Denied entry to QF Business Lounge when connecting to International OW

[xen0n33]

Hi all,

Apologies if this has been answered many times before, I could only find a locked thread when searching.

I'm traveling SYD-MEL-KUL-SIN, with the MEL-KUL-SIN sectors in J on MH and the SYD-MEL in QF Y. Reading the OW lounge access rules, it looks like I should have access as long as the International J flight is OW marketed and is over 5 hours in duration (check and check). However, I was denied entry this morning.

I tried quoting the OW rules (with emphasis on the statement that the class of the Int'l LH leg is the determining factor) but was rebuffed - she said that rule only applied on Intl'l -> Dom connections, and not the other way around (despite the "vice-versa" in the policy).

From: Airport Lounges: oneworld Lounges & Airport Lounge Access

Connecting between oneworld marketed and operated flights: First and Business Class customers connecting on the same day of travel, or before 06:00am the following day, can access the lounge when travelling between an international long haul (a oneworld international long haul flight is defined as an international flight marketed and operated by any oneworld carrier with a scheduled flight time longer than 5 hours) and an international short haul or domestic flight (and vice-versa).

Lounge access will be determined on the international long haul ticketed flight (either First of Business Class) regardless of the ticketed class of travel on the international short haul or domestic flight. You must be prepared to show your boarding pass for travel in First or Business class on the international long haul flight, in order to access the lounge before your international short haul or domestic flight.

Am I completely misreading this or do QF lounge staff just not understand the rules?

Cheers

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hi all,

Apologies if this has been answered many times before, I could only find a locked thread when searching.

I'm traveling SYD-MEL-KUL-SIN, with the MEL-KUL-SIN sectors in J on MH and the SYD-MEL in QF Y. Reading the OW lounge access rules, it looks like I should have access as long as the International J flight is OW marketed and is over 5 hours in duration (check and check). However, I was denied entry this morning.

I tried quoting the OW rules (with emphasis on the statement that the class of the Int'l LH leg is the determining factor) but was rebuffed - she said that rule only applied on Intl'l -> Dom connections, and not the other way around (despite the "vice-versa" in the policy).

From: Airport Lounges: oneworld Lounges & Airport Lounge Access


Am I completely misreading this or do QF lounge staff just not understand the rules?

Cheers

A case of the lounge agent not understanding the rules here.

The rule is clearly ‘and v.v.’

The short haul or domestic can be either at the beginning or end of the trip.

The second para of the rules you quoted explains that in more detail… show the long haul boarding pass before you international shorthaul or domestic flight.

 

[AIRwin]

Did you end up trying the Qantas Club instead?

 

[Princess Fiona]

Hi all,

Apologies if this has been answered many times before, I could only find a locked thread when searching.

I'm traveling SYD-MEL-KUL-SIN, with the MEL-KUL-SIN sectors in J on MH and the SYD-MEL in QF Y. Reading the OW lounge access rules, it looks like I should have access as long as the International J flight is OW marketed and is over 5 hours in duration (check and check). However, I was denied entry this morning.

I tried quoting the OW rules (with emphasis on the statement that the class of the Int'l LH leg is the determining factor) but was rebuffed - she said that rule only applied on Intl'l -> Dom connections, and not the other way around (despite the "vice-versa" in the policy).

From: Airport Lounges: oneworld Lounges & Airport Lounge Access


Am I completely misreading this or do QF lounge staff just not understand the rules?

Cheers

Yep they don’t understand the rules. One of my daughters was denied access to the SYD Dom J lounge when we were flying Y to MEL and QF J MEL-LHR.
I had sent her ahead to order coffees as we had some issues at check-in with one of the tickets for another daughter.

I never did end up chasing it but they were completely wrong in refusing the access.

 

[serfty]

Hi all,

Apologies if this has been answered many times before, I could only find a locked thread when searching.

I'm traveling SYD-MEL-KUL-SIN, with the MEL-KUL-SIN sectors in J on MH and the SYD-MEL in QF Y. Reading the OW lounge access rules, it looks like I should have access as long as the International J flight is OW marketed and is over 5 hours in duration (check and check). However, I was denied entry this morning.

I tried quoting the OW rules (with emphasis on the statement that the class of the Int'l LH leg is the determining factor) but was rebuffed - she said that rule only applied on Intl'l -> Dom connections, and not the other way around (despite the "vice-versa" in the policy).

From: Airport Lounges: oneworld Lounges & Airport Lounge Access


Am I completely misreading this or do QF lounge staff just not understand the rules?

Cheers

Most definitely incorrect on behalf of the lounge agent (specifically per the vice-versa) - did you ask for a supervisor?

 

[xen0n33]

Most definitely incorrect on behalf of the lounge agent (specifically per the vice-versa) - did you ask for a supervisor?

No, and I really should have. She was so firm on the point that I started to doubt myself and went off to try and find something even more convincing.

Did you end up trying the Qantas Club instead?

I didn't, but did think about it - was a bit worried they'd refer me to the J lounge and then I'd end up going in circles. Mind you, now that I'm thinking more clearly, if someone at the Club actually understood the rule they could have been more convincing when explaining to the J lounge staff.

--

Anyway, thanks for all the replies - I'm glad to at least have it confirmed and that I wasn't completely misreading the policy.

Has anyone in a similar situation pushed for compensation? I was thinking of asking for at least a lounge pass for the future, if not some points.

 

[markis10]

I would definitely lodge a complaint as you were not given an advertised benefit, more importantly others will be in the same boat until staff training is done to correct the situation, the dragon needs to be tamed.

 

[I love to travel]

I had it happen in January - still had QP access so didn't; make an issue of it but if it is chronic in nature maybe I should have

 

[serfty]

I had it happen in January - still had QP access so didn't; make an issue of it but if it is chronic in nature maybe I should have

It is our duty to provide feedback. As indicated by @markis10, Qantas may not know training is needed otherwise.

https://www.qantas.com/au/en/support/contact-us/complaints.html

 

[mbe1510]

I got denied a few years ago flying SYD-MEL-SIN with the international leg in J. Wasn't bothered as I had QP access anyway and it was breakfast with 30 minutes to kill but sounds like it is a long running issue.

Was quoted the it is only after a International flight thing too.

 

[exLXCXFF]

Can I check: If I buy say SIN —> MEL Y but get upgraded to J via Classic Reward Upgrade, and then have MEL —> SYD in Y a few hours later, I could have used the J Lounge in MEL instead of the Qantas Club Lounge the few times I did this?

 

[serfty]

Can I check: If I buy say SIN —> MEL Y but get upgraded to J via Classic Reward Upgrade, and then have MEL —> SYD in Y a few hours later, I could have used the J Lounge in MEL instead of the Qantas Club Lounge the few times I did this?

Yes, as per the oneworld connecting flights rule indicated in post #1.

 

[transpactraveller]

Can I check: If I buy say SIN —> MEL Y but get upgraded to J via Classic Reward Upgrade, and then have MEL —> SYD in Y a few hours later, I could have used the J Lounge in MEL instead of the Qantas Club Lounge the few times I did this?

I never knew this was a benefit either and never tried, will have to see how I go next time I do a similar Intl J / Domestic Y combo.

 

[hutch]

I had issues getting off a J Qantas flight and connecting to Cathay in Y at HKG. Originally was refused access to the QF lounge, but then pulled up the rules from OneWorld, and to their credit, they were apologetic and let me in. Didn't have any issues with any Cathay lounges on same lounge crawl.

Also have had Malaysian refuse access to their lounge at KUL when flying KUL-HKG in Y and then J HKG to JFK - both on Cathay. Luckily, back then Cathay had their own KUL lounge and they let me in.

Never had any issues when flying Y in Australia and then connecting to J long-haul - but that's out of CBR and I assume the staff here are more familiar with the rules given the dominance of Q400s flying to SYD.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Also have had Malaysian refuse access to their lounge at KUL when flying KUL-HKG in Y and then J HKG to JFK - both on Cathay. Luckily, back then Cathay had their own KUL lounge and they let me in.

Cathay’s own policy for connecting flights is even more generous than oneoworld. The highest class of travel that day, no matter how short the flight, determines lounge access for the entire trip. If you fly business class TPE-HKG and connect to CX economy to New York, you get business class lounges at TPE and HKG!

 

[hutch]

Cathay’s own policy for connecting flights is even more generous than oneoworld. The highest class of travel that day, no matter how short the flight, determines lounge access for the entire trip. If you fly business class TPE-HKG and connect to CX economy to New York, you get business class lounges at TPE and HKG!

There you go! Did not know that!!

 

[opusman]

This looks to be another example, like priority boarding used to be, where Qantas's own rules are in conflict with OneWorld rules. The lounge access eligibility page only talks about "next onward flight" - it makes no mention of connecting to/from International J at all.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

This looks to be another example, like priority boarding used to be, where Qantas's own rules are in conflict with OneWorld rules. The lounge access eligibility page only talks about "next onward flight" - it makes no mention of connecting to/from International J at all.

To be fair… not many airpines do mention the OW rules for lounge eligibility? I guess it’s supposed to be a ‘given’, over and above any rules stated by the particular airline.

I just checked BA’s pages and they don’t mention the rule… at least not prominently that I could find easily.

 

[Skyring]

Now this is interesting. I have an upcoming trip where my first leg is a Dash-8 CBR-SYD (Y, obviously!) and the next leg is QF J to MNL, an eight-hour flight.

I'm currently PS, so dependent on lounge invites. I should be about 600 SC up for the year by that point (in July), but that's not good enough for lounge access.

Now, at Canberra there are three lounges. The regular one, the Business lounge, and CL. If I were flying J out of CBR, I'd be entitled to use the Business lounge. Does my International J next leg entitle me to the plusher Business lounge, or just the regular one?

Now that I think back on it, I may have benefited from this policy previously. Years ago, I did a DONE4, with some legs in Y. I bought an AA one-month pass for $99 and got instant lounge access in Canberra as well as the odd lounge in the US (I remember being tossed around in some dinky little E190 or whatever DFW to CHS that definitely had no comfy chairs).

After a month of J flights – I even got upgraded to AA F FRA-DFW, very nice! – I pulled into Sydney with the morning scrum off QF 108 JFK-SYD, got the bus across the runway, and automatically headed to the lounge. Standing at the desk, I realised that my AA club membership had expired a day or so ago, my next flight was a Dash-8, and the points hadn't yet credited. I was still Silver, even though I'd be SG or WP once they did.

I explained the situation and the lady on the gate let me in automatically. I've always thought warmly of her for making the call, but perhaps she was just following policy.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Now, at Canberra there are three lounges. The regular one, the Business lounge, and CL. If I were flying J out of CBR, I'd be entitled to use the Business lounge. Does my International J next leg entitle me to the plusher Business lounge, or just the regular one?

Should be the business lounge. But hey, if they're not aware of the rules but you can still get into the Q Club, still better than nothing?