Silver Fox

a) yes b) stay out the BAEC sub-forum c) it does seem to be happening more

FrequentFlyerNOT

As the OP, I don't disagree with any of this. However ... It is not clear to most of the flying public or at least a lot of us, that a flight "operated" by another airline can alter your benefits. This certainly is not stated or implied on the Lounge Access policies on the United or *A websites. It's not even addressed. It may be perfectly clear to you and most FT folks. As I mentioned, I often see "operated by xxxxx" on my domestic flights and it just has never mattered. No one had ever told me I can't get a free coke on a Mesa operated flight because I booked through United for example.

Of course I knew I was on Lufthansa but I was planning on checking in at United since I had a United ticket (by my reckoning), until my hotel concierge who tried to print my boarding passes told me that I should go to the Lufthansa First Class Terminal.

I have a few more things to say in my other reply to several posts.

FrequentFlyerNOT

They let me in because of my arriving FC BP on a LH operated flight. I was upstairs in the Senator Lounge. I'm not sure that my FC BP on UA departing IAD mattered or not. I assume it did not.

FrequentFlyerNOT

I don't think they should admit all non-UA arrivals, just First Class purchased from United. Those two restrictions would cut down the potential number of candidates considerably. There were only two of us on the flight over and the other passenger was German so I assume he bought his ticket directly from LH. It is a fair question. I'm not sure how many extra people would gain admittance but I'm guessing not enough if restricted as I suggested.

Yes, you are 100% correct, it was not convenient enough for me. If the LH lounge had been in the same terminal then I would have been happy. Regardless of convenience, I still think I have a valid reason to complain based on how the access rules are written. That's simply my opinion and obviously wrong and from the airline's point of veiw.

I never bought anything from Lufthansa. My business was solely with United.

I got the first class ticket from point A to point B but not the corresponding benefits.

The rules do not explicitly mention who operates the flights. That would be a good thing to add.

You should write the access rules that clarify what a United flight is. United could learn something from you. Simply adding something like your first sentence above would make things much clearer to the general public.

They may attempt to call out the difference between "United Polaris First Class" versus "First Class on a Star Alliance member airline" but this is where they drop the ball. I contend that I had, "A boarding pass for travel in United Polaris first class" which was operated by Lufthansa. This should have given me access to the UGF lounge upon arrival at IAD per the web page:
"Customers in United Polaris first class may access a United Global First Lounge at departure, connecting and arrival airports along their eligible same-day routing."

To add to the confusion, I was able to access the Polaris Lounge at ORD when departing on Swiss, although they would claim it was because I was at my departing airport on a *A FC ticket as opposed to having a United First Class boarding pass (which I had).

I'm not trying to suggest they made a mistake or weren't following the rules as they intended. I'm suggesting the rules need some simple clarification on what constitutes a United Flight or how another airline operating a flight can change things. These suggestions would not be required for typical FT members, but they would help the average flyer who gets int this situation.

Thank you for the feedback.

Global321

FWIW -

1. For people that fly a lot with UA, right or wrong, I think UA's lounge rules are pretty clear.
2. I can see someone who does not fly international a lot being confused.
3. I agree 100% this is a crazy policy when Intl FC tickets are purchased from UA.
4. I have not found anyone that would choose UA FC and arrival FCL access in the USA over LH lounges in Germany and LH FC. Would OP have really chosen UA FC if he/she knew there was no UA FCL access in the USA? (I think no. OP can answer.)
5. UA is crazy to not allow Intl FC passengers Polaris/FC lounge access when the ticket is bought on the UA site/with UA, regardless of airline. The number of people accessing the FCL/PL on any given day would be insignificant.

Artpen100

Well, that makes me even less likely to go to a regular UA club at IAD and try for a pass to the GFL as a 1K on a paid business class ticket. Though I suspect the champagne is still better in GFL than LH, which serves Cordonieu (unless you are on LH first class), or TK, which serves a prosecco. But if I were the original poster, I would likely have scooted over to the LH lounge anyway for the showers. No UC has showers at IAD, even the GFL. I agree with the other posters that the desire for arrivals lounges is underestimated, though it is probably more needed in Europe where most international arrivals from the US are in the morning, than IAD where most arrivals are in the afternoon.

At the risk of sounding like an advert, I used to find it hard to get good information on what lounges I did and did not have access to in what circumstances (e.g., if departure only) until I found the loungebuddy app. If the OP had consulted it, he would have been better prepared.

Kacee

The fact that you purchased the ticket through UA is much less significant than you seem to think it is.

UA gets very little revenue or benefit from selling tickets on flights operated by other carriers. It's mostly a convenience for their passengers, which they hope will lead to additional UA bookings.

LordHamster

I'll be traveling to and from the UK via IAD next week. GFL or LH lounge? Which is better?

Silver Fox

I prefer the GFL. Both are good but the GFL shades it for me. You could try lounge hopping if you have enough time but LH lounge is A gates, United is B gates.

Artpen100

Last week I went to both. Food and ambiance better in LH, but self-serve bar was better in GFL, including Veuve and Laurent Perrier as the champagnes.

In The 216

Am I able to get a gate pass from United upon arrival at LHR to go back through security and access the GFL?

I realize the Arrivals Lounge is available but I am asking specifically about the GFL.

iluv2fly

Nope. They really don't do gate passes at LHR, but if they did they would absolutely not for this purpose. They would tell you to use the Arrivals Lounge.

In The 216

The (very clear) access rules allow for those in United Polaris first to access the GFL on arrival. Am I to understand that this is only for connecting passengers?

IAH-OIL-TRASH

You can use it if country/airport rules allow it. If you are not departing, you can't get to it at LHR. Sounds like you're new to international travel - it isn't just security, but security and border control. Great Britain (and just about every country I can think of) just isn't going to give out gate passes so people can go back and forth. You'd have to enter GB twice and leave once just to use a lounge. Connecting passengers can generally access airside lounges because, well, they stay airside (i.e. do not enter the country through immigration).

The arrivals lounge is great. Even if there was a way to get to the GFL, you'd could spend an additional hour standing in immigration lines. The GFL is nice, but not many people would put that premium on it over the arrivals lounge.

Kacee

That doesn't speak to whether security and British customs/immigration will allow you back airside. As I understand it, they will not.