Guesting strangers into the lounge

[Steady]

I love meeting AFFers old and new in a lounge and happily give access if I can - I also like social events and to welcome new members :shock: each to their own.

 

[hm520]

Mildly off topic.

I've followed the "I'm in the xx_ lounge" and I'm wondering what the standard AFF host/guest relationship is when an AFF member guests in another member. Do some members expect them to be company for their visit, or just a small chat and then parting ways?

I'm certainly open to a chat but I'd hate to feel as though someone is required to sit and chat with me (even about planes). Similarly if I were ever guested into another lounge by someone else.

 

[JohnK]

Looking forward to JohnK's views on this as he is frequently in the "Im in the xx lounge" thread

I started a thread on AFF on guesting strangers a few years back. Most AFFers were against the concept.

Can't remember the exact statistics but remember guesting someone into BNE business lounge and they went their way. Came over to me later in the lounge and thanked me. Asked a few other people at various times and they looked at me in a strange way. I stopped looking for people to guest as I feel strange asking.

Over the years I have guested many strangers from AFF/Flyertalk but I guess that's not quite the same. I have also guested total strangers at lounge reception when I have seen they have guesting issues. Staff don't like this but that's not my problem.

My feeling all these years is still the same. I have worked hard for status and I will guest anyone I feel like into the lounge. I will never forget the kind gesture from QF WP when he guested me into the BNE international lounge back on Boxing Day 2005. He was going to the US with his wife and I was off to Thailand via SIN.

 

[drron]

I would not guest a stranger by randomly asking people if they wanted to be guested in.But you do come across situations where I feel it appropriate.
First time was when all flights out of DPO were cancelled.A few lucky ones including myself had QF organise a flight out of LST.A few in the know locals did this for themselves.Those of us booked on JQ missed our connections and as usual the ground staff at MEL for JQ couldn't be bothered.One woman was obviously very upset and I heard her say to the staff but it is my grandmother's funeral in the morning.
I was just about to leave and try QF so I asked if she wanted to come and try that option.The QF fellow was fantastic and got the 2 of us booked onto the last QF flight from BNE.I then asked her if she would like to come to the QP and she did but had no idea what that meant.I asked her if there was anything she wanted and she said after all this I just want a glass of champagne but I guess you cant get that.She did.Seated apart on the flight but at the baggage carousel where I was waiting as usual for the last bags to come out she came across to me with her brother and both expressed their gratitude.
Have also done it for a 90+ woman having troubles with checkin staff.She was a delight so even got the lounge staff to sit us together.

So if situations arise I would do it again.

 

[harvyk]

Mildly off topic.

I've followed the "I'm in the xx_ lounge" and I'm wondering what the standard AFF host/guest relationship is when an AFF member guests in another member. Do some members expect them to be company for their visit, or just a small chat and then parting ways?

I'm certainly open to a chat but I'd hate to feel as though someone is required to sit and chat with me (even about planes). Similarly if I were ever guested into another lounge by someone else.

I've found that when two or more AFF members meet up, they do typically sit together and talk. The topic of conversation is almost always aviation and lounge related.
Most people I've met up with in lounges have either been solo flyers like myself so the company is nice, or it's part of an organised meet up.

Plus if I spent 3 hours talking about flying with my non-AFFer friends I would probably put them to sleep, where as with AFFer's especially in a lounge, talking about flying is almost mandatory.

 

[tuapekastar]

Have never guested a random stranger, and unlikely to offer to do so, except in unusual situations that have been described above, where you begin chatting in a queue, or on a plane, or someone obviously distressed or harried and needing a break. In the right circumstances I would be happy to offer to guest, with no obligation to talk to me once inside, but I would never look for and approach 'randoms'.

Did get some help at SYD QP back in 2004. Returning from NRT with a couple of mates, and transferring to a MEL connection. When we left Oz a couple of weeks earlier, the old 'QP guest pass' system was in force (issued 10 or 20 per year - can't recall exact number - could only guest that many people per year, but you could could use many guest passes at one time, e.g. guest 4 or 5 in at the same time). While we were away the system changed to the current one, where you (QP member) can guest only one per entry, but as many times per year as you like. I wasn't aware (or had clean forgotten) this was happening and fronted with my guest passes in hand, and the attendant said (with just a little too much relish for my liking) "you can only take one in now sir", with a very brief and curt explanation. I turned to my friends (no arguments) about to either apologise and ask who was going to sit out, or perhaps suggest we all go away (it never quite got to that ), when the guy behind us, who had heard all or most of the exchange simply said to the attendant, "I'll take one in". Through the most clenched-teeth insincere smile she said to him "friends of yours sir?" to which he simply replied, deadpan, "best mates".

Well done that man!

 

[Deleted member]

Mrs GPH and I have rarely if ever guested anyone, let alone a stranger.
However last year we were on the bus from SYD Domestic en route to SYD International, we noticed a young couple chatting and picked up on a broad NZ accent (we were flying to CHC). Before we exited the bus , Mrs GPH who had engaged them in conversation, said " when you get off the bus, come and see me.
Which they did. She asked where they were travelling to , CHC they said. "Would your like to join us in the Qantas First lounge" she asked. "What's that " they replied in thick NZ accent. "It's a nice place to sit and relax with a drink and some food, but you don't have to hang with us" OK the replied.
So in we go.
The young Girl said " "Cor, How long has this been here" ? They decided that they should stick with us. The story is better told in person ( I do a pretty good broad kiwi accent). Long story short, this was their first trip out of NZ, and so first lounge visit, first taste of champagne and so a big day for them.
She had 2 entrees , 2 mains, and a desert and sampled all off the champagne on offer. The real kicker was when I mentioned they could have a shower. It turns out they had been on the go for the last 24 hours solid. They were really grateful, RELLY well behaved, and have kept in touch since by email, proudly announcing their decision to start chasing points and status. So maybe we were lucky, but we got as much out of it as them I feel.

 

[opusman]

If you get chatting to someone, and they seem nice, then I think inviting them into the lounge is quite reasonable.

Walking up to a random stranger in the terminal and saying "would you like to come with me?" is a bit creepy.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

GPH that is the exact reason why you should 'guest' strangers every chance it can work - I do it regularly but it doesn't always suit for a myriad of reasons - but when the stars align IMHO we should ALL do it - but as always MPO and YMMV

 

[Pushka]

GPH that is the exact reason why you should 'guest' strangers every chance it can work - I do it regularly but it doesn't always suit for a myriad of reasons - but when the stars align IMHO we should ALL do it - but as always MPO and YMMV

I agree with that too. 'Stars aligning' is the key to taking out the creepy.

 

[JohnK]

Mildly off topic.

I've followed the "I'm in the xx_ lounge" and I'm wondering what the standard AFF host/guest relationship is when an AFF member guests in another member. Do some members expect them to be company for their visit, or just a small chat and then parting ways?

I'm certainly open to a chat but I'd hate to feel as though someone is required to sit and chat with me (even about planes). Similarly if I were ever guested into another lounge by someone else.

There are no formal guidelines.

Most people I have guested/met in lounges have had a chat. Some like to keep to themselves. That's fine.

Remember guesting someone into SYD First Lounge once and they were everywhere taking photos, trying various things. They did come back to chat briefly but they were excited.

The creepiest (in a good way) is when you are in HKG Qantas lounge about to board your flight and you hear an accent you recognise at the bar. Or you are in SIN Qantas lounge and someone you know taps you on shoulder.

 

[smit0847]

I've been guested into various F lounges by 'strangers' a few times via one of the FF facebook groups. I did a feel a bit of an obligation to spend time with them while there (and it was initially a bit awkward - a bit like a blind date), but in each occasion we had a few drinks and a good chat about FF travel and then went our separate ways. I wouldn't have been able to visit these fabulous places otherwise so I was very grateful for the opportunity. For many people travelling alone, they quite like the company for an hour or two, especially when they use that time to discuss a common interest.

I do look for opportunities to guest others into lounges but would not approach a complete stranger to offer, mainly because I expect they would say no. I always keep an eye out as I enter my most common lounge (VA MEL) to see either anyone hovering around the entrance looking in hopefully, or someone at the counter getting turned away but there is never anyone. Most people seem to be rushing off to their gate and look like they don't have time for anything. There's often people sitting/lying on the floor opposite the MEL lounge entrance next to the ANZ ATM either charging their phone or maybe stealing the lounge wifi but they dont really look appropriate to be guested into a lounge.

When flying internationally I'd happily guest someone on the same flight as me but I'm surprised no-one has pointed out that when you have status/travelling premium on an intl flight there's rarely a chance to strike up a conversation with a Y passenger anyway. At check-in you're in a different line, at security you're in a different line, and waiting for the flight you're in the lounge while they're at the gate. I don't want to use the non-priority queues anywhere just in the hope of striking up a conversation with someone to guest into a lounge.

If I'm being completely honest I've perfected the whole intl airport check-in thing to give me about 30 minutes in the lounge meaning I arrive at check-in about 90 mins before the flight departs and I find that most, if not all Y pax have already checked in. Part of the benefit of status/premium travel is you don't need to check in for a flight 3 hours early like the average Joe does because there's no queues or waiting around and unless its a good F lounge there's not much reason to arrive really early.
Therefore I dont see them at checkin, security or in the lounge and then when the flights called for boarding I breeze straight into a J or F cabin via priority boarding (and disembark first) so sometimes on a flight I dont really see any Y pax at all!

 

[Steady]

Mildly off topic.

I've followed the "I'm in the xx_ lounge" and I'm wondering what the standard AFF host/guest relationship is when an AFF member guests in another member. Do some members expect them to be company for their visit, or just a small chat and then parting ways?

I'm certainly open to a chat but I'd hate to feel as though someone is required to sit and chat with me (even about planes). Similarly if I were ever guested into another lounge by someone else.

I've found that when two or more AFF members meet up, they do typically sit together and talk. The topic of conversation is almost always aviation and lounge related.
Most people I've met up with in lounges have either been solo flyers like myself so the company is nice, or it's part of an organised meet up.

Plus if I spent 3 hours talking about flying with my non-AFFer friends I would probably put them to sleep, where as with AFFer's especially in a lounge, talking about flying is almost mandatory.

There are no formal guidelines.

Most people I have guested/met in lounges have had a chat. Some like to keep to themselves. That's fine.

Remember guesting someone into SYD First Lounge once and they were everywhere taking photos, trying various things. They did come back to chat briefly but they were excited.

The creepiest (in a good way) is when you are in HKG Qantas lounge about to board your flight and you hear an accent you recognise at the bar. Or you are in SIN Qantas lounge and someone you know taps you on shoulder.

I've had some really good conversations with fellow AFFers and people met due to flight delays and the like, and then there have been quite a few others that have thanked me for the access and immediately gone their own way (these have generally been AFFers traveling with others and I fully understand this) - I'm happy to have helped either way

 

[TomVexille]

I love meeting AFFers old and new in a lounge and happily give access if I can - I also like social events and to welcome new members :shock: each to their own.

And I have you to thank for my first MEL J lounge visit

 

[drewbles]

I've found that when two or more AFF members meet up, they do typically sit together and talk. The topic of conversation is almost always aviation and lounge related.
Most people I've met up with in lounges have either been solo flyers like myself so the company is nice, or it's part of an organised meet up.

Plus if I spent 3 hours talking about flying with my non-AFFer friends I would probably put them to sleep, where as with AFFer's especially in a lounge, talking about flying is almost mandatory.

This is one of the reasons I do not participate in that thread (or the guesting threads). When I travel, I like my alone time. Guesting someone in that I do not know (or only know of their 'screen name' from a forum) is not for me. If it's someone i've formed an online friendship with off a forum, that's different, but if i've never spoken to them or had any real interaction, I don't want to feel obliged to sit with them chatting, and would feel very rude saying 'there you go, bye!' and walking away.

 

[njba]

This conversation has taken on an endearingly introverted element, re: the potential small chat obligations.

Upon further reflection, as I sat in PER yesterday afternoon occasionally glancing towards the business lounge entrance, It would possibly be quite frightening if someone, apropos of nothing, came up and offered to invite me in. I'd fear for my kidneys, I would.

 

[drewbles]

This conversation has taken on an endearingly introverted element, re: the potential small chat obligations.

Upon further reflection, as I sat in PER yesterday afternoon occasionally glancing towards the business lounge entrance, It would possibly be quite frightening if someone, apropos of nothing, came up and offered to invite me in. I'd fear for my kidneys, I would.

Nothing to fear unless they can operate on you with plastic knives (although VA MEL is before security, so yeah, worry there ).

 

[BAM1748]

And call me selfish or whatever, but it takes me a lot of cold hard cash, and millions of km flown, to earn and keep my status. And that my lounge experience would involve sharing that with people you just plucked out of the terminal at random?? Not happy :/

Isn't that why it's nice to share the love.

 

[BAM1748]

If the situation is right, happy to guest someone.

Just doesn't seem to happen though.

 

[SuzieQ68]

Don't generally guest (but to be honest, not sure why, probably because I keep thinking I or they will feel obligated to chat once we enter).

Have guested twice for strangers. Once into the QF Lounge in SIN for a lady requiring a wheelchair for distances (she was offered an onboard upgrade to J and was seated next to me for the leg to SIN - kudos for QF here - her daughter had just passed away and she was returning home to London from NZ after attending the funeral). Second time was when a VA Plat had his wife, 2 daughters and parents with him. They were returning home and it was the parents turn to miss out on lounge access (they went in on the trip down to MEL). They didn't ask, but were just discussing it not far from the VA lounge as we passed. We turned around and asked if we could assist with entry. They were so pleased that they could all access. Our good deed for the day.