Unequal OW access

[simonpenny408]

Just in MAS Golden Lounge in KL (satellite). The have a Platinum Suite room reserved for their top tier FFs but are not letting Emeralds in even when quiet. Hardly fair I would say. Admittedly it's a smallish room but is there precedent to start showing MH platinum a to the J lounge in SYD and MEL. What say you Red Roo. Mildly disgruntled

 

[markis10]

Just in MAS Golden Lounge in KL (satellite). The have a Platinum Suite room reserved for their top tier FFs but are not letting Emeralds in even when quiet. Hardly fair I would say. Admittedly it's a smallish room but is there precedent to start showing MH platinum a to the J lounge in SYD and MEL. What say you Red Roo. Mildly disgruntled

Maybe they will call it the Concorde Room

 

[Danger]

This is not uncommon.

Airlines (even others within oneworld, as far as I know) often have benefits reserved only for their own top tiers.

 

[simonpenny408]

Doesn't appear to be a policy linked to class of travel either

 

[Mal]

Well qantas has the domestic business lounge which isn't an ows benefit even though its called business lounge. They also have Cl only lounges which are invite only. BA have the Concorde room.

They aren't the first to reclassify lounges based on their whims.

 

[samh004]

Well qantas has the domestic business lounge which isn't an ows benefit even though its called business lounge.

I'm surprised you brought this up, it's Business by name, because they don't have First domestically, and is no different to a Flagship lounge by Aanother airline. The Emerald logo at the door clearly signifies this, you only create more confusion bringing this up.

For all intents and purposes, the Business lounge (by name) is an Emerald lounge, which also grants access to business customers. Prior to its inception the Qantas Club did just fine with business pax.

As for the topic, I've read other threads of late suggesting Emeralds can get into the Platinum suite, and it's not actually that special. Besides, it's a lounge within a lounge... you're already in the First class section, which Emerald provides for.

 

[Mal]

For all intents and purposes, the Business lounge (by name) is an Emerald lounge, which also grants access to business customers.

Nope. It is qantas twisting rules to their benefit. Go to the oneworld website and read up on ows benefits. Apart from the specific exemption of the qantas lounge it fits every other criteria.

A reminder....

As a member of Qantas' frequent flyer programme, you earn points towards your tier status every time you travel on an eligible oneworld® flight.

You are entitled to the following oneworld benefits:

Priority Business Class check-in
Preferred boarding
Preferred seating (where offered)
Priority standby and waitlisting
Access to Business Class and frequent flyer lounges (with one guest), regardless of the class of service flown that day (excludes Qantas Domestic Business Class lounges)

 

[dfcatch]

Nope. It is qantas twisting rules to their benefit. Go to the oneworld website and read up on ows benefits. Apart from the specific exemption of the qantas lounge it fits every other criteria.

A reminder....

Mal - I think your view is the one twisting the intent.

The intent is very clear - Sapphire gets you access to Lounges - period. (The fact that many airlines refer to this as a Business Lounge is semantics, same with regard to OW wording).

The intent is clear - Sapphire gets you Lounge access. QF provides this with the Qantas Club. (Or Internationally - the "Business Lounge")

Emerald gets you access to the 2nd tier lounges. Qantas provides this with the Int F lounge and the Dom J Lounges.

AA provide Sapphires access to Admirals Club. Emeralds get access to Flagship Lounges.

The OW Lounge policy is quite clear:
Sapphire = Basic Lounge
Emerald = Premium Lounge

The QF exception on the OW page is necessary because of people twisting the semantics of the Lounge name. The Lounge name is irrelevant. Let's rename them the Dixon Lounge and the Joyce Lounge - then there is no confusion.
QF calls it a Business Lounge because in Australia we have no domestic First Class. "Domestic Business" IS our Domestic First.

And I'm ignoring airline specific exclusive lounges eg. CCR or CL.

To explain better - let's invert your logic....

By your logic - Sapphire should have access to Dom J Lounges because they are called a "Business Lounge".

So what - does Ruby now get access to the QP???

I mean come on - get over the semantics and you can see that the whole "Sapphire should get access to J lounge" is a bit superfluous.

If you want to attack QF on not providing OW benefits - Priority Boarding is a MUCH stronger argument.

 

[Mal]

Mal - I think your view is the one twisting the intent.

The intent is very clear - Sapphire gets you access to Lounges - period. (The fact that many airlines refer to this as a Business Lounge is semantics, same with regard to OW wording).

The intent is clear - Sapphire gets you Lounge access. QF provides this with the Qantas Club. (Or Internationally - the "Business Lounge")

Emerald gets you access to the 2nd tier lounges. Qantas provides this with the Int F lounge and the Dom J Lounges.

AA provide Sapphires access to Admirals Club. Emeralds get access to Flagship Lounges.

The OW Lounge policy is quite clear:
Sapphire = Basic Lounge
Emerald = Premium Lounge

The QF exception on the OW page is necessary because of people twisting the semantics of the Lounge name. The Lounge name is irrelevant. Let's rename them the Dixon Lounge and the Joyce Lounge - then there is no confusion.
QF calls it a Business Lounge because in Australia we have no domestic First Class. "Domestic Business" IS our Domestic First.

And I'm ignoring airline specific exclusive lounges eg. CCR or CL.

To explain better - let's invert your logic....

By your logic - Sapphire should have access to Dom J Lounges because they are called a "Business Lounge".

So what - does Ruby now get access to the QP???

I mean come on - get over the semantics and you can see that the whole "Sapphire should get access to J lounge" is a bit superfluous.

If you want to attack QF on not providing OW benefits - Priority Boarding is a MUCH stronger argument.

Nope. I disagree. Read the ow conditions again come back.

If domestic rules were in place, why doesn't ow exclude them as a blanket statement? Why is there a BA lounge at Heathrow that caters to ows who are travelling domestically?

 

[medhead]

Nope. I disagree. Read the ow conditions again come back.

If domestic rules were in place, why doesn't ow exclude them as a blanket statement? Why is there a BA lounge at Heathrow that caters to ows who are travelling domestically?

I don't see anyone arguing there is no domestic lounge access. Certainly in Australia such access is provided by the QC. Is this BA lounge the top domestic lounge available or the basic one?

 

[dfcatch]

I've read them a million times.

QF provides lounge access for Sapphires when travelling either domestically or internationally.

A/ When travelling internationally the lounge is called the "Qantas International Business Lounge".

It may as well be called the DYK Lounge.

B/ When travelling domestically the lounge is called the "Qantas Club".

It may as well be called the WIA Lounge.



QF also provides First-Class Lounges for Emeralds when travelling either domestically or Internationally.

Appropriately called the "Qantas First Lounge" or the "Domestic Business Lounge". (It would be called the Domestic First Lounge if they had domestic first class).

I mean seriously - your only argument here is that "Qantas calls it a "business" lounge therefore Sapphires should be allowed to use it cause OW use the term "business" in their description.

Why don't we just call it the "I really wanna be a DYKWIA Lounge" and then there's no argument.

Perhaps I should be allowed in the CL because I'm a "first class kinda guy" and OW says Emeralds get First Class Lounge access.

No-one would argue that the CL is a "first class lounge" (non-capitals deliberate).

It's semantics and it's pointless. QF provide a "business" lounge for Sapphires both domestically and internationally. If they didn't provide lounge access to Sapphires you would have a point.

As I said above - if you want to whack QF for not providing Sapphires with OW benefits - whack them over Priority Boarding - cause that's a blatant breach.

I tell you what though - next time any Sapphire in CNS wants access to the Business Lounge.... I'll happily swap them and sit in the QP so they can sit in the J Lounge

 

[simonpenny408]

On the original topic the MAS Platinum Suite was playing nice classical music had comfier chairs and the food and drink selection looked better. Anyway I slummed it in the normal First section which was fine, but as I said mildly disgruntled as denied access when the lounge was clearly not very busy

 

[Mal]

Dfcatch ... we don't agree. Fine. But I don't think you've read a web page one million times, nor do you understand how various descriptions can be read.

 

[samh004]

Dfcatch ... we don't agree. Fine. But I don't think you've read a web page one million times, nor do you understand how various descriptions can be read.

Do you agree that the services and benefits in the "Business Lounge" are higher than in the Qantas Club, in terms of helpfulness by staff, food/drink and decor, etc? Essentially, a higher tier lounge such as that for Emeralds?

Would you therefore be in favour of the services and benefits of the current "Business Lounges", being swapped with the QP, thus giving Sapphires access to the "Business Lounge" with Qantas Club fare, and Emeralds access to the Qantas Club (a much larger space in more ports) with the current Business Lounge fare?

If you wouldn't find that acceptable (ie. the Emerald lounge having better services and benefits), why not?

And I'm not targeting what the lounge is called here, just what you get in each.

 

[serfty]

This is not uncommon.

Airlines (even others within oneworld, as far as I know) often have benefits reserved only for their own top tiers.

Or Vice Versa:

Qantas International Lounges Guest access - "Traveling With" for guests of QFF elites, "Traveling oneworld" for guests of non QFF oneworld Elites.

American Airlines Lounge Access - Traveling Internationally or on Specific routes and booking class for AAdvantage Elites, traveling oneworld for non AAdvantage oneworld Elites

 

[Heleigh]

Personally I think QF should change All Int F and DOM J lounges to Platinum/Emerald Lounges and Int J and QC to Gold/Sapphire it would make life easier

 

[JohnPhelan]

The Dom J lounges are already overcrowded (BNE in particular). Can you imagine if all the QFF Golds (flying Y) were let in as well ??????

 

[richie9x]

Just in MAS Golden Lounge in KL (satellite). The have a Platinum Suite room reserved for their top tier FFs but are not letting Emeralds in even when quiet. Hardly fair I would say. Admittedly it's a smallish room but is there precedent to start showing MH platinum a to the J lounge in SYD and MEL. What say you Red Roo. Mildly disgruntled

But did you get access to the first class area? That's what you are entitled to as a Oneworld Emerald. As you enter business class lounge is on the left and first class on the right.
Even Malaysian first class passengers don't get access to the platinum room, unless they actually have MH Platinum status.

 

[dfcatch]

Dfcatch ... we don't agree. Fine. But I don't think you've read a web page one million times, nor do you understand how various descriptions can be read.

You're right - I exaggerated - but I've read it a ****load.

I do understand the different ways it could be read - and if I was on the "pro" team - I would have a hard time sustaining my argument as its only based on semantics.

Let me throw it back to you - if you were writing the OW/QF access rules, (you have carte blanche here to designate the rules), what would you suggest the access rights should be?

Would you not agree with the basic premise that Sapphires get access to the standard lounge, and Emeralds get access to a Level 2 lounge?

 

[TheInsider]

On the original topic the MAS Platinum Suite was playing nice classical music had comfier chairs and the food and drink selection looked better. Anyway I slummed it in the normal First section which was fine, but as I said mildly disgruntled as denied access when the lounge was clearly not very busy

How on earth is this a Qantas issue though?