Deny access to Melbourne domestic lounge

[Haplo]

I was involved in a interesting situation a few weeks ago where I was denied access to the Qantas Melbourne domestic lounge.

Flights involved: Syd to Mel on QF business, then Mel to Shanghai on MU business (but purchases under QF codeshare)

Upon arriving Melbourne from the domestic flight, the MU check in counter has not yet opened so I thought that I could spend time waiting in the domestic lounge. Upon arriving at the lounge, I was denied on the following grounds:

1. Domestic boarding pass from Syd to Mel does not grant access
2. No onward flight boarding pass (which was obviously not available)
3. Even if it is available, because it is a MU flight there would be no access anyway (even if it is a sold as a QF flight)

So I spent around an hour or so in the domestic terminal and waiting for the MU check in to open, wasn't too happy with it but had to suck up to it. In addition, I was literally rushed away from the Melbourne Flounge by MU ground staff because the lounge attendant forgot to call to the flight and I was apparently the last to board the MU flight.

Was probably my worst experience transferring in Melbourne.

So fellow AFF, what is your view on this.

 

[Pleb Status]

Are you a WP or higher? That would have given arrival access in MEL...

 

[Hvr]

Noting you were flying in MU J (albeit QF code) class how did you get access to the F Lounge?

 

[serfty]

1. Domestic boarding pass from Syd to Mel does not grant access
2. No onward flight boarding pass (which was obviously not available)
3. Even if it is available, because it is a MU flight there would be no access anyway (even if it is a sold as a QF flight)

1. A Qantas emerald (WP/P1/CL) gets arrivals access
2. I suggest incorrect. There is no reference to BP in the access rules; just onward/same day flight.
3. P1 (&CL) get access purely on onward marketed. For WP/SG it need to be QF/EK/oneworld operated and marketed.

The Qantas Club | Lounge Locations | Australia | Melbourne Domestic

 

[davidj]

So fellow AFF, what is your view on this.

Who is "MU"? I'm assuming you were flying an international carrier and tried to access a domestic lounge? Did you try a lounge international airside?

 

[Haplo]

So this is where it get quite tricky. The access rule on Melbourne F stats clearly that QF/MU marketed and MU operated flights are allowed access, yet domestic lounge seem to have dropped that off.

Lounge Location | Australia | Melbourne International | International First

Coming back to the domestic lounge access policy, the definition of international business connection is vague, as it only stated a Qantas flight but doesn't say anything about whether codeshare is included or not.

to Davidj's question, the problem I had was waiting for the MU check in counter to open, so without a MU boarding pass I couldn't get into international airside. Once i checked in it was all fine from there. to Pleb's comment, yes I totally forgot about arrival access and should have been allowed based on the domestic Syd-Mel flight.

 

[justinbrett]

I don’t think I’ve ever been allowed in to a lounge anywhere in the world without a boarding pass (or an electronic equivalent on a phone). Don’t they need that in order to know who to bill for the lounge access or record stats to justify a mutual agreement?

 

[jetpack]

Ironically, quickly flashing your QF WP/SG card probably would've gained you entry. Trying to explain that you haven't checked into your MU flight yet would've just complicated things.

 

[opusman]

Who is "MU"?

China Eastern.

 

[muppet]

1. A Qantas emerald (WP/P1/CL) gets arrivals access
2. I suggest incorrect. There is no reference to BP in the access rules; just onward/same day flight.
3. P1 (&CL) get access purely on onward marketed. For WP/SG it need to be QF/EK/onworld operated and marketed.

The Qantas Club | Lounge Locations | Australia | Melbourne Domestic

Gasp. Re: point 3 - I assumed if i was on a QF light number it was happy days. Codeshare looks totally unreliable for anything.

 

[defurax]

I think you should have had access to the MEL J lounge simply on the "connecting to an international QF flight" basis without even considering status. A QF flight operated by SB grants access to the SYD F lounge and a QF flight operated by TN gives access to the QF First lounge at LAX. The only reason QF mentions MU and EK in their lounge access rules is that you can enter on a MU or EK flight number. So the lounge dragon was wrong to consider that you were not on a Qantas flight.

 

[justinbrett]

Ironically, quickly flashing your QF WP/SG card probably would've gained you entry. Trying to explain that you haven't checked into your MU flight yet would've just complicated things.

Don’t know about MEL but SYD and BNE almost always scan your card

 

[coriander]

Don’t know about MEL but SYD and BNE almost always scan your card

Do you mean as well as with a BP? I've not yet been asked for my previous SG or now WP card in MEL or SYD domestic business or F lounge (but I do always have a BP).

 

[moa999]

So the lounge dragon was wrong to consider that you were not on a Qantas flight

Albeit not clear that the OP asked for arrivals access.

 

[justinbrett]

Do you mean as well as with a BP? I've not yet been asked for my previous SG or now WP card in MEL or SYD domestic business or F lounge (but I do always have a BP).

No, if you present your card without a BP.

 

[Haplo]

Albeit not clear that the OP asked for arrivals access.

No didn't ask for arrival access because I was focusing on how to get into the lounge based on my next flight and totally forgot the WP arrival access.

 

[Haplo]

I think you should have had access to the MEL J lounge simply on the "connecting to an international QF flight" basis without even considering status. A QF flight operated by SB grants access to the SYD F lounge and a QF flight operated by TN gives access to the QF First lounge at LAX. The only reason QF mentions MU and EK in their lounge access rules is that you can enter on a MU or EK flight number. So the lounge dragon was wrong to consider that you were not on a Qantas flight.

The problem I had was not the international lounge (they were quite good in acknowledging access on a MU flight), it was the domestic lounge that had a problem because I was in the limbo zone between when I arrived in Melbourne and before the check in counter opened for my international flight.

 

[justinbrett]

I guess if you tried to enter the SYD lounge at T3 when you had a flight departing from T1 you might get the third degree.

 

[defurax]

The problem I had was not the international lounge (they were quite good in acknowledging access on a MU flight), it was the domestic lounge that had a problem because I was in the limbo zone between when I arrived in Melbourne and before the check in counter opened for my international flight.

My point is that you were eligible to access the QF J dom lounge based on at least 2 access rules: 1- as an arrival lounge if you are QF WP and 2- same day connecting to a QF J international flight (since the MU flight is considered a QF flight). A copy of your itinerary is all that is required. So the lounge agent was doubly wrong.

I guess if you tried to enter the SYD lounge at T3 when you had a flight departing from T1 you might get the third degree.

This is allowed and I did it a few times to meet people in the domestic lounge before an international flight.

 

[RichardMEL]

Don’t know about MEL but SYD and BNE almost always scan your card

BNE have NEVER scanned my P1 card. They just wave me through with a smile.

Usually I use a BP but there have been a few times I've walked in (on arrival) showing my card. No issue. Same at MEL

and yes, that's perfectly legit under the rules. I would suspect a Gold showing a card should expect to be scanned,