NikoLGA

Hello all. My physical United Club card (with the Star Alliance Lounge logo, not the credit card) elapsed, as it does every year, however, I never got a replacement in the mail. I received the following email after inquiring about it, which didn’t come as much of a shock:

Dear Mr. NikoLGA:

I’m sorry but due to the Covid 19 situation we’re not currently processing United Club membership cards. You can access any United Club lounge by showing your digital United Club membership card available in the United app. You may also provide your MileagePlus account number, a photo ID and a same-day United airlines or MileagePlus partner boarding pass.

We're encouraging the Star Alliance partner lounges to accept the digital United Club membership card.

Regards,

However, I was turned away at the LH Lounge EWR the other day, despite showing the mobile card (which clearly still states that the physical card is needed for partner lounges).





I don’t blame the LH agent at all. She was friendly enough but explained that she received nothing on her end from UA, and needed something with the Star Alliance Lounge logo.

As lounges begin to re-open, has anyone else encountered this? Any tips of the trade?

Seeing as a decent chunk of my travel is abroad (more accurately, transborder), but not enough to get *G, the Star Alliance lounges are the only thing that keeps the UC membership worthwhile at the price we all pay.

silverforumsurf

Maybe they can make you an exception?

Often1

LH is being obstinate here. Not only could it accept the digital card, but it can verify your access via your MP number.

This issue has gone on for years and LH is alone in this position. To be clear, many LH agents do not enforce the physical card requirement.

NikoLGA

Agreed that it was a stubborn experience, especially given these times.

From what I understand, most airlines have no problem taking it from your MP number with Star Gold status, but I’m not sure it reflects on their end with the Star Alliance lounge status.

For what it’s worth, it wasn’t just the LH lounge. I was also bounced from the Club Acela, without my UC card. I wasn’t at all surprised there, though, since I doubt Amtrak has the software to look things like this up, and that Club isn’t worth much, anyway.

fumje

Have you tried at any of these places to use your physical card with the date elapsed? Maybe some places will accept it in conjunction with seeing the app. I would think they can still swipe / scan the physical card, as the coded information should not expire.

danielflyer

There are few if any recorded cases of coronavirus transmission through surfaces. It’s mainly airborne. Failing to reissue a physical card is a cost-cutting meaure.

I would make United figure it out but in this situation there isn’t much you can do. They can’t promise *A lounge access but not give you a physical card.

NikoLGA

I actually haven’t tried that. I removed the old card from my wallet, assuming it’s worthless past it’s expiry date. Maybe I’ll give that a go next time!

Cost cutting definitely crossed my mind. Not only by not sending a card, but when I don’t get admitted into a partner lounge, that lounge isn’t billing United for the visit, which is something I believe they do.

sexykitten7

UC access is $60. Just send UA an invoice each time this happens. I'm sure they will magically find a way to get you a card.

WineCountryUA

That's for access to a UA operated lounge. ... That is not the problem case.

Since it will be a symbolic invoice as the cost was not incurred, would expect it will be filed in the circular file. A chance you might get an ETC the first time.

But on a more constructive vein --- This is an issue UA needs to get worked out with their partners. In the long run, it will be a convenience to most and cost savings to UA (unless folks create counterfeit electronic cards? Having a verification process for partners will be needed.

GS complaints would help.

Cledaybuck

This is all part of the JV “seemless travel experience.”

DCA writer

The people at the WAS Club Acela haven’t had any problem confirming my UC membership from the digital card in the UA app on the few times I’ve tried, although I don’t remember if they scanned the bar code in the app or typed in my MP number.

HNLbasedFlyer

With expiration dates potentially a moving target at the moment, doesn't make much sense to print the cards.

mozilla

Well, when it is the 18th guy that day that claims to have lounge access based on something he shows on his phone, LH's position is facilitated enormously when said display shows "physical card needed to access this lounge". Additionally, the requirement that the agent was enforcing is written down in their access rules.

It would help if UA changes that line to "this virtual card is a valid *A lounge access credential", along with "Lounge agent: verify access using UAMP #XXXXXXXX ".

Dedicated topic: Recent Denials of admission to *A Lounges due to lack of UA *G card [2019-2020]

worldwidedreamer

One thing to remember is that alliance lounge access is one of the big unique selling propositions of the United Club. Only United Club + a subset of Air Canada Maple Leaf Club members have lounge access across the alliance. Today DL Sky Club members have access, to the best of my knowledge, a single reciprocal lounge at LHR when flying DL. AA Admirals Club members have a more generous program with most international outstations covered when flying AA, and Qantas + Alaska lounges when flying those airlines. Alaska is a different beast than the big three, but generally follows AA rules but more generous domestically and less so globally. The UA program is far more generous, and I think that this is a vestige of how a decision was made nearly a quarter century ago.

At one point (+/- 1997) I think Air New Zealand Koru Club and Ansett Australia Golden Wings Club members had similar alliance-wide lounge privileges. At the time airlines offering paid lounge programs (AN, AC, NZ, UA) accounted for about half of Star Alliance (vs LH, RG, SK, TG). Would not have been surprised if this was when the alliance-wide lounge access rules were adapted. Could see LH having been outvoted about allowing paid lounge members access to member owned lounges, and to this day insisting that the rules be followed to the word. Not sure exactly what the Star Alliance governance structure looks like, but perhaps founding member United has been able to veto changing this rule?

Going out on an even longer limb, it might well be that United decided that issuing plastic cards costs $x/year and only a single digit percentage of lounge members are denied access to LH lounges...so it was easier to just issue a token $50 travel credit to the smaller percentage of those people who complain?

Remember the Venn diagram is quite small: United Club members who do not have *G flying on *A who want to access an LH-operated lounge. I suspect that the only lounge in the world where this small group might constitute a critical mass of people would be at DTW which is in the US, but lacks a UA lounge, and has an LH lounge albeit with limited hours.

WineCountryUA

6 weeks late, but just received a new physical UC membership card. Good until 31 July 2021.