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A Qantas Gold frequent flyer has been incorrectly denied Air New Zealand lounge access despite being booked on a Qantas codeshare service. To make matters worse, Qantas responded to this member’s complaint by providing completely inaccurate information. It seems that neither Air New Zealand nor Qantas are fully aware of their own policies regarding reciprocal Air New Zealand lounge access for Qantas frequent flyers.
Stormy was travelling from Invercargill to Melbourne via Christchurch on a Qantas ticket. This AFF member was booked on a Qantas codeshare service operated by Air New Zealand from Invercargill to Christchurch. The Christchurch-Melbourne flight was on Qantas.
As part of the new partnership between Qantas and Air New Zealand, Qantas Gold, Platinum and Platinum One frequent flyers can access Air New Zealand domestic lounges when travelling on Air New Zealand codeshare services marketed by Qantas. These flights can be booked in conjunction with a Qantas trans-Tasman flight. But as a Qantas Gold member, Stormy was denied entry to the Air New Zealand lounge in Invercargill.
Interestingly enough I took a regional flight today ticketed with a QF number and on to a trans Tasman flight and it was a big ‘denied’ to Air New Zealand lounge access… from both ground staff and electronically..
This member quite rightly queried the lack of lounge access with the Qantas Frequent Flyer Service Centre. This was the reply:
With our codeshare agreement with Air New Zealand, they have only agreed for our Platinum members to gain access in to their lounges.
We do apologise for the inconvenience.
This is totally incorrect. In fact, Qantas’ own website states that Gold members are eligible to use Air New Zealand lounges within New Zealand:
From 28 October 2018, as a Gold Qantas Frequent Flyer, when you travel on an onward New Zealand domestic flight operated by Air New Zealand with a Qantas (QF) flight number, be sure to have your boarding pass or ticket and Qantas Frequent Flyer membership card with you to receive access for you and one guest travelling together (children over the age of two are counted as a guest) to Air New Zealand Domestic and Regional lounges in Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, Hamilton, Tauranga, New Plymouth, Napier, Palmerston North, Nelson, Queenstown, Dunedin and Invercargill.
Qantas has not responded to a request for comment.
Join the discussion on the Australian Frequent Flyer forum: Reciprocal lounge access In New Zealand
