FlyingFilmGuy

What are the Star Alliance Gold benefits that are also available to the card holder's guest / travelling companion? The obvious one is guest access to the lounge, but what about things like Premium Check-in and Priority Boarding?

In my 13 years being a Gold card holder, almost every airline I fly is happy for my partner to use the Premium Check-in and Priority Boarding when travelling with me. TAP are the only airline that I've come across that says these benefits are only for the card holder, and travelling companions aren't allowed to make use of them.

Are TAP doing things right here? Is it just that other airlines are more generous, and TAP are sticking to the written rules?

estrela

TP is not even willing to recognise its own status member's benefits.

I have a booking and despite status TP wants to charge me for a seat reservation.

Emails get replied after weeks to simply call the hotline. The hotline is not helpful neither.

Tap just could not care less about its own passengers and even less about other Star Golds and partners.

They only care about money, first about their own salaries and benefits such as luxurious cars, then charging you for everything despite being included (luggage, seat reservations, rebookings for cancelled flights...)

tff

I've never had an issue in checking in and boarding together with a non-status travel companion with TP; please note that I never ask if that is possible, I just do it. When asked any questions by the check-in or gate agents, I only say we're travelling together and they always oblige. I even managed to check-in together with a group of 7 people in the Premium area in LIS last July, being the only status pax.

By way of contrast, when I wasn't a status holder, but had a credit card which allowed me to check-in in the Premium area, I wasn't allowed to bringa anyone else and that restriction was enforced.

estrela

My travel partner without status was sent back by TP staff in LIS at the boarding gate from the premium queue to sector C despite traveling with me and sitting next to me. TP staff seems (sometimes) to enjoy treating passengers unfriendly. The same goes for the random weighing of cabin bags and personal items with random weight limits as well as hiding in the front galley and not serving C passengers.

To your questions about why I still fly TP: This is a good one. I have reduced my flights with TP significantly and it is my last choice even behind Ryanair but sometimes there is no other option, unfortunately. Think of Europe-Terceira, FR completely stops the flights in the winter as there is no free-flowing tax money for FR anymore (while probably still for TP and S4). Sometimes I also need a day trip to FAO or OPO on one ticket. If I can though I avoid TP and also LIS as much as possible. Lovely city but a horrible airport, airline and management.

Unfortunately, it still is enough for status at TP as TP also hides mileage accrual in other Star Alliance programs or even gives 0 miles there while still giving a handful of miles in their own program.

FlyingFilmGuy

That's the impression I get. All too often the staff feel like they're on a power trip.

But, my in-flight experience has never been bad! It's the ground experience that's frustrating.