Qantas Domestic Lounges from 15/06/23 Guests Must be Travelling on Qantas/Partner Airline

[Misspiggy]

Great news, and get rid of the uncontrolled kids whilt they are at i. If they do save any money they might be able to spend it on some better food choices. Why they contract Accor to manage food and beverage is beyond all common sense.

 

[henrus]

So according to points hacks QF Club members at international lounges can only bring guests on the same flight they're travelling on. From 15 June this changes that the guest can be on a Qantas, Jetstar or oneworld partner flight.



Now there are two parts to this... if true this is massive meaning that someone flying JQ could bring anyone flight a oneworld airline but then the second part is will this apply to status holders like Gold/Plat?

This could mean someone with a QF Club membership has better guesting rights to a QF operated lounge then a QF status holder (which just seems wrong).

 

[jase05]

I thought same! Didn’t even know this was a thing. Never used, never would use, had no idea even existed.

I can’t say I’ve ever used it with QF but with VA I use it all the time out of CBR. Elderly parents live a few hours south and usually drive us to the airport and then come in the VA lounge and have a coffee with us before heading home

 

[justinbrett]

So according to points hacks QF Club members at international lounges can only bring guests on the same flight they're travelling on. From 15 June this changes that the guest can be on a Qantas, Jetstar or oneworld partner flight.

View attachment 328992

Now there are two parts to this... if true this is massive meaning that someone flying JQ could bring anyone flight a oneworld airline but then the second part is will this apply to status holders like Gold/Plat?

This could mean someone with a QF Club membership has better guesting rights to a QF operated lounge then a QF status holder (which just seems wrong).

Seems very niche - how often are you travelling with people from an international terminal to different destinations?

If they're having one simple guest policy for all lounges (as the article implies), sounds like it will be for all.

 

[Princess Fiona]

So according to points hacks QF Club members at international lounges can only bring guests on the same flight they're travelling on. From 15 June this changes that the guest can be on a Qantas, Jetstar or oneworld partner flight.

View attachment 328992

Now there are two parts to this... if true this is massive meaning that someone flying JQ could bring anyone flight a oneworld airline but then the second part is will this apply to status holders like Gold/Plat?

This could mean someone with a QF Club membership has better guesting rights to a QF operated lounge then a QF status holder (which just seems wrong).

I’m not too sure about Pointhacks interpretation of this.

Currently anyone flying JQ internationally who has lounge access courtesy of status or QF Club can guest someone on the same flight as them.

Anyone Gold or above on a QF or OW Flight can guest someone who is on a a OW Flight. QF Club can guest but they must be on the same flight.
I suspect the change if any will bring QF Club into alignment with Status based access.
Can’t see it being better.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I’m not too sure about Pointhacks interpretation of this.

Currently anyone flying JQ internationally who has lounge access courtesy of status or QF Club can guest someone on the same flight as them.

Anyone Gold or above on a QF or OW Flight can guest someone who is on a a OW Flight. QF Club can guest but they must be on the same flight.
I suspect the change if any will bring QF Club into alignment with Status based access.
Can’t see it being better.

The points hack article only says QF Club will have better guesting rights than they have themselves. This is because a QF Club member travelling OW won’t have access, but their guest travelling OW could! (Although the member will still need to be flying QF or JQ)

 

[justinbrett]

I’m not too sure about Pointhacks interpretation of this.

Currently anyone flying JQ internationally who has lounge access courtesy of status or QF Club can guest someone on the same flight as them.

Anyone Gold or above on a QF or OW Flight can guest someone who is on a a OW Flight. QF Club can guest but they must be on the same flight.
I suspect the change if any will bring QF Club into alignment with Status based access.
Can’t see it being better.

Actually I was thrown by @henrus's comments - I don't think PH was saying they are better than status based access; it's saying the guest can be one a oneworld flight (eg BA or MH) whereas the QP card holder wouldn't qualify for access if they were on that same flight - they have to be flying QF/JQ.

 

[ThePW]

I’m not too sure about Pointhacks interpretation of this.

The points hack article only says QF Club will have better guesting rights than they have themselves.

For what it's worth, flighthacks now is reporting the same information:

Qantas Removes Lounge Access For Not-So-Frequent Flyers

Qantas will remove guest access for its domestic Qantas Club and Qantas Business lounges.

flighthacks.com.au

So I guess it's a matter of interpretation of these new rules and whether QF needs to refine/clarify the rules around Qantas Club flying JQ international and whether they can indeed guest someone flying OW. Maybe the statement given out by QF is too broad and they need to fine-tune it with a few more * and ~ first.

 

[dajop]

I'd be very surprised if this actually results in significant improvement in overcrowding situation. Surely that's due to the growth in domestic traffic outpacing the growth in the footprint of the lounges?

 

[NSun]

I can't see huge numbers of people being affected here, but I do understand it's a devaluation. Really though if it frees up space in lounges during peak times a little bit I'm all for it.

That is my thought exactly. I won't be affected personally and don't think many will be.

But the devaluations are one thing, it's way they spin it (not just spinning it as a positive but using the word simplifying) that rubs salt into the wounds.

 

[dairyfloss]

I knew the non-travelling guest benefit existed, but have not used it in my 20+ years of having QP/SG/WP status. My guest/s have always been travelling with me, or on another QF flight around that time. I’m not personally concerned that this is going away, but I certainly appreciate the concern over devaluation of benefits.

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[henrus]

For what it's worth, flighthacks now is reporting the same information:

As is AFF:


Now I could be totally incorrect here but the way I read it from 15 June the following is true (with me underlying the reported changes that make no sense):

I'll use the Sydney International Business Lounge as the example.

Guest flying (right) Club/Status Holder (below)	Guest is Flying any QF operated	Guest is Flying any EK operated	Guest is Flying any JQ operated	Guest is Flying any OW operated (non QF OW flight)
QF Club flying QF flight number	Club +1 guest (previously same flight - now any QF/JQ/OW)	no access (no change)	Club + 1 guest (this is apparently new)	Club + 1 guest (this is apparently new)
QF Club flying JQ flight number	Club +1 guest (this is apparently new)	no access (no change)	Club +1 guest (previously same flight now any QF/JQ/OW)	Club +1 guest (this is apparently new)
QF Club flying EK flight number	no access	no access	no access	no access
QF Club flying OW (non QF) flight number	no access	no access	no access	no access
QF Gold flying QF flight number	Gold + 1 guest (QF or OW flight number - no change)	no access for guest (no change)	no access for guest - unless guests JQ operated is a QF flight number (no change)	Gold + 1 guest (QF or OW flight number - no change)
QF Gold flying JQ flight number	Gold + 1 guest (must be same flight - no change but worse then apparent new club rules)	no access for guest (no change)	Gold + 1 guest (must be same flight)	no access for guest (no change)
QF Gold flying EK flight number	no access for guest (no change)	Gold + 1 guest (same flight - no change)	no access for guest (no change)	no access for guest (no change)
QF Gold flying OW (non QF flight number)	Gold + 1 guest (QF or OW flight number - no change)	no access for guest (no change)	no access for guest (no change)	Gold + 1 guest (QF or OW flight number - no change)

 

[SeatBackForward]

Because some people like to welcome family and friends at the gate

Because some people might need assistance to and from the gate without needing or wanting the formal assistance that can be requested from the airline

What is the downside of allowing it? Airports on the whole I suspect generate more revenue from it

Why create compromise when you don't have to?

Many countries around the world only allow travellers into the airport at all. Even in the USA the land of capitalism, only travellers can go past security.

Much like the international terminals in Australia, the lounges would only possibly used by travellers then, and this ambiguity wouldn't exist.

 

[nancypants]

Actually, your response is the exact type of response I find laughable.

You are amazed that people are up in arms at this change, then base that surprise on your own personal experience, seemingly unable to imagine other people in other circumstances finding the benefit useful.

For avoidance of doubt etc, my home bases where I have used this as a benefit have been ASP, CBR and DRW. If I lived in Melbourne or Sydney I probably wouldn’t bother although never say never. I think I might have taken him into the TSV lounge one time as well

 

[Austman]

I've used the non-travelling guest access benefit over the years.

But not for most flights.

It's a great benefit when you need/want to use it. I doubt too many people actually use it though.

So I doubt it will change crowding much.

If you have paid for it. And I have. I'd be pretty upset with it's removal on existing QP memberships.

And of course it doesn't "simplify" anything re domestic access. It might internationally.

 

[encryptededdy]

Personally I would love to see the Qantas international lounge access rules changed from "One Adult and Two Children" to "One Adult and Two Children OR Two Adults". Some competitors e.g. Cathay Diamond just straight up do two guests (regardless of if they're children or adults), which imo is preferable.

I don't think one adult meaningfully crowds the lounge more than two children.

 

[exceladdict]

I've used the non-travelling guest access benefit over the years.

But not for most flights.

It's a great benefit when you need/want to use it. I doubt too many people actually use it though.

So I doubt it will change crowding much.

If you have paid for it. And I have. I'd be pretty upset with it's removal on existing QP memberships.

And of course it doesn't "simplify" anything re domestic access. It might internationally.

Agree (though I haven't paid for access).

On the capacity argument domestically, the group recently reported 102% of pre-covid on domestic, is 2% extra enough to result in the crowding? I would think it must be extra status pax. I don't think CCs with comp access / passes has changed substantially during covid.

 

[dajop]

Agree (though I haven't paid for access).

On the capacity argument domestically, the group recently reported 102% of pre-covid on domestic, is 2% extra enough to result in the crowding? I would think it must be extra status pax. I don't think CCs with comp access / passes has changed substantially during covid.

Reports of overcrowding weren't uncommon pre-covid either. I was more thinking the increased domestic traffic compared to last time footprint was increased. For example, when was Sydney footprint last increased? 10 years ago the footprint at SYD actually decreased (with the T2 QP closure), and # passengers has increased since then, but in the rejigs/business lounge etc was any space actually added to the lounge footprint? Maybe the closed meeting rooms? Or tables and chairs closer together?

 

[33kft]

Personally I would love to see the Qantas international lounge access rules changed from "One Adult and Two Children" to "One Adult and Two Children OR Two Adults". Some competitors e.g. Cathay Diamond just straight up do two guests (regardless of if they're children or adults), which imo is preferable.

I don't think one adult meaningfully crowds the lounge more than two children.

I'm not sure that's the point. An adult can't just leave a child unattended in an airport, but they can decide which adults to guest in - let's say there's a family with 3 kids, under your approach even if both parents were status holders, unless the kids also had status, there's no way they'd get lounge access.

If it's purely about fairness, I don't think that saying 2 x sapphire/emeralds with 3 kids should not be able to enter the lounge because 1 x sapphire/emerald can't bring their spouse and uncle tom so we limited it to 1 guest only, but that's how Cathay and other OW carriers do it.. meaning a lot of families can't access the lounge which I'm sure many people love, but they clocked up those SCs just like anyone else did so... fair? dunno. it is what it is. I've heard enough opinions on these forums about kids on planes and in lounges to know that there won't be a lot of commiserations.

 

[dairyfloss]

Personally I would love to see the Qantas international lounge access rules changed from "One Adult and Two Children" to "One Adult and Two Children OR Two Adults". Some competitors e.g. Cathay Diamond just straight up do two guests (regardless of if they're children or adults), which imo is preferable.

I don't think one adult meaningfully crowds the lounge more than two children.

This one would be more about cost than capacity... an adult vs a child in terms of seating is no different, but a child won't go getting into the Taittingers for 3 hours prior to their flight! Maybe works better for Cathay without a JQ equivalent in the mix to drag down margins (actually - there's HK Express... not sure how much this eats into mainline like the orange cancer at QF).