Flying as QF SG but actually EXP - lounge issues?

[simongr]

OK - for various arcane and intricate reasons (basically I want to maintain QF SG for an extra year for better access to F upgrades) I am chuckin two flights SYD-NRT-PVG to QF rather than AA.

My BP will therefore show ONEWORLD SAPPHIRE rather than ALLGREATANDWISE EMERALD - now I know I can talk my way into the SYD F lounge but showing my AA EXP card but I was wondering if anyone else had had trouble with this? I wonder also whether I might get turned away from from F check in.

[aside]

My forecast flights to the end of March will have me on 640 SCs (year to 30 Sep) and 66,667 Qpoints so if I have my scheduled DONE4 in Sep I should retain EXP confidently (and maybe sneak WP if I am little tricksy) - not a bad achievement for an allegedly "low flying" year...

[/aside]

S

 

[NM]

I have not had any issues using my QF Platinum card for F check-in and lounge access when using my AA Platinum (Sapphire) membership for earning. So I don't see any reason it should be any different the other way around.

Just be sure to check the right number is in the reservation and that the kind check-in or lounge agents don't think they are doing you a favour by changing it to the other account.

 

[simongr]

Yeah - it is a bit of a gamble trying to be clever to maximise this. I dont intend to split earning mid trips (i.e. on a SYD-NRT-PVG I wont be allocating one flight to QF and one to AA) . I think I will have more trouble at NRT given my Japanese is a little rusty...

 

[Mal]

It's no dramas - I have done it numerous times.

As NM states though, watch out they don't get 'helpful'. When doing this type of thing, I have been told a few times that my FF number looks wrong...

 

[Mal]

I think I will have more trouble at NRT given my Japanese is a little rusty...

It will be no worries at all at NRT. Never had any issues with anyone there not being able to understand my English and crazy ways

 

[Evan]

A little OT: but BA do not print status on boarding passes ! I had to show my card to the dragons (actually they were rather nice) on the way into the lounge.
E

 

[simongr]

Cheers all - probably worrying unnecessarily - and trying to over-complictae my life - but hey it all adds to the trip report

 

[NM]

A little OT: but BA do not print status on boarding passes ! I had to show my card to the dragons (actually they were rather nice) on the way into the lounge.
E

This policy can be quite a pain when you have recently qualified for a higher status tier with another OneWorld airline. I qualified for AA EXP a month ago and am yet to see a card. So if I wanted access to a BA First Class lounge, I would need to find some way to convince the door guard of my entitlement or be relegated to the J lounge.

 

[Mal]

I would need to find some way to convince the door guard of my entitlement or be relegated to the J lounge.

They should be able to call the OneWorld Helpdesk and ask... then again, it's much easier to actually deny entry than to do the correct level of checking!

 

[NM]

They should be able to call the OneWorld Helpdesk and ask... then again, it's much easier to actually deny entry than to do the correct level of checking!

What OneWorld Helpdesk? Is there such a thing? And if so, can they see my AA status?

There are numerous reports of BA being pedantic about the requirement (as clearly stated in the various lounge access documents published by most airlines) to present your card when accessing the lounge.

 

[Mal]

What OneWorld Helpdesk? Is there such a thing? And if so, can they see my AA status?

BA are very pedantic - hence why I suggested it's much easier for them to deny entry! Apparently this dates back ages where staff and some passengers were able to fiddle with boarding passes/checkins and add any OW status to a boarding pass regardless of what status one has.

I'm not sure that this has been fixed.

According to an email from BA I received a couple of years ago (regarding Qantas Status), which I still regard as current: "please ask the staff member to check your status with our Oneworld Helpdesk."

I have seen other posts which indicate that a staffer can check any OW status by contacting OW as well. It's definitely possible, but relies on you being able to convice the staffer to actually do some work!

 

[simongr]

I dont think that they should rely on the BP in fact. I gained access to the SIN F lounge as I told the check in guy I was platinum (meaning AA platinum) and he marked the BP up as Oneworld emerald (assuming I was QF WP). The card should not be a hard requirement for most people.

 

[Dave Noble]

I dont think that they should rely on the BP in fact.

I agree. The whole point of the card is to provide evidence of status and I cannot see you having any issues getting lounge access et al

What I would consider is whether you really want to start splitting earnings and risking flights going to the wrong scheme with the potential to end up just short of retaining EXP as happened iirc a while back; would it not be wise to ensure the EXP status before worrying about whether to get Gold QF too?

Dave

 

[serfty]

... "please ask the staff member to check your status with our Oneworld Helpdesk." ...

Perhaps this 'Oneworld helpdesk' actually refers to a unit of BA that specialises in oneworld issues.

i.e. Not run by oneworld, but by BA for BA issues relating to oneworld.

 

[Mal]

Perhaps this 'Oneworld helpdesk' actually refers to a unit of BA that specialises in oneworld issues.

Pretty moot if it's self hosted at BA, or a central number. It exists, and a staffer can use it for assistance with working out the status of a passenger.
AA seem to think that there is a centralised OneWorld Helpdesk:
"A Special oneworld help desk provides instant 24hrs online advice and support to all the oneworld employees. " (Oneworld Alliance )

 

[NM]

It exists, and a staffer can use it for assistance with working out the status of a passenger.

That is good to know. The challenge is convincing the BA staff that it does exist, how to contact them, and most importantly that they should indeed make the call.

 

[simongr]

I agree. The whole point of the card is to provide evidence of status and I cannot see you having any issues getting lounge access et al

What I would consider is whether you really want to start splitting earnings and risking flights going to the wrong scheme with the potential to end up just short of retaining EXP as happened iirc a while back; would it not be wise to ensure the EXP status before worrying about whether to get Gold QF too?

Dave

A fair call I guess. Based on my current job I have 2 Asia and 2 DONE4 this year - and I will be comfortable getting EXP and QF SG (and maybe QF WP). If I change jobs my travel will either dramatically reduce (in that I will only do 1 Asia and 1 DONE4) or leave me sufficient travel to again make EXP.