Chairman's Lounge, what it really offers.

[icemann]

I agree Straitman, Lindsay + Craigo.

 

[Rick93]

Can I change the tone, back to the 'mysteries' of the CL...

I was on the escalators, heading up to the QC at Syd Dom the other day, when I looked behind me to see the commissioner of a well known emergency service in NSW.

I stepped down two stepps, and said "Good afternoon commissioner, my name's xx_, I'm a member of the xx_" (one of the professional institutes he is a Fellow of)

We chatted for a minute, up to the top of the escalators, and the boss started to slowly move toward the left.... rather than the right, to go into the QC.

We wished each other a 'good trip', and he walked off into another entrance, as I went my way into the QC.

It only occurred to me a minute later, that he was a CL member. Of course! He's a blo*dy commissioner in uniform, of course he would be invited to the CL !

Now, I wonder.... if the commish was able to invite me in, as his personal guest? (if he really wanted to) THAT'S MY QUESTION.....

Anybody able to detail the policy?

thanks....

 

[QF WP]

He is able to invite you in as a guest. I have been the guest of a CL - there were 3 guests of his and no "guest cards" needed. It may be discretionary of the CL Lounge Attendant as to how many guests are allowed in...

 

[Rick93]

Yeah, I suppose he was a bit wary of someone he just met on the escalators!

Still.... there was my chance! Ah well.....

 

[thadocta]

Wasn't Phil by any chance was it? As a member of the RFS, I wouldn't be seen dead with him! He used to be our Fire Control Officer in the Blue Mountains, and we were glad to see the back of him - until we learnt where he was headed.

Dave

 

[Rick93]

Actually, it was the 'other' guy. Same business - different company!

"Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent" (Dragnet, I think)

 

[jc73]

sorry guys, but what / where exactly is the chaiman's lounge?

 

[thadocta]

sorry guys, but what / where exactly is the chaiman's lounge?

An invitation only lvel, above Platinum. You cannot ask or pay to become a member, your membership has to be approved by Geoff and Margaret PERSONALLY. Benefits are exclusive lounges at major domestic airports, plus the "benefits" as detailed by the original poster.

Dave

 

[ntddevsys]

*Heaps of free upgrades
(we as a family had an experience where a women w/2 kids was kicked out of upgraded J class so we could go in. She was already in her allocated seat and they re-issued her tickets)

AcrossTheDitch,
Did you write to crikey ?

 

[QFTravel]

As a current Bronze member, slowly watching my points increase so that I can redeem my first Award Flight, I stumbled across this thread.

A little bit like Sammy, my parents are members of the CL, so on family holidays I was able to experience the "Lounge".

Honestly, the perks aren't all that different if your a current Platinum or Qantas Club member.

To clarify a few points below:

Membership like stated before is by strict invite only.

It is programed into the Qantas computer where you want to sit; whether it be front, middle or back of plane. If you wanted the window or asile seat etc. So whenever you flew you knew exactly where you would be sitting. ie: Dad requested front row of the class he was travelling and the asile seat. If we travelled together - naturally we sat next to him.

Free upgrades: If your flying economy and a seat is free in Business - it doesn't mean they'll give it to you even if you have your CL membership. On numerous occasions Business was net to empty and we contently sat in our economy seats. However referring to the story about having people moved from seats so you can take them: is true. Flying back from Nth Q'land one year, Qantas had us sitting in the back row of the plane. However, realising their mistake, the passenger seating was changed to put us closer to the front of economy. From the reader's setiments - i know its a bit cheap - but I think as well-travelled flyers you would understand.

Guest Passes: Unlimited number of guests during the year, and I think you can take as many guests into the Lounge as you like in any one trip. Honestly, I only went in as a family so I dont know for sure. But I think up to 4 guests (ie: if you were travelling on business) would be accepted. Maybe more depending on how busy the Lounge was.

But my favourite perk was the Check-in. Just like Club members you could go to either First or Business so you dont have to wait.

But I guess I have a fair bit of travelling to go and hardwork for a top job before I earn my Lounge membership.

 

[QF WP]

QFTravel, welcome to AFF and thank you for your measured comments. May you earn your points soon for that award travel...make sure you mke good use of the points.

 

[QFTravel]

Thankyou for the welcome Lindsay.

I'm hoping to use the points wisely. But I'm unsure if I should use them to fly Business Class Intl or just use them on local (MEL-BNE) Y flights. From your experience, what have you found to be most economical??

 

[NM]

I'm hoping to use the points wisely. But I'm unsure if I should use them to fly Business Class Intl or just use them on local (MEL-BNE) Y flights. From your experience, what have you found to be most economical??

I find it best value to use the points for flights to places I want go. If they are domestic, then fine. If I want to go to a particular international destination, then that is fine also.

But generally, for personal travel I am happy to pay Red E Deal fares for domestic travel, where I am content to sit in WHY. But if I am traveling international, I would prefer to try for business class if I have the points and can find availability.

 

[QF WP]

Domestically, I don't upgrade on outbound sectors of trips unless they are Zone 2 (i.e. BNE/PER or BNE/ADL) and I need the time to work (or sleep). But sometimes I'll weaken on the way home (a sort of job well done bonus) and use my points for an ODU.

Internationally, I prefer to upgrade anything above 4 hours on QF (so that's just about anywhere I go). Preferably for sectors longer than that, I fly BA's WT+ (which on some sectors is comparable cost to QF's WHY but the service, seat and FF bonuses leave QF's offer for dead).

After all, I'm earning on my flights to try and upgrade for two (Mrs LW) whenever we fly together (whch to date has been more international sectors). But that will change next year...

Obtaining the maximum benefit for your FF point, that's what it's all about.

 

[NM]

Now I have an upgrade decision to make. Have a QF107 booked SYD-LAX later this month. I have 4 UC's available to me. Do I use them to try get from D to F, or just accept the Skybed which was the reason for taking QF107 over QF175 or QF25.

But one of the SC's expires early next year, and I am unlikely to use it for anything other than a short domestic flight, which if I really wanted to upgrade I would use points rather than a UC.

I will earn another 1 UC during this trip (600 SC's).

But if I use all 4 UC's (and earn another one during this trip), and end up with a future discount Y trans-Pacific, I won't have enough UC's to upgrade and I don't believe points are worthwhile for trans-Pacific upgrade.

Given that I will earn almost 80K points on the trip (plus about 10K points for CC expenses etc), I might consider 45K poingts for D->Z and save the UC's for a Disc Y->U TransPac next year???

I just used points to upgrade Mrs NM on BNE-PER-BNE since if I used 2 UC's for one of the upgrades, that would leave me 2, plus the one I earn on this trip would only leave me 3 and not enough for a trans-Pacific upgrade.

Hmm, decisions, decisions.

 

[QFTravel]

After a horrendous flight to Singapore in September in WHY (had a nice laugh when I read this), I am keen to see if it is benefical to use points to fly J or just pay the fare. Your comments have helped.

As 95% of my flights are short domestic (under 4 hours), I think I'll save the points for a nice J flight overseas, as my current flights are not too expensive.

Could I also ask what "BA's WT+" is? As this may offer another alternative solution.

 

[NM]

Generally, for flights in zone 3, 4 and 5 bands as defined in the QF FF program details, I think it is better to take a full award flight than pay for discount WHY and upgrade with points. However, if no U seats are available at the time of booking, there might not be much choice. But if someone else if paying the discount WHY fare, then upgrade options are all that remain - points, UC's or $$$.

BA's WT+ refers to their World Traveller Plus cabin. World Traveller (often called Third World Traveller by regulars) is the BA economy class cabin. It is very similar to QF's economy cabin. But BA now offer WT+ on most long-haul flights, including to/from Australia. In WT+ you get the same catering (albeit served before WT passengers), but better seats and increased carry baggage limit.

The WT+ seats are configured as 2x4x2 while WT seats are 3x4x3. So the WT+ seats are wider, and have much greater legroom - like 7 inches more. And the seats celine further than WT seats.

I think it is a great option for economically flying routes like SYD-SIN in more comfort without the price tag of business class (New Club World or NCW on BA).

 

[QFTravel]

Thankyou for that information NM.

As airline partners can QFF points be used on BA flights? As the BA WT+ seems like a more economical option for me. This is something I think I will look into further.

 

[NM]

QF FF points can be used to redeem free award flights on any OneWorld carrier, including BA and even in BA's WT+, where there is a special premium on points above the WT/Economy award rates. I think it is 25% more points from memory, but may be wrong.

Also note that you cannot use QF FF points to upgrade on partner airlines. Only on Qantas operated flights when you have a Qantas ticket (not a partner codeshare ticket).