Dubai lounge access with children- any luck?!

[chickensintrees]

Has anyone had any luck getting access to the Dubai lounge with child/ren and an adult guest?
I am a Qantas Club member travelling next month with a late flight leaving Dubai, I assumed when Qantas started the new partnership with Emirates that Qantas Club members would have the same guest allowance in the Emirates Dubai lounge, and disappointedly I just read on the Qantas website that any child 0-17 will be counted as the one guest allowance. I managed to get access last year in the BA lounge for all of us (husband and children aged 1 and 6), with a bit of pleading and smiling!, and I am just wondering what how accompanying the Dubai lounge gatekeepers are?!

 

[AngieP]

My sister, her 15 year old son and I managed to get into the J lounge at Dubai recently but entry came with a mini 'lecture' and we were left in no doubt that the lounge gatekeeper was doing us a favour! There was much tapping at the computer and we wondered if a file note was being made. Sister is lifetime QFF Gold - was Platinum for many years.

 

[chickensintrees]

Hmm, ok thanks AngieP, sounds like it is worth a shot at least. I wonder were you travelling on a QF marketed flight? As I was just looking at the Qantas website and it states, in relation to Qantas/Emirates partnership FAQ- 3. As a Qantas Club Member do I have access to all Emirates lounges?
"The current lounge benefits for Qantas Club members will remain unchanged when travelling on a Qantas marketed flight."
I would interpret this as: One of my 'lounge benefits' is being able to bring my children in as guests, so therefore as long as I am on a QF flight I should have the same benefits in an Emirates lounge as I have at any Qantas lounge. ??

 

[AngieP]

We were on a code share QF/EK flight with EK tix. My sister had to stand her ground a bit to progress our entry. It's a silly situation re the kids - what are you supposed to do ?? Leave them at the front desk while you and Mr chickinsintrees enjoy the lounge? Or forego the Lounging delights because you have children?

 

[trooper]

So the EK plated tickets you bought seem to have specifically denied you access with family (as detailed above, given it was not a QF plated flight, right?) but you STILL feel the staff were in the wrong to try to enforce the rules?

If that is the case, then your sister didn't "stand her ground"..that's what one does when denied an actual entitlement.. what she apparently did was browbeat the staff into letting her break the rules.

What are you meant to do? Well.. how about accept the conditions of the ticket you purchased.. and not badger the airline staff into ignoring them?

 

[knightman7]

My wife who is QF WP flew with her cousin and her 2 young kids. Her in J, the others in Y on QF codeshare on EK metal SYD/LHR. In Dubai she managed to get all of them into the EK J lounge for the stopover. This was last month.

 

[chickensintrees]

We did get access to the lounge, at first the man said only one guest allowed, but before I could say anything he said "oh you're Qantas club" and went and spoke to a colleague. He came back and granted us access no problem. Which we were thankful for as the flight was delayed and it's a really nice lounge with a good kids area.