[Confirmed Fixed - Maybe Not!] No LHR T5 Galleries access for QP before BA/QF flights

[user_]

[Mod Note]

Please note that according to post number 513 in this thread, Qantas Club members are now welcome to use the BA galleries lounge in LHR terminal 5.

However, there has been further issues in relation to this.

Please see this thread: http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ss-not-quite-reinstated-36538.html#post557215
​

[/Mod Note]

Does anybody know what BA lounges Bronze Qantas club members can get access to??? Can you get into Galleries T5???

See below for the response I got, having written to Qantas and asking about the same situation:

Thank you for contacting The Qantas Club and Frequent Flyer Service Centre.

I can understand your disappointment at not being able to access the British Airways Galleries lounge in Terminal 5 at London Heathrow Airport.

Qantas has an agreement with British Airways that allows Qantas Club members to access British Airways Terraces and Executive Club lounges worldwide when they are travelling onward on a Qantas or British Airways service. Read about partner lounge access by clicking on the following link: <link to the Qantas website>.

The only exception to this arrangement is at Terminal 3 at Heathrow, where Qantas has a separate arrangement with British Airways to allow Qantas Club members departing on a Qantas service to access to the British Airways Galleries lounge at T3. This is because since 2009, all Qantas services departing from Heathrow operate from T3.

This arrangement, however, only applies at T3 at Heathrow for Qantas operated services. At all other ports worldwide, including T5 at Heathrow, the partner agreement with British Airways applies, meaning that Qantas Club members only have access to British Airways Terraces or Executive Club lounges. As the British Airways lounge in T5 is a Galleries lounges, Qantas Club members do not have access, even when travelling on a British Airways service.

I regret any confusion or inconvenience caused, but hope this information helps to clarify the situation for you.

Next time you are travelling to London, please visit qantas.com or contact the Frequent Flyer Service Centre on <phone number>. (8.00am to 7.00pm AEST/AEDT Monday to Friday) to check lounge access entitlements before you travel.

Kind Regards,


Steve
The Qantas Club and Frequent Flyer Service Centre

 

[Princess Fiona]

See below for the response I got, having written to Qantas and asking about the same situation:

This is very disappointing IMHO. I would have thought the phrase "executive club lounges" should cover all BA Lounges, particularly those in T5.
I wonder when QF updated the website, this is yet another devaluation of QP membership.
The Lounge Dragons at LHR have always struggled to utter the words "paid" and "lounge access" in the same sentence.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I now realise having looked at the BA website that QP members will be able to access the lounges in Jersey, Manchester and Newcastle:

As the others are galleries then QP members will be out of luck.
I hope this isn't being implemented
Red Roo can you please look into this ?

 

[scwappy]

Re: Qantas club BA lounge access

I am a QP member with no status and was traveling from LHR to FCO in August on BA (from T5) and was allowed to use the lounge there. The Boarding pass was scanned into their system and they asked to see the QF card.

I very much hope the entitlements haven't changed, just as a result of rebranding to a different name, but nothing would surprise me when it comes to that airline.

 

[Danger]

Re: Qantas club BA lounge access

Anyone who thinks lounge access rules are straight-forward is, in my opinion, deluded.

If I understand the QF response correctly, the member was denied access to the T3 lounge because it's called a Galleries lounge, the new name for BA's lounges. Princess Fiona has pointed out the ludicrousness of this in her post above.

Seriously, could you imagine the size and complexity of a cheat sheet for lounge access, even when just including QF and its range of memberships? The recent incident of the member who had difficulty at the QF/AA lounge in HNL is a case in point. Partner lounges, regional lounges, codeshares . . . It truly is a minefield.

And I still don't understand why able the member who recently flew QF10 ex-T3 was denied access to the BA lounge as a Qantas Club member. As far as I can determine from the QF website, Qantas Club membership entitles you to access any BA (standard) lounge when departing on a QF or BA flight:

Partner Lounges
When travelling with British Airways or American Airlines, as a Qantas Club member you and a guest are welcome in British Airways lounges (Terraces and Executive Club) and American Airlines Admirals Club lounges. Simply present your Qantas Club card together with your boarding pass at the lounge reception. Both you and your guest need to be travelling together further that day on a flight marketed^ and operated by the partner airline whose lounge you wish to visit.

​

Discover the benefits of The Qantas Club

 

[Princess Fiona]

Anyone who thinks lounge access rules are straight-forward is, in my opinion, deluded.

If I understand the QF response correctly, the member was denied access to the T3 lounge because it's called a Galleries lounge, the new name for BA's lounges. Princess Fiona has pointed out the ludicrousness of this in her post above.

Seriously, could you imagine the size and complexity of a cheat sheet for lounge access, even when just including QF and its range of memberships? The recent incident of the member who had difficulty at the QF/AA lounge in HNL is a case in point. Partner lounges, regional lounges, codeshares . . . It truly is a minefield.

And I still don't understand why able the member who recently flew QF10 ex-T3 was denied access to the BA lounge as a Qantas Club member. As far as I can determine from the QF website, Qantas Club membership entitles you to access any BA (standard) lounge when departing on a QF or BA flight.

I was referring to user_'s letter from QFF stating that QP members cannot access Galleries Lounges at T5. Presumably it was in response to a complaint made about being denied access in T5.
This has certainly not been the case in the past.
BA = :evil:

 

[serfty]

Re: Qantas club BA lounge access

There's a similar thread going on at FT currently - maybe the same event/poster, certainly the same 'excuse' from QF.

Heathrow - Terminal 5 - FlyerTalk Forums

Note that LHR T3 Galleries is specifically mentioned as being the QP lounge for Qantas flights: (Heathrow - Terminal 5 - FlyerTalk Forums)

UK/Europe

Associated lounges*

Frankfurt	Terminal 2, Hall D, Level 3 adjacent to gates D1-4 and D5-8	4 hours before departure	Ph: 49 (69) 690 72716 Fx: 49 (69) 6905 9511
London Heathrow^	Terminal 3, Lounge zone F, towards Gates 13 - 22	0500 to last flight departure	Ph: Not available Fx: Not available
London Heathrow - Arrivals Lounge+	Arrivals Level 2	0530 – 1400 daily	Ph: Not available Fx: Not available

* Associated lounges are operated by, or on behalf of, other airlines in selected ports to which Qantas operates. Associated lounges may only be open to Qantas Club members two hours before Qantas departures.
^ Oneworld family policy access applies
+ London Heathrow Arrivals Lounge - Eligible Qantas customers include First and Business Class only.
Lounges operated by:
Frankfurt - Sakura Lounge operated by Japan Airlines.
London Heathrow Business Lounge - Galleries Club Lounge operated by British Airways. London Heathrow Arrivals Lounge - Admirals Club operated by American Airlines.

 

[ishin]

Hi... I'm a QP and had no issues using BA "galleries" lounges in T5 last month coming off CX from HK onto domestic BA..Food and booze ( 18 year old scotch) were good, but no Champagne which was disappointing

 

[serfty]

Hi... I'm a QP and had no issues using BA "galleries" lounges in T5 last month coming off CX from HK onto domestic BA..Food and booze ( 18 year old scotch) were good, but no Champagne which was disappointing

It is not put on display, but is available. Whan in LHR Galleries Club lounges - simply ask a passing attendant for said Champagne.

 

[ishin]

Hmmm... Thx...others take note and don't be shy.... Any idea what domain's they have available as I'm heading over to LHR again shortly?

 

[aliens]

Re: Qantas club BA lounge access

The relative flexibility of QF lounges in letting you bring your kids into the lounge is actually a really strong selling point for QF. The additional cost to QF versus the goodwill they generate is a great PR investment.

Granted the little blighters have to behave. Mine certainly do as I have the additional threat - sit quietly or your out of the lounge....

Better PR if they stopped the little creeps getting in. They are never well behaved in lounges.....

 

[casanovawa]

Re: Qantas club BA lounge access

Oh no, not another load of bollocks about kids not behaving... Just deal with it, although the QP attendants should also tap said parents on the shoulder now and then... And friends of misbehaivng adults as well..

My epxerience as a NB QP member flying Y in July '11 was i got into BA lounges in T5 (spose they were the galleries ones, i can never keep up with names of them all) on both my trips on BA flights (LHR-ARN and LHR-FCO) even though i had lost my QP card in Buenos Aries... Best of all i even managed to talk my way into the lounge (think it was an Iberian one) at BCN for a couple of hours of snacking, but i think the young lady on the desk was a little confused... I considered this evening up for the BA lounge dragon at TXL who didn't let me in the BA lounge without my QP card... I guess in many of these situations my trusting looks and reasonable demeanour helped me through... Apart from with the Sour Kraut...

 

[serfty]

It seems to be true - Galleries are not Terraces

I have made a direct enquiry myself on behalf of "a friend ".

It took two days but I received the (becoming) standard reply regarding Galleries not being part of the agreement. Also was this:

...The only exception to this arrangement is at Terminal 3 at Heathrow, where Qantas has a separate arrangement with British Airways to allow Qantas Club members departing on a Qantas service to access to the British Airways Galleries lounge at T3. ...

I replied back with the following:

... Until recently my friend was quite able to access the Galleries lounges at LHR T5 using his Qantas Club membership before flying on BA flights to Europe.

This had been the case since T5 opened.

So this appears to have been a change in policy. If so, can you please confirm when this indeed changed. ...

About 20 minutes later I received a telephone call with further advice. To paraphrase:

• QP membership based access to T5 Galleries has never been a benefit.
• For those QP members that has been allowed access to T5 Galleries, they should not have been permitted entry.
• This non access is now being enforced.

I finished the call with a comment that such a quibble over naming of lounges in relation make Qantas Club membership virtually useless for BA flights to Europe and represented a severe reduction in value.

 

[Danger]

re: [QP mem] Refused access BA LHR T5 [Confirmed: no "Galleries" Access for QP]

Wow. As someone else has suggested, this would appear to be a significant devaluation of Qantas Club membership. And the splitting hairs over a name it pathetic. Imagine if AA, for example, said 'Sorry, no access to our lounge for you Mr/Ms BA customer because you're flying Club, not Business'. That's pathetic.

 

[scwappy]

re: [QP mem] Refused access BA LHR T5 [Confirmed: no "Galleries" Access for QP]

mmmm. I wonder if QF will change the name of the QP in Australia and deny access to members here

 

[docjames]

Re: It seems to be true - Galleries are not Terraces

To paraphrase:

• QP membership based access to T5 Galleries has never been a benefit.
• For those QP members that has been allowed access to T5 Galleries, they should not have been permitted entry.
• This non access is now being enforced.

I finished the call with a comment that such a quibble over naming of lounges in relation make Qantas Club membership virtually useless for BA flights to Europe and represented a severe reduction in value.

Wow, you really need to feed this back to Qantas. What a discrace that the major airport they make us transit (due to lack of partner options direct to EU destinations) no longer allows access in T5.

I'm not sure if it's relevant, but last time we were there pre-QFF Gold status mrsdoc was QP and we had some issues getting in. The Entry Dragons initially said "it's not on the list". I pushed a little, suggesting it was a clearly published benefit of QF's lounge program and if they'd like to access the QF webpage it would show so. Failing that, they should contact QF whilst we waited. At this point, they showed me the A4 page with copies of about 100 cards on it (some old ones, and also you can imagine the size to fit them onto one page), but also with some very small print at the bottom. I pointed to them the fine print at the bottom - "Qantas Club members if travelling BA". No card photo however. The response, only very mildly apologetic, after getting out their reading glasses and confirming what it said (using the outstretched arms in addition to the reading glasses), was that "there are so many we cant remember them all" and "this sheet is too small for us to read".

Perhaps the person you contacted isnt aware of this, although the naming is an issue and is probably technically correct as published.

I think this might be time for a comment from RedRoo - this is a major issue for QP members as it grossly devalues the membership for anyone travelling to Europe, and an official reply to clarify the situation would be useful.

 

[Timba-Jet]

I have made a direct enquiry myself on behalf of "a friend ".

It took two days but I received the (becoming) standard reply regarding Galleries not being part of the agreement. Also was this:
I replied back with the following:About 20 minutes later I received a telephone call with further advice. To paraphrase:

• QP membership based access to T5 Galleries has never been a benefit.
• For those QP members that has been allowed access to T5 Galleries, they should not have been permitted entry.
• This non access is now being enforced.

I finished the call with a comment that such a quibble over naming of lounges in relation make Qantas Club membership virtually useless for BA flights to Europe and represented a severe reduction in value.

Wow, if this now the official policy then we should all voice our disgust to Qantas.

QP membership clearly markets BA and AA lounge access as part of benefits. With QF hyping the benefits of increased alliance and codeshare with partners like BA, but devalue BA lounge access is hypocritical.

If you are traveling BA in Europe then likely you will use T5, unless going back to Asia/oz. take T5 lounge access and you make BA lounge access so limited it is misleading and deceptive.

I generally give QF the benefit but this is just poor.

 

[tuapekastar]

re: [QP mem] Refused access BA LHR T5 [Confirmed: no "Galleries" Access for QP]

Well apart from sucking big time (and this certainly does), I'm flabbergasted that a) people (i.e. BA/QF) could get this 'wrong' for so long and b) be so petty. As Princess Fiona points out, there are only 3 BA lounges in the UK that QP members can now access, plus a number in North America, and a few dotted here and there elsewhere.

I accessed BA Galleries lounges at LHR T5 last year on several occasions when flying BA, with my QP card. No problems. I don't do 'controlled' anger very well at all , I'm usually meek, mild and accepting, or (just occasionally) turn the air blue, very little in-between. I'm sure the latter would have been the case had I been refused entry last year.

I appreciate this is a policy negotiated outside the OW 'rules', and the terms are as arrived at by the parties involved, and any BA lounge access for QP members is a bonus, but equally I think most (certainly me) would expect that the access would have applied to 'Galleries' lounges as they eventually were renamed. Very petty, and poor form, particularly on the part of QF. I appreciate everything I got from QP membership, but this is still annoying.

 

[N860CR]

re: [QP mem] Refused access BA LHR T5 [Confirmed: no "Galleries" Access for QP]

It's interesting... based on this, what's to stop Qantas redeveloping the SYD/MEL/BNE QP's in the future, renaming them "Qantas Premium Lounge" and saying that QC members are only entitled to enter "The Qantas Club". Sets a scary tone... But it does make VA lounge membership a little more attractive. It's certainly starting to close the gap (do VA Lounge members have access to DL lounges? The DL website seems to suggest they do).

 

[Flying mermaid]

re: [QP mem] Refused access BA LHR T5 [Confirmed: no "Galleries" Access for QP]

painful if this is true - we bought lifetime memberships for the older Miss FM (in future known as Dr FM) and Master FM when they turned 18 (alas no longer available for the younger Miss FM). A significant part of the decision was access to overseas BA lounges. Dr FM has in fact made extensive use of T5 lounges on her various trips to the UK. I suspect she might be deciding to go UK - Europe by train in future....

There have been quite a lot of complaints on the BAEC board over access by paid membership vs Status by QC members, so maybe that is a factor. I can see their point of view, as if you have managed to get access via hard won status it must be annoying to have to share the lounge with people from the antipodes who have just paid for it. However it was a benefit for a number of years, so annoying to see it gone (if it is). Terminal 5 Galleries is seriously nice - I have very fond memories of a hot mushroom and tomato roll I had for breakfast a couple of years ago.