*A Lounge Access Question

[benhadi]

Hi everyone, got a question to ask. I've searched around abit here (and Flyertalk) but need some clarification.

Mrs. and I are travelling TG F in April, SYD-BKK-CDG, and would like to know whether I have access to the SQ lounge in SYD.

I know TG uses the NZ lounge in SYD. Based on *A rules, my understanding is that I am allowed to use ANY *A carrier lounges when travelling on F or J with exception of TG Royal Spa in BKK, LH FCT in FRA and LX FC in ZRH. The *A website doesn't exclude TPR in SIN but we all know that it's reserved for SQ F pax only, although i'm not sure whether their FCL is open F pax on other *A carriers. One would expect so.

I've heard that SQ lounge in SYD is open only to SQ pax, and they deny entry to other *A pax travelling in J or F and ask them to use the NZ lounge instead. The only one that is reported to gain access while travelling *A in J or F are those holding PPS status with SQ.

Is this true? And if so, does this not contravene *A rules? I've heard the SQ lounge is nothing special but considering there are 2 SQ flights departing around the same time I am assuming the oferings are going to be reasonable nonetheless.

Had a flight from JFK-IST few months back on TK. Was travelling F at the time and given access to the miserable KE lounge although there was a LH lounge next door. Apparently it's only available to LH pax. Seems strange to me, and seems to contravene *A lounge access rules. Can anybody shed some insight to this?

Many thanks!

Benhadi

 

[serfty]

By all accounts rather than deny access they will try to direct you down to the NZ lounge down the road.

Pleasant persistence should pay off.:idea:

Lounge Access Policy - Star Alliance

 

[markis10]

You might also find the lounge you are being directed to more pleasant than the SQ lounge due to the lack of a crowd, I find busy lounges can often mirror the atmosphere of a friday night at the pub, hardly relaxing for most.

 

[serfty]

You might also find the lounge you are being directed to more pleasant than the SQ lounge due to the lack of a crowd, I find busy lounges can often mirror the atmosphere of a friday night at the pub, hardly relaxing for most.

Ummm .. often the NZ lounge is full in the early afternoon with UA *G PAX awaiting their SFO/LAX departures.

 

[benhadi]

Thanks serfty & markis for your responses.

NZ lounge is indeed pleasant, but was just wondering whether the SQ lounge would offer something different. My TG flight is at 10am. SQ flight is 8am and 11am. So in all likelihood it'll be fairly quiet. People have told me that the NZ lounge is by far the best *A lounge in SYD.

To be perfectly honest i don't understand why lounges will deny access to other *A pax for their "normal" lounges (notwithstanding the TG Spa lounge and LH FCT). Don't they get paid by the carrier for every pax's entry?

 

[trooper]

SQ lounge in SYD doesn't deny access to any qualified entrant (IME)..

I went in (once) as a *G flying in Y on SQ... just to see what it was like.

I was in the NZ lounge about 10 minutes later....:mrgreen:

 

[KLN]

just be warned that the 8am SQ flight...................rarely leaves prior to 9.30, so all punters in the lounge stay there instead of boarding, especially pax in J and F. so the lounge is often quite full. SQ lounge OK. not much in the food dept for breakfast though. i don't usually do breakfast, only when the Moet is free i do.