Family access to Qantas Club

[Thermomixer]

Hello fellow travelers,
I'm new to this site but have one question strait up.
I'm a Qantas Club member and will be travelling from Sydney to London via Singapore with my husband and 2 children (8 &11) next month.
I know I can take my husband into the lounge without any dramas but has anyone had any recent experiences with the Sydney, Singapore or Heathrow Qantas lounges when it comes to taking your kids in addition to a husband/wife.
I haven't been able to get a straight answer from Qantas. It seems to be at the discretion on the Qantas staffer on the lounge desk at the time. My question is, is it more than likely they will be allowed in or a long shot?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
Fleur

 

[tuapekastar]

Hello fellow travelers,
I'm new to this site but have one question strait up.
I'm a Qantas Club member and will be travelling from Sydney to London via Singapore with my husband and 2 children (8 &11) next month.
I know I can take my husband into the lounge without any dramas but has anyone had any recent experiences with the Sydney, Singapore or Heathrow Qantas lounges when it comes to taking your kids in addition to a husband/wife.
I haven't been able to get a straight answer from Qantas. It seems to be at the discretion on the Qantas staffer on the lounge desk at the time. My question is, is it more than likely they will be allowed in or a long shot?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
Fleur

Welcome to AFF Thermomixer!

There is an age below which children are not counted as guests but I think it is less than 8 (maybe 6, or 2, or something like that). So you will be at the 'mercy' of the lounge attendants. There has been plenty of anecdotal evidence that children of the age of yours have been allowed in upon request, certainly in Australian lounges (Heathrow especially may be more problematic - they have a tougher reputation for permitting access outside the rules). Some have also suggested phoning the lounge(s) ahead and asking - they may note it and be ready and prepared to give access.

Anyway, I guess you'll need to front up and ask nicely and hope things go your way. Good Luck!

 

[Princess Fiona]

Welcome to AFF
Some good and bad news for you I'm afraid.
Qantas official age limit where children don't count as guests is 3years. Unofficially/ in practice I don't think you will have any problem accessing either the SYD or SIN Lounges.
BA stipulate children under 2 years don't count as guests and they are very strict about this. My husband and I ( both QF Plat) were unable to get an extra guest each (8years and 6 years) into the BA Lounges in LHR either on arrival or departure.
Why not post your flight details in the relevant thread and one of our members may be travelling through LHR at the same time as you and able to help guest ?
If not T3 is actually not too bad as far as LHR, it is reasonably compact has a good range of shops and a couple of eating options for the family.
Happy Travels

 

[amaroo]

We've never been turned away (family of 4) from any lounge - OW, J or F.

Happy travels

 

[casanovawa]

Why not go into BA LHR lounge and if not all are allowed access just one adult go in and take a bag and as surreptisiously (sp) as possible load it up with some drinks and food and then carry it back out to the rest of the fam... Maybe repeat again if possible as there are at least two entrances on one of the lounges so take a different child past different attendants for showers eating etc... Or maybe they will allow you to take one in then out then another in and then out for multiple guesting? That will at least take care of paying for rip off airport food... Can't do much about sitting in the ambience of the lounge but at least scoring some free food and drink could be manageable???

I know when i have gone to a QP lounge when travelling with 3 friends and only i had access i took one in then smuggled out a few beers for the guys that had to sit outside... Have also smuggled out a few cans of cokes and nibblies when leaving lounges on long overseas trips...

 

[JohnK]

Welcome to AFF Thermomixer!

Whilst the rules strictly permit only 1 guest I would be surprised if you were not allowed into the Qantas Lounge as a family. Just remember to be pleasant and you will be surprised how often people will bend the rules for you.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Just as a follow up we received a letter from BA today in response to a written complaint we made to them after being denied access this month with 1 extra child each.
Basically they couldn't care less, letter didn't even acknowledge the extra guests were children, after a 24 hour travel period etc etc.
Luckily we have worked out a cunning plan next time we are passing through T3 as a family

 

[misha63]

Just as a follow up we received a letter from BA today in response to a written complaint we made to them after being denied access this month with 1 extra child each.
Basically they couldn't care less, letter didn't even acknowledge the extra guests were children, after a 24 hour travel period etc etc.
Luckily we have worked out a cunning plan next time we are passing through T3 as a family

Heathrow British Airways refused us access as a family as well, when we were in transit to Paris. I'd be interested in any cunning plans. We're now in the UK and will be flying back to Australia in a couple of days.

 

[elan]

We are a family of 5, have never been turned away in a QF lounge, also taken family in AA lounge in US.
I'd be very surprised if they don't allow your family entry.

 

[misha63]

We are a family of 5, have never been turned away in a QF lounge, also taken family in AA lounge in US.
I'd be very surprised if they don't allow your family entry.

Hi, élan. I'm afraid that's exactly what happened atHeathrow. It's never been a problem within Australia though.

 

[Simo]

I have seen families of a few kids in Q clubs before.

I only think it might cause an issue if the kids run riot or all 4 of you are on the computers at the same time.

 

[Mackin]

I recently travelled with my Father and two Nieces (14 and 16). I was able to take them all into the Qantas Lounges in both Adelaide and Sydney. They did ask how old the girls were so it may depend on the age of the children. However, I think it just depends on the staff member on duty at the time you enter. Good Luck

Hello fellow travelers,
I'm new to this site but have one question strait up.
I'm a Qantas Club member and will be travelling from Sydney to London via Singapore with my husband and 2 children (8 &11) next month.
I know I can take my husband into the lounge without any dramas but has anyone had any recent experiences with the Sydney, Singapore or Heathrow Qantas lounges when it comes to taking your kids in addition to a husband/wife.
I haven't been able to get a straight answer from Qantas. It seems to be at the discretion on the Qantas staffer on the lounge desk at the time. My question is, is it more than likely they will be allowed in or a long shot?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
Fleur

 

[BAM1748]

We are a family of 5, have never been turned away in a QF lounge, also taken family in AA lounge in US.
I'd be very surprised if they don't allow your family entry.

The AA staff seem a lot more relaxed than the BA staff about such things of world importance.

Matt

 

[Princess Fiona]

The BA staff do not apply any discretion when it comes to Lounge Access. AFAIK they have been told not to and they strictly limit the guests to one per eligible card holder ( OWE/OWS). QP members can only use the Lounge in T3 departing the UK on BA/QF flight.
They will make an exception for infants under 2 years of age but not for children any older.

 

[jamesatfish]

The AA staff seem a lot more relaxed than the BA staff about such things of world importance.

Not always in my experience - a couple of years ago we tried to get access to the Flagship Lounge at LAX for 4 adults and a 6 month old infant using the WP membership of 2 of the adults, and we were denied as they considered the 6 month old to be an additional guest.

Thankfully myself, my wife and daughter had just arrived from SYD in F and my daughter had been issued with a boarding pass from that flight so they reluctantly granted her access on that basis instead.

As others have mentioned though BA are particularly strict with their guesting rules.

 

[GaryBne]

Just as a follow up we received a letter from BA today in response to a written complaint we made to them after being denied access this month with 1 extra child each.
Basically they couldn't care less, letter didn't even acknowledge the extra guests were children, after a 24 hour travel period etc etc.
Luckily we have worked out a cunning plan next time we are passing through T3 as a family

Cunning plan? put the child inside your hand luggage?

(sorry - but my wife no longer laughs at my corny jokes - so I need a new audience)

But seriously - can you PM any "tricks" ? I have 2 year old and soem family travels to do.

cheers
Gary