Qantas Sydney International Business Lounge

[justinbrett]

Based on what metric?

Temp Lounge capacity < Former J lounge capacity

 

[elanshin]

Based on what metric?

I think just guesstimating from the old eyeball test where QF J was reasonably full and the current space is smaller.

 

[Quickstatus]

J was reasonably full and the current space is smaller.

At the time you were travelling... I suspect it is just QF using a catch all out for them. There is no way for lounge eligible passengers to actually know.

 

[Quickstatus]

V

Temp Lounge capacity < Former J lounge capacity

Licensed lounge capacity < licensed former J lounge capacity

Again, it is quite different to saying that the actual lounge capacity was unable to absorb 2pax at the time of seeking lounge access. Lounge traffic can be quite variable

No loss to us . Just another dot point: OW lounge access possibly unreliable.

 

[Aeryn]

Just another dot point: OW lounge access possibly unreliable.

More accurately the access to QF temporary J lounge at SYD is unreliable when flying J or below on OW partners and holding status below WP/OWE.

 

[justinbrett]

V

Licensed lounge capacity < licensed former J lounge capacity

Again, it is quite different to saying that the actual lounge capacity was unable to absorb 2pax at the time of seeking lounge access. Lounge traffic can be quite variable

No loss to us . Just another dot point: OW lounge access possibly unreliable.

But why your 2 pax and not another 20 groups of 2 pax? What makes you special?

They have to manage this at a macro level otherwise QF can’t accommodate its own pax, which doesn’t have alternative arrangements.

MH may also be paying the 3rd party lounge on the basis that’s the only lounge they need to pay for, and won’t also pay QF for its lounge.

I think you’re being very unreasonable.

 

[Amanad78]

Just another data point.
We're flying MH J tonight on our OWA, had a domestic transfer to Sydney this afternoon, both flights checked in via the Qantas app.
2x QF eboarding passes on the phone.
Scanned us straight into the Qantas International business lounge. No mention of any other lounges.

 

[elanshin]

Just another data point.
We're flying MH J tonight on our OWA, had a domestic transfer to Sydney this afternoon, both flights checked in via the Qantas app.
2x QF eboarding passes on the phone.
Scanned us straight into the Qantas International business lounge. No mention of any other lounges.

I wonder if this is because 1 you were holding onto QF boarding passes (so they can't easily tell it's MH) and 2 evenings tend to be quieter at SYD.

 

[Amanad78]

I wonder if this is because 1 you were holding onto QF boarding passes (so they can't easily tell it's MH) and 2 evenings tend to be quieter at SYD.

Yes, I reckon both of those reasons, its pretty quiet. There are 5x go to gate flights so everyone left for those and another 8 flights before our flight.
And definitely the QF boarding pass, I'm sure made a difference

 

[DC3]

It's just a walkway for me. Couldn't care less.

Yeah, we guessed as much

 

[justinbrett]

Yeah, we guessed as much

I did have an extra look today - I stand by a casual observer assuming it’s fake. It’s in good condition today so all is green. Last time I here there was a lot of brown spots so obvious it wasn’t fake then.

Either way I think they’d get away with using fake plants. Very few would notice, and even less would care.

Hope it’s not costing them much to maintain otherwise that money should be redirected to replacing the lounges

 

[QFFHntrGthr]

MH may also be paying the 3rd party lounge on the basis that’s the only lounge they need to pay for, and won’t also pay QF for its lounge.

I think you’re being very unreasonable.

Once your MH BP is scanned, MH the operating carrier has to pay for your QF lounge access if you're entering as a MH J pax. If you're not flying J and entering the QF lounge on your OW status including QFF and your OWFF number is in the booking and hence on the BP, the FF department of the OW member on your BP pays for your your access. As you are using a OW lounge. If however you are using your status to enter the lounge by just flashing your OW status card, the desk staff has to additionally record that FF detail so the right OW member is charged for your access. Hence in some instances they find it easier to just send you away especially if the system won't allow them to record the additional informarton without actually changing your earning FF program in your booking.
That's the way it works. MH's own contracted lounge won't earn anything from MH if you don't use the PP lounge ie your BP is not scanned. If you do, in this case MH pays even if you have your OWFF on the BP and the invite to the contracted lounge in on your BP . If you are a non J pax, MH may in turn recharge the respective OW FF program for your visit, not sure if all the OW member do it in this case.. In this instance , flashing you OW status card will not get you into the contracted non OW lounge.

 

[Quickstatus]

But why your 2 pax and not another 20 groups of 2 pax? What makes you special?

You suggest that OW J pax do not get access to QF J Lounge because the capacity of the lounge is unable to accommodate OW J pax. I just ask the simple question - how do you know.?. You have been unable to point to anything that would confirm that.

Maybe they were full at the time of my arrival but both you and I don't know that they actually were.

My suggestion is that OW Lounge eligibility based on class of travel is less of a perk because of the catch all eligibility rules that allow a lounge to restrict access based on capacity constraints. On one level that is reasonable but on another level, it could just be applied even though there is no capacity issues at the time of an access request.

They have to manage this at a macro level

They manage the lounge anyway they want - macro/micro. It is not for any passenger to tell them what to do.

The outcome of their policies for me just means that for me that OW is becoming less OW in terms of benefits to OW passengers

 

[justinbrett]

Once your MH BP is scanned, MH the operating carrier has to pay for your QF lounge access if you're entering as a MH J pax. If you're not flying J and entering the QF lounge on your OW status including QFF and your OWFF number is in the booking and hence on the BP, the FF department of the OW member on your BP pays for your your access. As you are using a OW lounge. If however you are using your status to enter the lounge by just flashing your OW status card, the desk staff has to additionally record that FF detail so the right OW member is charged for your access. Hence in some instances they find it easier to just send you away especially if the system won't allow them to record the additional informarton without actually changing your earning FF program in your booking.
That's the way it works. MH's own contracted lounge won't earn anything from MH if you don't use the PP lounge ie your BP is not scanned. If you do, in this case MH pays even if you have your OWFF on the BP and the invite to the contracted lounge in on your BP . If you are a non J pax, MH may in turn recharge the respective OW FF program for your visit, not sure if all the OW member do it in this case.. In this instance , flashing you OW status card will not get you into the contracted non OW lounge.

I don’t think that’s correct - I believe that’s the case for other alliances but in oneworld the marketing carrier pays including for pax entering with oneworld status. There doesn’t seem to be a definitive source as it’s commercial in confidence but most sources align with this. I think some experts have said some airlines have bilat deals that vary the oneworld policies.

Behind the Scenes: Who's Paying Whom for Airport Lounge Access

Whenever you enter an airport lounge, a transaction is taking place behind the scenes. Somebody is paying the lounge operator.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

But what I was specifically referring to is that MH may have had to pay a floor amount to gain access for its pax. These kinds of deals are bespoke and it’s wild speculation unless you’re party to the arrangements. I only said it was a possibility not that it was the case.