Qantas international business lounge Sydney attitude.

[Vic]

The failure here is the fact that you cannot get an award ticket with a QF flight number. Nothing to do with the pass rules. The attitude of the lounge person stinks when Qantas have created this situation by not using QF flight numbers for awards on Emirates.
Someone said something about lounge access for qantas club members. They can access the qantas club before emirates flights. So not sure of that point.

I have had a similar situation trying to get in a extra person in my group before a flight on a one world airline. The lounge agent rightly pointed out the rules. I queried them and then realised the problem. They let my group in anyway as a one off and handed back the pass all done with good attitude. I then disposed of the pass as I considered it used.

In the end it's a learning experience.

QF (like other airlines) sells tickets for $$ or points on other airlines as codeshares OR as proper tickets
The passenger bought via points an EK4xx ticket - so this is not a codeshare as it is marketed and operated by EK.
Its a codeshare when it's a QF flight number but EK aircraft - marketed by QF but operated by EK. In this case the flight number would be QF84xx

Qantas advertised and sold the award with an EK flight number - to me that is MARKETED by Qantas even when not a codeshare.

 

[Mattg]

I once saw someone try to enter the same lounge with a Qantas Club pass, flying on Emirates (EK flight number) to AKL. The man seemed genuinely unaware that they needed to be travelling on a QF flight number to be let into the lounge.

The lady eventually let him in after giving him a stern lecture about codeshares and booking a QF flight number next time etc.

 

[Spongbob]

Qantas advertised and sold the award with an EK flight number - to me that is MARKETED by Qantas even when not a codeshare.

I can understand the frustration of the OP, but the idea of Vic is interesting. So I book an economy award flight with QF using points traveling on CX with a CX flight number. Should that allow for entry into the QF lounge at SYD or HKG using a pass?

 

[Mattg]

Qantas advertised and sold the award with an EK flight number - to me that is MARKETED by Qantas even when not a codeshare.

I can understand the frustration of the OP, but the idea of Vic is interesting. So I book an economy award flight with QF using points traveling on CX with a CX flight number. Should that allow for entry into the QF lounge at SYD or HKG using a pass?

No. The marketing airline, by definition, is the airline whose code the flight is booked under.

 

[Vic]

I can understand the frustration of the OP, but the idea of Vic is interesting. So I book an economy award flight with QF using points traveling on CX with a CX flight number. Should that allow for entry into the QF lounge at SYD or HKG using a pass?

That is not what I suggested

No. The marketing airline, by definition, is the airline whose code the flight is booked under.

Market - to advertise or promote. Qantas advertise and promote frequent flyer awards.

 

[Mattg]

Market - to advertise or promote. Qantas advertise and promote frequent flyer awards.

Yes, but in the aviation world "marketing airline" is specifically defined as the airline whose flight number the flight is booked under.

 

[TomVexille]

That is not what I suggested

Is that not exactly what you suggested? As QF sell award seats on pretty much every OW airline and other selected partners. Including EK.

 

[snabbu]

I can understand the frustration of the OP, but the idea of Vic is interesting. So I book an economy award flight with QF using points traveling on CX with a CX flight number. Should that allow for entry into the QF lounge at SYD or HKG using a pass?

The main variable between this and the EK story is that CX is part of OW so even though neither is technically allowed I'd think your example would have more of a chance than the original EK scenario.

 

[Spongbob]

Perhaps I misunderstand many of the points raised in this thread, but applying the terms of use of a QF lounge pass is not disputed (i.e. your flight must have a QF number)?

The issue raised by serfty (post #19) is the problem: the lounge staff could have been more understanding of the pass holder's confusion when they explained why they cannot enter the lounge?

 

[Quickstatus]

My reading of the original post suggests that the lounge staff did explain that the pass was invalid for the ticket, Then in spite of this there was some further discussion and a request by the passenger for the lounge dragons to ignore the TC and let her in.

Sure if indeed the encounter was as described, the attitude of the lounge dragon was very poor. However as I said previously, perceptions will vary as to what actually happened. 4 sides to the story.

The lounge dragons get these "try ons" all the time. Some may be accidental and they go away, some like here accidental but they then after being denied still ask to be let in despite the rules, others are just plain rude to the lounge dragons. It Would be interesting to get the lounge dragons and the passenger's perspective.

 

[mannej]

My reading suggests that the lounge staff did explain that the pass was invalid for the ticket.

Correct - as we weren't there we don't know how hard the OP's daughter tried pushing for access.

 

[Denali]

.....My daughter said she wasn't aware of that and asked if she could please use the pass as she had almost 3 hours before the flight. The attendant then got very condescending and said " you are on a FREE ticket and we have paying passengers!!! What the???? The reason she got her "free ticket" was being loyal to Qantas and accumulating the points as are all her family. Both my husband and myself are platinum.
I understand they have rules, but to be made to feel so inferior and rejected and almost in tears and told to find a cafe downstairs I think this is appalling treatment of a loyal customer.

I think its to be remembered that this is your 2nd hand version, from someone you love very much, and the lounge agent would have a different version.

It was explained to your daughter than her booking didnt qualify for lounge access, yet she persisted to have the rules changed for herself.

Embarrassing and disappointing for both of you (as you gifted her the pass) but you and your husband being WP bares no leverage on her situation.

No one needs to be "almost in tears" at a lounge knock back, you apologize for not understanding the fare rules and go find yourself a cup of coffee elsewhere.

Im sorry she had a rough day at the airport and hope she had a good trip after that.

 

[levelnine]

I think its to be remembered that this is your 2nd hand version, from someone you love very much, and the lounge agent would have a different version.

Indeed. There's no way of knowing that the daughter provided a fair and accurate account of events. We are hearing a second hand account of one side of the story.

If anyone is at fault, it is the OP.

As a WP (and therefore a very regular flyer), you should know that QP passes are restricted to QF flights and you should know that it is possible to book non-QF flights on the QF website. Thus, it was incumbent on you to check with your daughter before giving her the pass and incorrectly raising her expectations.

 

[maureeng]

Indeed. There's no way of knowing that the daughter provided a fair and accurate account of events. We are hearing a second hand account of one side of the story.

If anyone is at fault, it is the OP.

As a WP (and therefore a very regular flyer), you should know that QP passes are restricted to QF flights and you should know that it is possible to book non-QF flights on the QF website. Thus, it was incumbent on you to check with your daughter before giving her the pass and incorrectly raising her expectations.

She did not book on the website and did not argue. He is a very accepting non confrontational type and merely asked why. It was her first time booking a n award flight. Hen she told me she had booked I had no reason to think it wasn't qantas. A few people here have said she argued with staff!!! What.they dont know her and if they did they would never come to that assumption. My other children on the other hand may have but not her. Again I stress that it was NOT about not getting in it was what was said to her about being on a free ticket and not a paying passenger.

 

[JohnK]

Sorry to hear what happened to your daughter.

I push hard if I don't get things my way but I wouldn't expect the staff member to push back and insult me in the process. Very poor behaviour.

And I still think Qantas rules on award tickets suck. If you sell a codeshare on the flight then provide the codeshare with award ticket. Using points is no different to paying cash.

 

[basso]

She did not book on the website and did not argue. He is a very accepting non confrontational type and merely asked why. It was her first time booking a n award flight. Hen she told me she had booked I had no reason to think it wasn't qantas. A few people here have said she argued with staff!!! What.they dont know her and if they did they would never come to that assumption. My other children on the other hand may have but not her. Again I stress that it was NOT about not getting in it was what was said to her about being on a free ticket and not a paying passenger.

Staff get so many trie ons, and people not accepting that they don't have access. I've seen it many, many times. Anyway, not every interaction is going to be perfect. Personally, I just brush these things off and think the agent is having a bad hair day and move on. All seems a bit precious to me.

 

[mannej]

She did not book on the website and did not argue. He is a very accepting non confrontational type and merely asked why. It was her first time booking a n award flight. Hen she told me she had booked I had no reason to think it wasn't qantas. A few people here have said she argued with staff!!! What.they dont know her and if they did they would never come to that assumption. My other children on the other hand may have but not her. Again I stress that it was NOT about not getting in it was what was said to her about being on a free ticket and not a paying passenger.

No one here is saying your daughter argued with the dragon. What they are saying is that there are 3 sides to every story, and the information being provided here is not first hand. There is no need to get defensive as we are just looking at the bigger picture here.

Sorry to hear what happened to your daughter.

I push hard if I don't get things my way but I wouldn't expect the staff member to push back and insult me in the process. Very poor behaviour.

And I still think Qantas rules on award tickets suck. If you sell a codeshare on the flight then provide the codeshare with award ticket. Using points is no different to paying cash.

But it wasn't a codeshare. If the OP's daughter tried getting access on a paid ticket with the same flight number the outcome would be the exact same, no entry permitted.

 

[samh004]

Rules are rules, it's about the attitude and the way she was treated. She could have been told in a nice way not told she was on a freebie and made to feel inferior.

Different set of circumstances but falls under the "same same but different banner" was when my wife was travelling to Hong Kong last year. Fully paid ticket in economy, but no status at the time. She did however have a lounge pass. On arrival at the SYD Int Business lounge she was told she was too early to access the lounge and refused entry, despite (and I wasn't there) it being relatively empty at the time. I talked her into going back and she was handled by another agent who welcomed her in with open arms (so to speak), while the first agent who had refused her entry apparently glared at her from across the entrance way.

Something isn't right when you have two completely different experiences in the space of half an hour... and I would hazard a guess there's a staff member who works at that lounge who needs some re-training in customer service.

 

[levelnine]

I push hard if I don't get things my way but I wouldn't expect the staff member to push back and insult me in the process. Very poor behaviour.

What, precisely, do you expect a staff member to do if you stridently refuse to take no for an answer ('I push hard if I don't get things my way')?

With that sort of attitude, I would hope the staff member would call security and have you escorted from the premises.

 

[Vic]

Is that not exactly what you suggested? As QF sell award seats on pretty much every OW airline and other selected partners. Including EK.

No, it is exactly not what I suggested. I only mentioned emirates. I didn't make any mention of other airlines and people can stop trying to pretend I did.

The failure here is the fact that you cannot get an award ticket with a QF flight number. Nothing to do with the pass rules. The attitude of the lounge person stinks when Qantas have created this situation by not using QF flight numbers for awards on Emirates.
.

But it wasn't a codeshare.

He didn't say it was a codeshare.

Yes, but in the aviation world "marketing airline" is specifically defined as the airline whose flight number the flight is booked under.

That's nice. I can only repeat. "To me" that is marketed. Conventions in one particular industry, that is well known for disadvantaging the customer, do not change my interpretation.