OWE benefits on QF ticketed and earning flights with AA Exec Plat

[CargoClass]

Hiall, quick one as I'm leaving on a trip tomorrow. I have just gained temporary 3 month full AA Executive Platinum through a fast track program with my US based company. I'm also Qantas Club + silver in QFF.

My flights are CBR-MEL-LAX-ORD rt. I understand I can access the Qantas Club, international Business and AA clubs under my current QC membership, however I was wondering if I can get OWE benefits under my AA EXPlat while still earning to QFF, on a QF paid flight number? This would include MEL FLounge, OWE boarding, OWE check in etc. Any other benefits I'm not aware of?

Thanks for your assistance!

 

[Danger]

In theory you should have no issue with crediting to QF but using your AA benefits.

That said, there's a thread on here somewhere (and this one on FlyerTalk) that notes a number of issues with this practice, all caused by QF. Give it a shot. Worse case, QF will insist putting the AA number in your reservation. If this is done, you'll need to get a QF agent elsewhere to change it back before flying. That is, if you go the F lounge in MEL and QF insists on putting your AA number in, then after exiting the lounge (on the way to the flight) go to a QF service desk and have it changed back. My very strong advice is to then phone QF and double-check that your AA number has been completely removed and that only your QF number is showing against the booking. Almost invariably in my experience, the QF ground agent will bugger it up and both numbers will be against the booking.

But start with your QF number in the booking and on your boarding pass and your AA card in your hand.

If you do encounter issues I for one would appreciate it if you could ask the QF agent to show you the rules on the QF or oneworld website.

 

[CargoClass]

Thanks, I'll try my luck at the MEL FLounge today and report back. I don't think I need to be annoying and use the queue, boarding etc...

 

[serfty]

Seriously, if you are EXP, even for just three months, I'd suggest you consider crediting all *O travel to AAdvantage ... its currently a much more rewarding FF program than QFF.

 

[CargoClass]

So no dice at CBR again, the Business lounge attendant stopped short of accusing me of cheating the system. Luckily I was able to escape into the club lounge! In MEL I was much more successful. Stopping by the International Business Lounge I asked about whether I would be able to access the FLounge, and where could I find it? Calling ahead, I was guided up the lift and the desk agents were more than willing to assist. I was given a warning that the next time I was in, I would be expected to credit my flight to the provider that I am claiming benefits from. Playing the role of the newbie I was allowed in with the QF number still attached to my flight.

There is no other flight in this trip that will need the added benefits of the OW Emerald status so I think I'll save my stress levels unless anybody has any requests. CBR-MEL-LAX-ORD-DFW-ORD-LAX-BNE-CBR.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

In MEL I was much more successful. Stopping by the International Business Lounge I asked about whether I would be able to access the FLounge, and where could I find it? Calling ahead, I was guided up the lift and the desk agents were more than willing to assist.

I was given a warning that the next time I was in, I would be expected to credit my flight to the provider that I am claiming benefits from. Playing the role of the newbie I was allowed in with the QF number still attached to my flight.

There is no other flight in this trip that will need the added benefits of the OW Emerald status so I think I'll save my stress levels unless anybody has any requests. CBR-MEL-LAX-ORD-DFW-ORD-LAX-BNE-CBR.

If you credit your One World flights to AA while you're AA Exec Plat you get more bang for your buck both for accruing points and also when it comes to redeeming award flights as premium travel requires less points and much less dollars eg USD90.00 through AA instead of AUD500.00 plus through QF.

I don't know where in the rule book it says you're not entitled to the benefits of one airline's program if crediting to another ie F Lounge access as an AA Exec Plat if crediting to QF. I think the people telling you that are making up their own set of rules. It's not like you're trying to credit your flights to both programs!

You'd actually be doing yourself a favour if you credited all the flights on this trip to AA so if you're still in the lounge as we speak you could instruct the staff to do this as leaving the QF one in your booking isn't doing you any favours despite their assertions.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

So no dice at CBR again, the Business lounge attendant stopped short of accusing me of cheating the system

I was given a warning that the next time I was in, I would be expected to credit my flight to the provider that I am claiming benefits from.

You seriously got these responses and attitude from QF staff at two different lounges? Sounds like a few people need to be sent on training sessions.

 

[drron]

The CBR agent is in the wrong.When I was EXP and flew domestically on QF I usually credited to QFF as booking class was not eligible for AA miles.So I would flash my EXP card.In fact on one occasion the lounge agent upgraded me to J-but it was a flight to ADL so probably not that much demand for J seats.:shock:

 

[Moindardt]

My very strong advice is to then phone QF and double-check that your AA number has been completely removed and that only your QF number is showing against the booking. Almost invariably in my experience, the QF ground agent will bugger it up and both numbers will be against the booking.

I had this exact problem. I had booked with my QF and changed it to AA at the check-in. The boarding pass had both on there and they said that was normal don't worry (which of course I was). I checked with AA the day after the flight and they said it would take 10-15 working days to find out. Sure enough, nothing credited to either program, and now struggling to get it fixed.

I got them to change to my QF number to print boarding pass in LAX so I could go into the F lounge and then back to AA. I doubled checked with the guy in the lounge and it had both there again, so he fixed it up.

He said that if it doesn't have QF Platinum or OW Emerald on the boarding pass, you are not getting in the lounge, as benefits relate to the FF program you are flying with. I read the rules for the lounge and I took it as you have to have the status AND be on a OW flight, nothing about the flight having to be related to the status.

 

[Moindardt]

Hiall, quick one as I'm leaving on a trip tomorrow. I have just gained temporary 3 month full AA Executive Platinum through a fast track program with my US based company. I'm also Qantas Club + silver in QFF.

My flights are CBR-MEL-LAX-ORD rt. I understand I can access the Qantas Club, international Business and AA clubs under my current QC membership, however I was wondering if I can get OWE benefits under my AA EXPlat while still earning to QFF, on a QF paid flight number? This would include MEL FLounge, OWE boarding, OWE check in etc. Any other benefits I'm not aware of?

Thanks for your assistance!

Why are you not crediting to AA? You only have silver in QF and IIRC, the Exec Plat challenge is 30k miles in 3 months. If you are going to be flying to US regularly, it is very easy to reach. This trip alone is 19902 miles, if it was in discount J, it would be x1.5 for 29853miles. Worse case, you would still qualify for the Platinum which is 10k in the challenge and 50k normally. You get far more credit in miles than in SC.

Don't forget you get 8 x SWU for Plat Exp.

 

[Himeno]

I don't know where in the rule book it says you're not entitled to the benefits of one airline's program if crediting to another ie F Lounge access as an AA Exec Plat if crediting to QF. I think the people telling you that are making up their own set of rules. It's not like you're trying to credit your flights to both programs!

There is no rule. It comes out of an issue with the QF/EK link up.
QF was writing up EK member lounge entries on paper, as they do with oneworld access. EK was refusing to accept the paperwork when they went to exchange lounge entry payments. As a result, EK numbers have to be in the booking to get lounge access.
Some lounge staff take this requirement for EK members as a requirement for every partner with lounge access.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

There is no rule. It comes out of an issue with the QF/EK link up.
QF was writing up EK member lounge entries on paper, as they do with oneworld access. EK was refusing to accept the paperwork when they went to exchange lounge entry payments.

As a result, EK numbers have to be in the booking to get lounge access.
Some lounge staff take this requirement for EK members as a requirement for every partner with lounge access.

So if an Exec Plat pax is visiting the F Lounge, AA are billed for the visit based on the fact the pax name is entered on the sheet as a guest?

In other words AA don't spit the dummy if the AA ffn isn't on the boarding pass if you hapoen to want to credit to another ff program other than AA?

 

[Himeno]

So if an Exec Plat pax is crediting to AA & their ffn is on the boarding pax do QF send AA a bill for the lounge visit?

Yes.
Just as AA bills QF when a QF Plat uses the LAX Flagship Lounge.
The main question is if/when the payment is based on class traveled or status. eg, if a QF Gold enters a CX J lounge when flying JL J. Does JL or QF pay CX?

 

[serfty]

To be clear, rules did change last year.

To paraphrase: "If using Qantas Status to access a Qantas lounge, Qantas require the member to be crediting the flight to Qantas Frequent Flyer".

So that is new.

In the past, simply providing evidence of a *O status enabling access was sufficient, irrespective of the *O program one was crediting to.

I have been thinking Qantas Lounge agents have been getting confused; mixing up *O access rules for non Qantas *O elites with theirs for members.

Lets look at the CBR Qantas lounge.

The Qantas Club | Lounge Locations | Australia | Canberra Domestic

Access for a Qantas Platinum Member: (note the caveat indicated by the ^)

Eligible Qantas Members
Platinum Frequent Flyer	Must be travelling on any flight the same day that shows Qantas^, Emirates^, Jetstar Airlines+ or a oneworld operated or marketed flight. Two guests allowed and do not need to be travelling.

^ Lounge access eligibility is based on the class of travel, Qantas club membership or the Frequent Flyer Membership tier for your next onward flight.

Access for a *O Emerald member: (There is no ^)

Eligible oneworld Status
Emerald	Next onward flight that day must be on a oneworld operated and marketed flight.# One guest allowed and does not need to be travelling.

 

[Moindardt]

But that is domestic. The Qantas F lounge in LAX has:

Platinum Frequent Flyer	Next onward flight must be on a Qantas, Jetstar Airlines+ or oneworld operated and marketed flight.# One guest allowed and must be travelling with the member on the same flight.

Emerald	Next onward flight that day must be on aoneworld operated and marketed flight.# One guest allowed and must be travelling on aoneworld operated and marketed flight.#

ie. A QFF Platinum or OW Emerald, on any oneworld flight, gets access.

This doesn't have anything about it having to be credited or am I completely missing something?

 

[serfty]

...
This doesn't have anything about it having to be credited or am I completely missing something?

The rules as publishes vary by lounge. I was referring the the CBR lounge where the OP was denied entry as an EXP travelling on *O - Which is incorrect according to Qantas own web page for CBR.

 

[CargoClass]

Regarding crediting on the fast track program, is it too late if I'm already in lax having flown some of the legs? I assumed QFF was a better fit for me because I'm AU based, already have points and SCs in the program. I'm not planning on flying too often and the long term goal is building up to LTG...

 

[Steady]

So if an Exec Plat pax is visiting the F Lounge, AA are billed for the visit based on the fact the pax name is entered on the sheet as a guest?

In other words AA don't spit the dummy if the AA ffn isn't on the boarding pass if you hapoen to want to credit to another ff program other than AA?

Congrats on 5000 posts OBB

 

[CargoClass]

On my return trip I visited the Qantas First lounge in TBIT, after confirming with the Business lounge staff that I would have access. They were quite happy to let me in on my separate Exec Plat status, and offered to have the flight credited to either QFF or Aadvantage.

The FLounge there was quite nice with very similar amenities to the Business lounge. Having been there I would not be dissatisfied with the business lounge, except for the crowding.

 

[Kangol]

To be clear, rules did change last year.

To paraphrase: "If using Qantas Status to access a Qantas lounge, Qantas require the member to be crediting the flight to Qantas Frequent Flyer".

So that is new.

In the past, simply providing evidence of a *O status enabling access was sufficient, irrespective of the *O program one was crediting to.

I have been thinking Qantas Lounge agents have been getting confused; mixing up *O access rules for non Qantas *O elites with theirs for members.

Lets look at the CBR Qantas lounge.

The Qantas Club | Lounge Locations | Australia | Canberra Domestic

Access for a Qantas Platinum Member: (note the caveat indicated by the ^)Access for a *O Emerald member: (There is no ^)

So the only people "disadvantaged" are those with QFF status lower than that of another OW program.

Still doesn't stop anyone from completely changing the FF program and number as many times as they want, whether it be before they enter, or when they leave a lounge, or at any time before the flight.