Another VA low point - denied meet lounge access

[esseeeayeenn]

Someone has probably already said this but as a QF Platinum I can't imagine QF allowing me to access the lounge under these cirumstances.

 

[JohnK]

I feel people struggle to understand unpublished benefits.

Someone has probably already said this but as a QF Platinum I can't imagine QF allowing me to access the lounge under these cirumstances.

Have you tried?

I can think of at least 3 instances where that has happened to me. I don't try that often so do not have many failures.

- BKK lounge flying QF bring in a guest flying SQ
- TSV lounge dropping off a car and not flying asked to access lounge
- SIN lounge I am in transit in lounge and serfty and wife have just arrived from LHR and were going to town and we met up in transit and both were allowed entry into the old SIN F Lounge where BA lounge is now. I guess 2 x Platinums and Partner Gold had something to do with it but unless you ask you won't know the answer

 

[Princess Fiona]

swanning_it.....all airlines are the same unfortunately! This Thursday I'm flying QF to Sin with my elderly parents....I PMed Red Roo twice to see if I could guest both my parents in the QF F lounge in Sydney with me....I have been QF Plat for 7 straight years and have forward QF bookings that will get me Plat for another year...I was hoping that QF could bend the rules this once so I could take both my parents in but have not had even the courtesy of a reply in the +ve or -ve. I hit QF LT Gold in March at which time I'll stop going out of my way to fly QF and just choose airlines that take me to my destination the quickest and in the best comfort....

OT but I think Red Roo has dropped off here quite considerably in all respects.

Back on topic I would ring the FLounge in advance and request it.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Imagine trying to get into QF lounge as a QF WP travelling on VA

Someone has probably already said this but as a QF Platinum I can't imagine QF allowing me to access the lounge under these cirumstances.

This thread was never a comparison to QF. It was a comparison between what VA previously allowed and what they now allow. Even though I personally, have no issue with the comparisons being made, they are OT.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I feel people struggle to understand unpublished benefits.

It's fairly clear there are at least a few posting on this thread that fit that category. There is a stubborn mindset that an unpublished benefit has to be published to be real! :shock:

Makes it better for those of us who bother to rationally discuss these benefits and make use of them when we can rather than paste up bolded and font size increased text to make a non-existent point. I wonder if all those who are sick of VAs penny-pinching and are currently doing a QF status challenge realise there is no such thing ... officially! It's what most of us refer to as an unpublished benefit, but of course those people must be delusional as unpublished benefits don't happen unless the Ts&Cs state they do! (last sentence was sarcasm, for those that don't recognise it)

 

[yohy?!]

[h=3]The member needs to be travelling or have travelled that day! Guests don't need to be travelling but the member does.


Members[/h]If you are a Virgin Australia Lounge member or Velocity Platinum or Gold member, present your membership card and your flight itinerary or boarding pass – for onward domestic...

Fine print is one thing but those of us who have actually used VA lounges know and are relaying the policy as it's been enforc

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I never said "most:. I said "many". And I will stand by my statements that a sufficiently large number of FFers would be like that (Most wouldn't, many would)

Thank you for the correction. I've gone back to check what it was you did say and here it is ...

From what I have seen of the frequent flyer crowd is that they are not really always the most honest in trying to get something, and many would tell straight out lies

You actually stated that all the FFer "crowd" that you've seen are dishonest when attempting get something and most are outright liars to boot. Given you posted this on a FFer forum, and then go on to state you "stand by your comments", do we simply assume you are a troll attempting to elicit a reaction or are a stubborn and thoughtless poster making crass comments? I actually gave you the benefit of the doubt.

 

[samh004]

I've gone back to check what it was you did say and here it is ...

You actually stated that all the FFer "crowd" that you've seen are dishonest when attempting get something and most are outright liars to boot. Given you posted this on a FFer forum, and then go on to state you "stand by your comments", do we simply assume you are a troll attempting to elicit a reaction or are a stubborn and thoughtless poster making crass comments? I actually gave you the benefit of the doubt.

Any link to this, so I can see the context in which it was written. It seems to me that this would be something of a loophole. From what I have seen of the frequent flyer crowd is that they are not really always the most honest in trying to get something, and many would tell straight out lies claiming they were meeting someone, when they really just wanted a free beer.....

There seems to be a bit of confusion with what was said. I have highlighted the words many, most and all. I don't think we need to put words in others mouths. What has been said is on the record.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I don't think we need to put words in others mouths.

Nor try to remove them. What was said was poor English, but it was:

"what I have seen of the frequent flyer crowd" ... There is no "most", or "many" or "some" or a percentage used in that bit so therefore that means "all" that he/she has seen.
"they are not really always the most honest'' ... a single word for this is dishonest.
"many would tell straight out lies" ... means outright liars.

I'm not putting words in others mouths, but also not attempting to misread them. In the context, I posted that the comment was crass and so it is. Unless the poster has never actually met any FFers (in which case said comment should never have been made), I'd suggest it is off the cuff rubbish with absolutely no basis in fact. My observation of the FFers I have met is quite the opposite. They are generally people that I'd describe as hard working professionals, with a fair tad of leisure travellers intermixed, who are happy to exploit any genuine benefit that comes their way (written or otherwise), but that does not mean they are dishonest and for the vast majority of cases they would also not lie to gain undue benefit. It simply means they are wise with their travel arrangements, which is not what the poster wrote.

 

[TonyHancock]

From what I have seen of the frequent flyer crowd is that they are not really always the most honest in trying to get something, and many would tell straight out lies claiming they were meeting someone, when they really just wanted a free beer.....

Or a dry martini in my case, although I do see myself as a step above the frequent flyer crowd, or used to before being demoted by Qantas simply because I fell a few status credits short of some sort of qualification mark.

 

[Marty_]

This thread is the biggest storm in a teacup I've ever seen.

Make sure there are no peas under your mattress tonight, princess.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

This thread is the biggest storm in a teacup I've ever seen.

Make sure there are no peas under your mattress tonight, princess.

There was a population study done some years ago which looked at how people spelled difficult words.
As most of the sample group couldn't successfully spell many words, the theory was that the English spelling should be changed, as this is how most of the population now understood the word to be written.

So, even if you don't agree with the OP - because other members feel the same way as the OP, it makes the OPs point entirely valid.
Which means - if more members have the same understanding of lounge access as the OP than not, this makes the OPs views on lounge access the new normal standard despite what any written words might suggest.

 

[juddles]

.....So, even if you don't agree with the OP - because other members feel the same way as the OP, it makes the OPs point entirely valid...Which means - if more members have the same understanding of lounge access as the OP than not, this makes the OPs views on lounge access the new normal standard despite what any written words might suggest.

And it appears that many members (myself included) disagree with the expectation that rules should be unfailingly bent. They get bent once, and suddenly it is perceived as an entitlement.

My personal view is that rules exist for many reasons, and should be strictly enforced.

I saw the title of this thread, and read out of curiosity on what this "VA low point" was. I see no low point.

 

[vetrade]

There was a population study done some years ago which looked at how people spelled difficult words.
As most of the sample group couldn't successfully spell many words, the theory was that the English spelling should be changed, as this is how most of the population now understood the word to be written.
...............

..............or maybe just raise teaching standards to what they should be so that people know how to spell. Lowering standards to the lowest common denominator just dumbs down the whole population.
Do we make 2+2 = 5 just because people can't add up too? Whare duz it awl stopp?

(Not a criticism of your post trippin_the_rift; just an observation)
Now back on topic..............

 

[JohnK]

People still struggle to understand unpublished benefits. It really isn't a difficult concept. In fact it is a very simple concept.

As a Qantas Platinum I could make an international booking and call up and request an exit row and as if by magic the exit row was allocated within 24 hours. This was an unpublished benefit. Did not appear in terms and conditions.

I believe any time access was also an unpublished benefit?

Then we had the enhancements we had to have and the world is worse off.

Agree or don't agree with the practice it is there. If you don't want to use it....

 

[Mogul]

An unpublished benefit isn't a benefit at all it is a fluffy feel good extra that may be offered from time to time at the discretion of the business concerned.

Anyone who relies on these fluffy feel good extras really needs to wake up.

The only low point I see in this thread is people bashing a business for enforcing THEIR terms and conditions.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

People still struggle to understand unpublished benefits. It really isn't a difficult concept. In fact it is a very simple concept.

As a Qantas Platinum I could make an international booking and call up and request an exit row and as if by magic the exit row was allocated within 24 hours. This was an unpublished benefit. Did not appear in terms and conditions.

I believe any time access was also an unpublished benefit?

Then we had the enhancements we had to have and the world is worse off.

Agree or don't agree with the practice it is there. If you don't want to use it....

An unpublished benefit is something you may receive even though you are not explicitly entitled to it.
Lounge access when you're not flying is a benefit in circumstances in which you are explicitly not entitled to it.
It's not an "unpublished benefit".

 

[samh004]

There was a population study done some years ago which looked at how people spelled difficult words.
As most of the sample group couldn't successfully spell many words, the theory was that the English spelling should be changed, as this is how most of the population now understood the word to be written.

So, even if you don't agree with the OP - because other members feel the same way as the OP, it makes the OPs point entirely valid.
Which means - if more members have the same understanding of lounge access as the OP than not, this makes the OPs views on lounge access the new normal standard despite what any written words might suggest.

Most would agree that Economy seats are too narrow, don't have enough pitch, etc... yet bigger economy seats are not the norm because of these shared views

 

[Wingin..it]

Lounge access has 2 positions
A)Appreciation by some
B)Abuse by some
Implemented by Employees that
Over accommodate
Accommodate in a balanced way /weighing up member needs /availability/company policy benefits etc.
Totally inflexible regardless of policy or member needs etc.
Each new day has the mixture as per above leading to the outcomes ;good or bad .

I think Pilots are working for whatever airlines and when they have peoples lives at risk I feel bagging out airlines on particular non major safety issues and the like is missing the point .
If I had all day access to an unhappy, unsafe airline what is the point ,but to some a few benefits for all their flying $$$$/loyalty and support is an important issue to them so all views can be respected.

The original purpose of the lounges and their use is the most important factor in the debate I guess.

 

[Wingin..it]

Yes interesting Samh004 ,while most of us say economy is ridiculous ,there is enough out there to tip the scales and be buying cheap,cheap ,airfares to warrant the squished econo seating.
Seems even in this thread a 50/50 scenario.