access to *A lounges
 

sorry to be naive, but when I am flying business Class on points, can I access any *A lounge, or do i need the gold card?

First, welcome to FT exbrit.

You will find several threads on this using search, but a quick answer is: Always have your *G card with you. Some airlines won't bother you, but you can't get into a LH lounge without the card.

You can enter business class lounges without a gold card when flying business class.

Yes, except for certain flights within North America on UA and US (for which a non-UA/US *G card or paid lounge membership is required to gain access).

What about flying in Y but being a *A Gold card holder?

In that case you should bring your card with you to gain lounge access, in case your status doesn't print on the BP.

Have you ever tried this in a LH lounge? Won't work without the card even in C.

There are LH lounges and there are LH lounges. Flying business class on LH (with no status on LH or any other *A carrier) you are allowed in the business class lounge only. There is also what they call the Senator lounge, but that requires a Gold card (or a first class ticket).

cheers,

Henry

Back to the acutual question..
Let's say your flying C with TG and have no *A status. Could you besides TG's business lounge also use (if present) UA's lounge, SQ's lounge (and so on) ?

In principle yes. In practice, at some stations, lounge agents can try to discourage you and force you to use the lounge of the airline you are flying with, even though this is contrary to *A rules.

I don't know about that, but if you are flying any other *A carrier, you'd better have your card to get into any LH lounge. Maybe you will find someone who will let you in, but this is a huge risk that is unlikely to pay off.

<moot point removed>

what does that mean? Does it mean no access when travelling on points?

award pax are revenue pax, the clause is to stop people travelling on travel industry fares, competition fares & similar from using the lounges

You're mixing up two different things.

If you are trying to gain access on the basis of your *G status then you're right they can and often do insist on seeing your card.

If you're trying to gain access on the basis of your boarding pass then a business class boarding pass gets you access to most *A lounges. You don't need your card or any status at all, it's part of your business class ticket. In some airports there are multiple *A lounges and some of them will be "business lounges" and some will be reserved for either first class and/or *G.

I don't see what's so complicated about this.