Chairmans Lounge (CL) experiences

[Sprucegoose]

I am a CL (as some of you here know) I dont think I fly as much as Bossreggie but I do fly considerably. I think that CL is in another league completely. The few times I am not in F I am in J and as Bossreggie pointed out this is usually Qantas's fault. I would be quite cheesed off if one of my benefits is "enhanced" to another status level. For example, would a WP like it if SG could check in at the First Counter? No. Its the same thing. I personally think that WP1 should not get pre booked spa treatments rather introduce a waiting list for treatments and have WP1 always at the top (after the prebooked treatments of course) .

As a OWE do other OW airlines treat you differently from the Emerald status, or is the CL deal just a QF deal?

 

[samh004]

Re: Pre Intl travel call from the P1 desk

I don't believe a Spend of 200K buys you CL membership.

If so there would be many more CL members than there is.

To my knowledge CL membership has to be renewed every 2 years.

I know of business's that spend hundred's of thousands of dollars on travel and don't get CL privileges.

For a businesses executive team to get CL they need to be spending over a million a year, or is it 10 million, I forget which.

What zachary.august is talking about is a personal spend (even if his business pays for him he’s talking about just what’s spent on him being a qualifying amount). This would seem to hold true considering Boss is also a CL and is self funded in F. I haven’t seen his finances, what he spends on QF, but would imagine it’s a similar figure considering fully flex F is ~$17,000 to the UK last time I checked. (And as pointed out by him above while I was being slow with my typing).

And lets not forget there are CL’s and CL P1’s, with one clearly doing the travel and pumping money in, while the other might be influencing money from a different angle.

 

[zachary.august]

Re: Pre Intl travel call from the P1 desk

As a OWE do other OW airlines treat you differently from the Emerald status, or is the CL deal just a QF deal?

BA CL Treatment: Fantastic! 10/10
BA Equivalent Status: BA Premier

AA CL Treatment: Fine 7/10. They give you the Five Star Service (QF F Host Equivalent except at LA were the QF F Host escorts you to the AA lounge and to AA gate)
AA Equivalent Status: None really maybe ConciergeKey. They treat you well but there is not a real defining factor.

The others treat you as an OWE. Except on QF codeshare flights were a special note is put in your booking and they treat you better. Something interesting to note. DFW and JFK have a First Host despite lacking F flights these Hosts are pretty much just there to help with connections for CL's. If you have any other questions about CL just ask

 

[smit0847]

Re: Pre Intl travel call from the P1 desk

BA CL Treatment: Fantastic! 10/10
BA Equivalent Status: BA Premier

AA CL Treatment: Fine 7/10. They give you the Five Star Service (QF F Host Equivalent except at LA were the QF F Host escorts you to the AA lounge and to AA gate)
AA Equivalent Status: None really maybe ConciergeKey. They treat you well but there is not a real defining factor.

The others treat you as an OWE. Except on QF codeshare flights were a special note is put in your booking and they treat you better. Something interesting to note. DFW and JFK have a First Host despite lacking F flights these Hosts are pretty much just there to help with connections for CL's. If you have any other questions about CL just ask

Are the CL's that much nicer that you make sure you arrive with time to enjoy them properly or would you rather , say, have breakfast at home with your family? Are they as good as the Syd Flounge?

Are there a fair few celebs in the CL when you are in there or is it mainly rich businessmen?

 

[zachary.august]

Re: Pre Intl travel call from the P1 desk

Are the CL's that much nicer that you make sure you arrive with time to enjoy them properly or would you rather , say, have breakfast at home with your family? Are they as good as the Syd Flounge?

Are there a fair few celebs in the CL when you are in there or is it mainly rich businessmen?

Well thats a tough one... More often than not I will eat with my family. But the CL is nice. The demographic for the CL is pretty much middle age to older rich white business men (and women). I have seen famous people being placed in the CL. They are like mini F Lounges (minus the spa)

 

[Kangol]

Re: Pre Intl travel call from the P1 desk

AA CL Treatment: Fine 7/10. They give you the Five Star Service (QF F Host Equivalent except at LA were the QF F Host escorts you to the AA lounge and to AA gate)
AA Equivalent Status: None really maybe ConciergeKey. They treat you well but there is not a real defining factor.

The others treat you as an OWE. Except on QF codeshare flights were a special note is put in your booking and they treat you better. Something interesting to note. DFW and JFK have a First Host despite lacking F flights these Hosts are pretty much just there to help with connections for CL's. If you have any other questions about CL just ask

Does the QF F lounge in TBIT have a separate room for CLs at the front (just as you walk in to your left)? I remember seeing some frosted glass door with what looked like a separate area.. kinda like a mini CL?

 

[zachary.august]

Re: Pre Intl travel call from the P1 desk

Does the QF F lounge in TBIT have a separate room for CLs at the front (just as you walk in to your left)? I remember seeing some frosted glass door with what looked like a separate area.. kinda like a mini CL?

Yep and here are some pictures of the LAX TBIT "CL" its really a VIP room that all CL's (and important First Flyer's) are placed by the First Host. It is booked in advance by the First Host

 

[Kangol]

Re: Pre Intl travel call from the P1 desk

Yep and here are some pictures of the LAX TBIT "CL" its really a VIP room that all CL's (and important First Flyer's) are placed by the First Host. It is booked in advance by the First Host

Ah nice, thanks. I'm guessing same food/drink as the rest of the pleb Plats/OWEs/F passengers?

 

[zachary.august]

Re: Pre Intl travel call from the P1 desk

Ah nice, thanks. I'm guessing same food/drink as the rest of the pleb Plats/OWEs/F passengers?

For the most part yes. An attendant comes in regularly to ask you what you want and then they bring it to you. For the evening departures noodles are available (these are offered by the attendant). That little "CL" is pricely when I travel with my family it is nicer to be in your own mini lounge room. This sounds quite snobby but there really is (for me) no other way to travel with my family F with CL just makes it so much nicer and easier. There is also a small little international CL in JNB BA Galleries First. No photos sadly. Any other questions? Ask the CL time lol

 

[Kangol]

Re: Pre Intl travel call from the P1 desk

For the most part yes. An attendant comes in regularly to ask you what you want and then they bring it to you. For the evening departures noodles are available (these are offered by the attendant). That little "CL" is pricely when I travel with my family it is nicer to be in your own mini lounge room. This sounds quite snobby but there really is (for me) no other way to travel with my family F with CL just makes it so much nicer and easier. There is also a small little international CL in JNB BA Galleries First. No photos sadly. Any other questions? Ask the CL time lol

Thanks for sharing as most of us here would have little insight on what it is to be a CL, besides what BR tells us. Hopefully you don't get into trouble for revealing all this information! Do you ever travel Int Long haul Y? If so, do they treat you any differently to normal WPs - or do they just op-up you to the highest class available?

 

[zachary.august]

Re: Pre Intl travel call from the P1 desk

Thanks for sharing as most of us here would have little insight on what it is to be a CL, besides what BR tells us. Hopefully you don't get into trouble for revealing all this information! Do you ever travel Int Long haul Y? If so, do they treat you any differently to normal WPs - or do they just op-up you to the highest class available?

I wont get in trouble zachary.august is not my real name I never travel Y internationally. However, the one time that there was no seat available in Business DOM I was given a J newspaper, drinks and meal this was from SYD-ADL. Also once I was forced to travel Y+ (however, considering I changed my flights with little notice in peak January travel time this was a great achievement none the less) I was given J pyjamas and a J amenity kit. All the other times have been F except on routes to DFW and Frankfurt with no F

 

[Oneworldplus2]

CL experiences

Questions for zachary.august (or anyone else who knows the answers, feel free to jump in) -

As a QF CL, do you;
- Have access to BA's CCR in LHR/JKF when not travelling BA F?
- Besides LAX TBIT, are there any other Int CL Lounges (Syd/Mel/Sin/Hkg/Bkk...) ?
- This one is OT, but do BA Premier Card Holders/AA Concierge Key members (CL equivalent) have access to QF CL Lounges?
- When flying on QF, what's the maximum amount of luggage you can check in? Is it a weight/piece system, or it doesn't matter?

 

[zachary.august]

Re: Pre Intl travel call from the P1 desk

Questions for zachary.august (or anyone else who knows the answers, feel free to jump in) -

As a QF CL, do you;
- Have access to BA's CCR in LHR/JKF when not travelling BA F?
- Besides LAX TBIT, are there any other Int CL Lounges (Syd/Mel/Sin/Hkg/Bkk...) ?
- This one is OT, but do BA Premier Card Holders/AA Concierge Key members (CL equivalent) have access to QF CL Lounges?
- When flying on QF, what's the maximum amount of luggage you can check in? Is it a weight/piece system, or it doesn't matter?

Love a good Q&A session

1) Yes I have used the Concorde Room in T5 Cant speak for JFK
2) Yes most of the time the "CL's" are just private VIP rooms that (when a CL is on the flight traveling in a group) is reserved for you. They are often located where the F lounge gets really crowded. They aren't in the F lounges in SYD,MEL,BNE etc.The LAX QF F Hosts are very friendly to me and we have a great relationship (emails at Christmas birthdays, and even one today for Mothers Day) and they always ensure that it is fully stocked. So to answer your question. Yes
3) I know that BA Premier Card holders have reciprocal access to the CL but only if connecting from a BA First Class flight or QF First Class flight. So they must have flown First from London and be connecting to a domestic flight on Qantas (this flight must also be in Business). It is quite restrictive :O However, BA is pretty similar i.e must have flown in on a QF First flight from Sydney or BA First from Sydney (you must have originated from Australia so if you boarded in SIN or BKK tough luck). You are given an invite card by the F Host on arrival in LHR.
4) All I know is that my wife had four piece of luggage each equal to 40kg on a flight to LHR in F and we had no excess luggage charges :O

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Re: Pre Intl travel call from the P1 desk

Thanks for reply zachary.august

 

[Sprucegoose]

Re: Pre Intl travel call from the P1 desk

BA CL Treatment: Fantastic! 10/10
BA Equivalent Status: BA Premier

AA CL Treatment: Fine 7/10. They give you the Five Star Service (QF F Host Equivalent except at LA were the QF F Host escorts you to the AA lounge and to AA gate)
AA Equivalent Status: None really maybe ConciergeKey. They treat you well but there is not a real defining factor.

The others treat you as an OWE. Except on QF codeshare flights were a special note is put in your booking and they treat you better. Something interesting to note. DFW and JFK have a First Host despite lacking F flights these Hosts are pretty much just there to help with connections for CL's. If you have any other questions about CL just ask

thnxs interesting.

I was surprised to see CX omitted here?

 

[zachary.august]

Re: Pre Intl travel call from the P1 desk

thnxs interesting.

I was surprised to see CX omitted here?

I have never (flown CX in F twice) received anything special. They treated me as if I was a normal F OWE passenger. I had used QF points for the ticket.

 

[markis10]

Re: Pre Intl travel call from the P1 desk

Can we please stick to the topic at hand, OT posts moved to their own thread.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Re: Pre Intl travel call from the P1 desk

More questions for Z.A...

- Do you get Double Status Credit Promo's like the rest of us, or is it relevant/redundant for someone in your position/stature?
- Have you seen/heard about LTP (Lifetime Platinum) through the grapevine anywhere?

 

[el_rooto]

Re: Pre Intl travel call from the P1 desk

It's only the same thing if the person being "enhanced" is of lesser value to the airline.

All I am querying is whether it is true that the average CL is truly of more value than the average P1. Once upon a time, perhaps, but I think that there are way too many CLs now, so that the average CL is not of the same value as the average P1.

I could be wrong, but if I am correct, then it should be the case that the benefits follow the value - the distinction between CL and P1 is perhaps a little bit arbitrary. Perhaps CLs should be made to justify their ongoing membership more frequently?

Its more an issue that CL's are in positions of power (usually) over Qantas. If they had a bad experience with QF or were given the rough end of the stick by someone, it could have quite large negative implications for the company. Its in the interests of QF to always give CL's a top-notch experience, as it will make things substantially easier for the company if they ever have issues with governments or large corporates.

A CL may not be as valuable revenue wise, however they are incredibly valuable networking wise.

 

[zachary.august]

Re: Pre Intl travel call from the P1 desk

More questions for Z.A...

- Do you get Double Status Credit Promo's like the rest of us, or is it relevant/redundant for someone in your position/stature?
- Have you seen/heard about LTP (Lifetime Platinum) through the grapevine anywhere?

Okay.

1) The Double SC's mean next to nothing to me. I still have normal status (in my case WP1) which I get from flying. But its really quite redundant as it counts for close to nothing. I dont need the one week upgrade clearance as I rarely have an upgrade declined and the CL Special Services team is also better than the WP1.
2) LTP is something that exists but doesn't exist. I have heard rumblings. When I asked the CL team they said that its incredibly incredibly incredibly incredibly incredibly incredibly hush hush (if it even exists less than 50 exist).