Hi everyone,
Following the never ending thread that was closed for circuitous arguments ("Does WP guest for Qantas F lounge need to be on same flight?" -
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....yer-program/does-wp-guest-qantas-f-73290.html), I have finally received written clarification from a QF FF Supervisor.
The email exchange is detailed below:
| [SIZE=+1]Qantas Loyalty SRxx_xx_x: Clarification of access rules to Qantas First Class Lounge[/SIZE] |
[SIZE=-1]Dear Mr xx_xx,
Thank you for contacting The Qantas Club and Frequent Flyer Service Centre. I've tried calling you over the past week but have been unable to catch you at a good moment to talk.
Further to our brief discussion, you should have received a response from Red Roo on the AFF forums in regards to this. I'm the person who supplied the information for her response, so I can confirm:
As a Platinum member, you have lounge access rights as a QF Platinum Member and as a oneworld Emerald member. When you are travelling on a Qantas Marketed and Operated flight, the more generous oneworld Emerald guest allowance applies to you. If you are travelling on a codeshare with a non oneworld carrier and were accessing the Sydney First lounge, the slightly more restricted Qantas Platinum guest entitlement requiring they be travelling on the same flight would apply.
I apologise for the initial confusion--your query isn't one my team had come across before and we it was a while before we received confirmation that the more generous access rules applied.
I hope this email answers your question and sets your mind at ease.
Yours sincerely,
Yuhan
Supervisor
The Qantas Club and Frequent Flyer Service Centre
qantas.com/frequentflyer
| From | xx_xx_x <[email protected]> |
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| To | Qantas Frequent Flyer <[email protected]> |
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| Date | Tue Mar 08 23:15:51 EST 2016 |
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| Subject | Clarification of access rules to Qantas First Class Lounge |
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| Body | |
|---|
Hello Qantas,
My FF number is xx_xx_xx.
I am wondering whether I could be provided with some written clarification
as to the exact rules of guesting rights when accessing the first class
lounge.
My exact question is:
If I access the Sydney First Class International Lounge as a Qantas
Platinum member flying on a Qantas operated flight, am I able to bring in a
guest from another Oneworld carrier on the basis of the Oneworld
eligibility which states that a OW Emerald member can bring in a guest as
long as they are travelling on a OW marketed and operated flight on the
same day. The QF Platinum rules, however, state that a Platinum member can
only bring in a guest who is travelling on the same flight.
I initially asked this question via Facebook private message. The initial
response I got via chat was that, if flying a Qantas operated flight I am
only considered QF platinum but not OW emerald when accessing the lounge.
However, two weeks later I received a phone call from another agent who
rang me back and stated that he had to clarify the rules with others, but
the consensus they reached was that:
1. If flying on a Qantas operated flight, then I have both QF Platinum and
OW Emerald rights as it is also a OW flight and therefore can bring in a
guest from another OW flight.
2. If flying on a Qantas codeshare flight with a non-OW airline (e.g. China
Airlines with a QF flight number), then I can only utilise my QF Platinum
rights as it is not a OW flight and therefore can only bring in a guest on
the same flight.
That is also my interpretation of the rules. However, there is a discussion
on a large airline forum (Australian frequent flyer) where the majority
disagree with your agent's interpretation. They feel that when a QF member
flies on Qantas operated flights, they are not recognised as OW emerald
members at all (although this is not mentioned explicitly anywhere on the
Qantas or OW websites).
I would appreciate clarification as to who is correct, so that if the
former is true, I can show a written response to lounge agents in case I
wish to use the OW guesting rights but run into resistance at the lounge.
Sorry for the long winded email, but your response would be much
appreciated!
Regards
xx_x
[/SIZE] |
|
So - it the answer is "YES, when flying QF metal, a QF WP is both WP and OWE and has the right to bring in a guest on another OW airline". For those of you who wish to utilise this benefit, feel free to refer to the above email or print it out in case you anticipate difficulties at the lounge gate as many (including staff) have struggled with interpretation of the rules as stated on the QF and OW websites.
For the pessimistic naysayers, who insisted I was wrong, you too are entitled to this benefit.
