MUC with a SAS business ticket which had my SAS EB number for FFP accrual in it. The system initially denied access to the SEN lounge so the agent had to swipe my LH SEN card to account for status and I could enter. In this case LH paid for my visit to the SEN lounge. Had I gone to the LH C lounge, SAS would have paid for the visit.
Jun 27, 2017, 10:09 am
#13
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Most of the times scanning your BP is sufficient (provided that your elite FFP is properly registered) but sometimes agents need to/would like to see/swipe the FFP card as well.
Jun 28, 2017, 12:57 am
#15
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Or maybe the person who pays full fare (because s/he only booked <14d before and stayed two nights at the destination for some meeting) and rushes to the gate without even visiting a lounge or checking a bag.