Qantas Denial of OW Emerald access to Sydney First Lounge

[RooFlyer]

One reading is that you can get all the benefits just by holding the relevant status, whether or not it’s attached to the booking. Another reading, which some airlines seem to be exploring, is that your status must be in the booking, otherwise hiw does the airline know.

For me, the reading is straightforward and is expressed in the positive entitlement simply by holding status

Members of oneworld airline frequent flyer programmes with the equivalent of oneworld Emerald or Sapphire tier status can use lounges offered by oneworld airlines when departing on any flight marketed and operated by any oneworld member airline, regardless of cabin class being flown (exceptions are noted below).

Later on they go to list specific exceptions by the airline etc which are pretty well known.

If they or some of them add a new rule or exception “ … applicable only to lounges of the airline you were flying on and crediting your frequent flyer points to” then to me that must break one of the major reasons of the airline alliance system. No point me necessarily flying American or Finnair or BA overseas if my Qantas platinum gives me no material privileges. I might as well fly a skyTeam or starAlliance airline.

 

[jase05]

No point me necessarily flying American or Finnair or BA overseas if my Qantas platinum gives me no material privileges.

If you add your QFF number you will get the privileges flying on those airlines.
I’m thinking it will be come more common

 

[stephenrob63]

I doubt airlines have an issue with lounge crawling provided your boarding pass has the relevant tier marked on it.
I think going forward we might see more airlines that won’t simply allow you to flash your card for access.
Sounds like the OP was told they would have lounge access if they changed their frequent flyer number to their QF OWE number

That is exactly what happened to me. On my recent return, Cathay did not allow me into their F lounge in Hong Kong by flashing my QF Plat card either.
This is now being enforced.

 

[justinbrett]

IMO the ability to fly on one program and use the privileges of another was a loophole. Even if it is supported by the rules it doesn’t really fit with what an alliance is supposed to be, You join a program and enjoy the benefits throughout the alliance.

So not really surprising if they tighten the rules. There hasn’t been a reasonable expectation of other benefits (extra luggage, priority boarding, preferred seating etc) when you don’t have your elite number against the booking, why should lounges be any different?

 

[Cessna 180]

That is exactly what happened to me. On my recent return, Cathay did not allow me into their F lounge in Hong Kong by flashing my QF Plat card either.
This is now being enforced.

I am a bit confused by all this.
So going forward, if I am on a QF30 for example, with my QF FF# does this mean I can no longer go to the CX lounges? This is a big part of the fun for me as an occasional international traveler.

 

[justinbrett]

I am a bit confused by all this.
So going forward, if I am on a QF30 for example, with my QF FF# does this mean I can no longer go to the CX lounges? This is a big part of the fun for me as an occasional international traveler.

If you have QF status you can still enter the CX lounge.

If you have CX status you need to use your CX # on your booking to use the CX lounge.

 

[dajop]

IMO the ability to fly on one program and use the privileges of another was a loophole. Even if it is supported by the rules it doesn’t really fit with what an alliance is supposed to be, You join a program and enjoy the benefits throughout the alliance.

Rare, but some airlines actually have a checkin setup that specifically allows you to use the benefits of one program (in a “status” field ) whilst accruing to another “frequent traveller”) field. (SQ does this). Obviously not oneworld but this is not Star alliance wide so it seems something that is determined by individual carriers.

 

[pauly7]

Yes, but CX apparently are saying no.
When we were in HKG recently staff mentioned that if you wanted to enter the F lounges then you needed to have a OWE number on your boarding pass and that flashing a card won’t be allowed

Hong Kong - can confirm similar experience last week, I was fine but my colleague was attempting something similar to OP (BP crediting to AA - not high enough status to get into lounge, tried to use QF Plat card - declined entry and told they had to have the QF status on BP)

Seems like Cathay are definitely cracking down in their own lounges and outside their own lounges with their partners too. Might well be refusing to pay their partners…