Same happened to me - I didn't even realise this when booking on the Qantas website. I arrived with my family having spent 30 minutes getting bumped into as I walked through the Duty Free Shopping precinct. The front desk operator asked "And how do you intend to enter the lounge today sir...". I explained i was a Gold etc... no good, no effect...
I had to do the great walk of shame. I'll know for next time.
Frequent Flyer is about loyalty to the airline! Why would an airline fund a lounge and then allow you to enjoy comfort, food and drink for free when you have booked and paid money to a different airline? Remember the T&C’s.
Frequent Flyer is about loyalty to the airline! Why would an airline fund a lounge and then allow you to enjoy comfort, food and drink for free when you have booked and paid money to a different airline? Remember the T&C’s.
I get what you're saying, However if I book a EKXXX flight through QF website - I can still use the EK lounge.
Frequent Flyer is about loyalty to the airline! Why would an airline fund a lounge and then allow you to enjoy comfort, food and drink for free when you have booked and paid money to a different airline? Remember the T&C’s.
I get what you're saying, However if I book a EKXXX flight through QF website - I can still use the EK lounge.
I always check the T&C's when booking flights on QF code share/partner airlines in advance to assess eligibility for lounge access/business class check in etc. A couple of times if it's not been clear I've tried it on at the lounge, but have certainly never had a "curt" conversation with the lounge person just doing their job, let alone advertised my ignorance on a public forum!
You booked an economy flight marketed and operated by an airline that was neither Qantas nor Oneworld. It just so happens that Qantas also sells seats on that flight (but you made the decision not to buy yours from them).
You were denied what you described as "the questionable privilege of using the crowded QF Sydney Business lounge with its well-known shortcomings", which didn't appear to upset you if "it was no hardship to find breakfast outside of same or better standard than the QF lounge."
But you're still upset with Qantas for denying you access to a lounge (which you don't think was really worth bothering about anyway), on the basis that you could theoretically have booked a QF flight number (which you chose not to do) - and had you done so (and paid substantially more) you could have used the lounge?
Qantas' strategy with their business customers is purely to lock you in as long as possible chasing lifetime status (G or P), notwithstanding the substantial shortcomings in their product. This requires no investment or effort on their part.
You booked an economy flight marketed and operated by an airline that was neither Qantas nor Oneworld. It just so happens that Qantas also sells seats on that flight (but you made the decision not to buy yours from them).
The OP was on a QF Operated flight (QF91), however it was marketed by Air Calin.
My wife & I recently flew QF91/SB149 SYD-NOU in W for work.
Both were previously QFF Platinum
for 8 years until declining long haul product standards & QFF attitudes led us to look
elsewhere. We’re still QFF lifetime Gold.
Outbound flight was Qantas metal
/ operated as an Air Calin codeshare. We had the audacity to book through Air
Calin as they were 40% cheaper than Qantas were charging for their own flight. The
inbound was Air Calin metal / operated as a QF codeshare.
On the outbound we were refused access
to the Sydney Qantas Business lounge due to our crime of booking through Air
Calin. This was clarified twice in a civil but curt exchange. As owners of a
successful customer-focused business I would question the wisdom of turning
away 2 QFF Lifetime Gold members on a Qantas flight on a minor technicality, knowing
the taste that would leave.
Or put another way, for not
paying an extra $400 each for the questionable privilege of using the crowded QF
Sydney Business lounge with its well-known shortcomings. It was no hardship to
find breakfast outside of same or better standard than the QF lounge. Nor
were we overly fussed about doing so.
Conversely on the inbound, Air Calin allowed
us into their modest Hibiscus business lounge in Noumea due to being QF Gold
and the flight being a QF codeshare. Even though QFF carries no status nor has
any official alliance with Air Calin. And probably done to improve the customer
experience.
Makes you wonder if Qantas’
enforcement of technicalities takes priority over the customer experience in
the longer term. Or did this episode just confirm what we already thought about
their attitude towards QFFs? There has been a definite shift over the past 5
years. I’m sure many will say rules are
rules in the corporate world. And customers will correspondingly vote with
their feet.
QF lounge access rules are clearly defined to avoid disputes like this by people feeling entitled or hard done by. I'm QF Platinum and know if I book an Emirates flight number or fly Fiji Airlines, for example, but not on a QF codeshare I don't get QF lounge access. In your case the money saved is more than an offset for any perceived inconvenience, while good on Air Calin for letting you in. As you're apparently disenchanted with QF in general it seems a bit rich to complain about what happened. Just sayin'...
QF lounge access rules are clearly defined to avoid disputes like this by people feeling entitled or hard done by. I'm QF Platinum and know if I book an Emirates flight number or fly Fiji Airlines, for example, but not on a QF codeshare I don't get QF lounge access. In your case the money saved is more than an offset for any perceived inconvenience, while good on Air Calin for letting you in. As you're apparently disenchanted with QF in general it seems a bit rich to complain about what happened. Just sayin'...
Actually, because of Qantas' specific alliance agreement with Emirates, if you book on an Emirates EK flight number you do indeed get lounge access as a Qantas Platinum member, except within the regions not covered by the agreement or when flying to those regions (such as to South Africa and The Americas).
My wife & I recently flew QF91/SB149 SYD-NOU in W for work.
Both were previously QFF Platinum
for 8 years until declining long haul product standards & QFF attitudes led us to look
elsewhere. We’re still QFF lifetime Gold.
Outbound flight was Qantas metal
/ operated as an Air Calin codeshare. We had the audacity to book through Air
Calin as they were 40% cheaper than Qantas were charging for their own flight. The
inbound was Air Calin metal / operated as a QF codeshare.
On the outbound we were refused access
to the Sydney Qantas Business lounge due to our crime of booking through Air
Calin. This was clarified twice in a civil but curt exchange. As owners of a
successful customer-focused business I would question the wisdom of turning
away 2 QFF Lifetime Gold members on a Qantas flight on a minor technicality, knowing
the taste that would leave.
Or put another way, for not
paying an extra $400 each for the questionable privilege of using the crowded QF
Sydney Business lounge with its well-known shortcomings. It was no hardship to
find breakfast outside of same or better standard than the QF lounge. Nor
were we overly fussed about doing so.
Conversely on the inbound, Air Calin allowed
us into their modest Hibiscus business lounge in Noumea due to being QF Gold
and the flight being a QF codeshare. Even though QFF carries no status nor has
any official alliance with Air Calin. And probably done to improve the customer
experience.
Makes you wonder if Qantas’
enforcement of technicalities takes priority over the customer experience in
the longer term. Or did this episode just confirm what we already thought about
their attitude towards QFFs? There has been a definite shift over the past 5
years. I’m sure many will say rules are
rules in the corporate world. And customers will correspondingly vote with
their feet.
QF lounge access rules are clearly defined to avoid disputes like this by people feeling entitled or hard done by. I'm QF Platinum and know if I book an Emirates flight number or fly Fiji Airlines, for example, but not on a QF codeshare I don't get QF lounge access. In your case the money saved is more than an offset for any perceived inconvenience, while good on Air Calin for letting you in. As you're apparently disenchanted with QF in general it seems a bit rich to complain about what happened. Just sayin'...
I would suggest a re-read of your lounge entitlements flying on an EK flight number...
My wife & I recently flew QF91/SB149 SYD-NOU in W for work.
Both were previously QFF Platinum
for 8 years until declining long haul product standards & QFF attitudes led us to look
elsewhere. We’re still QFF lifetime Gold.
Outbound flight was Qantas metal
/ operated as an Air Calin codeshare. We had the audacity to book through Air
Calin as they were 40% cheaper than Qantas were charging for their own flight. The
inbound was Air Calin metal / operated as a QF codeshare.
On the outbound we were refused access
to the Sydney Qantas Business lounge due to our crime of booking through Air
Calin. This was clarified twice in a civil but curt exchange. As owners of a
successful customer-focused business I would question the wisdom of turning
away 2 QFF Lifetime Gold members on a Qantas flight on a minor technicality, knowing
the taste that would leave.
Or put another way, for not
paying an extra $400 each for the questionable privilege of using the crowded QF
Sydney Business lounge with its well-known shortcomings. It was no hardship to
find breakfast outside of same or better standard than the QF lounge. Nor
were we overly fussed about doing so.
Conversely on the inbound, Air Calin allowed
us into their modest Hibiscus business lounge in Noumea due to being QF Gold
and the flight being a QF codeshare. Even though QFF carries no status nor has
any official alliance with Air Calin. And probably done to improve the customer
experience.
Makes you wonder if Qantas’
enforcement of technicalities takes priority over the customer experience in
the longer term. Or did this episode just confirm what we already thought about
their attitude towards QFFs? There has been a definite shift over the past 5
years. I’m sure many will say rules are
rules in the corporate world. And customers will correspondingly vote with
their feet.
I think the rules are pretty clear, if you're not flying on a QF ticket you can't use the lounge regardless of status level. But i agree with you on the price point. QF is always $1200 to $2000 more per head to Europe than others eg: Qatar, a One World member. In Feb we booked a PER - PARIS flight on Qatar due to their better arrival/departure times and no wish to try the direct dreamliner and then pick up a BA flight in LHR. So loyal as ever to QF I asked the travel agent to book QF code share ticket on Qatar. The quote was $2500 more than Qatar. Now who would pay that extra to get a few extra QF status credits and points and still not fly in a QF plane? If QF want their loyal customers to buy a code share ticket then they need to match the price. Apart from price, QF is being beaten on service standards, business class seats, food and lounges by Singapore and Qatar every day. Despite 30 years loyalty to QF, as Life Gold I can now choose what airline and price I want and not worry about dropping in status or getting into a lounge.
I think there are a lot of people flying business internationally on a regular basis that try very hard to "stay loyal" to Qantas but once you are Platinum and/or Lifetime Gold and a return flight to London on Qatar (who absolutely offer a superior service to Qantas on this route) is going to cost about $1,500 per ticket less, that loyalty can be sorely tested. As it is when you rack up a lot of points but then they are extremely hard to redeem for business fares anywhere except for "unpopular" destinations at off peak times.
SeanDardis
SeanDardis
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 08 May 2018
Total posts 12
Same happened to me - I didn't even realise this when booking on the Qantas website. I arrived with my family having spent 30 minutes getting bumped into as I walked through the Duty Free Shopping precinct. The front desk operator asked "And how do you intend to enter the lounge today sir...". I explained i was a Gold etc... no good, no effect...
Jflyer
Jflyer
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 18 Aug 2017
Total posts 42
Frequent Flyer is about loyalty to the airline! Why would an airline fund a lounge and then allow you to enjoy comfort, food and drink for free when you have booked and paid money to a different airline? Remember the T&C’s.
pkjames
pkjames
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 21 Jan 2017
Total posts 44
Just a question. Why would P1 get treated any different under the same circumstances ?. As people have pointed out the "rules are the rules".
not it should not be different at all. just trying to proof my point, status is irelevant in this case.
346
346
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 10 May 2017
Total posts 55
I get what you're saying, However if I book a EKXXX flight through QF website - I can still use the EK lounge.
Jflyer
Jflyer
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 18 Aug 2017
Total posts 42
I get what you're saying, However if I book a EKXXX flight through QF website - I can still use the EK lounge.
Yep in some of the more powerful code share alliances the airlines have agreements for reciprocal loung access.
DY
DY
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 02 May 2017
Total posts 19
I always check the T&C's when booking flights on QF code share/partner airlines in advance to assess eligibility for lounge access/business class check in etc. A couple of times if it's not been clear I've tried it on at the lounge, but have certainly never had a "curt" conversation with the lounge person just doing their job, let alone advertised my ignorance on a public forum!
Rufus1
Rufus1
Member since 04 Dec 2013
Total posts 70
So let me get this straight.
You booked an economy flight marketed and operated by an airline that was neither Qantas nor Oneworld. It just so happens that Qantas also sells seats on that flight (but you made the decision not to buy yours from them).
You were denied what you described as "the questionable privilege of using the crowded QF Sydney Business lounge with its well-known shortcomings", which didn't appear to upset you if "it was no hardship to find breakfast outside of same or better standard than the QF lounge."
But you're still upset with Qantas for denying you access to a lounge (which you don't think was really worth bothering about anyway), on the basis that you could theoretically have booked a QF flight number (which you chose not to do) - and had you done so (and paid substantially more) you could have used the lounge?
I'm afraid I'm with the airline on this one.
stmaus
stmaus
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 20 Nov 2017
Total posts 45
Qantas' strategy with their business customers is purely to lock you in as long as possible chasing lifetime status (G or P), notwithstanding the substantial shortcomings in their product. This requires no investment or effort on their part.
mannej
mannej
QF
Member since 21 May 2014
Total posts 176
So let me get this straight.
You booked an economy flight marketed and operated by an airline that was neither Qantas nor Oneworld. It just so happens that Qantas also sells seats on that flight (but you made the decision not to buy yours from them).
The OP was on a QF Operated flight (QF91), however it was marketed by Air Calin.
iM
iM
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 27 Jul 2016
Total posts 32
My wife & I recently flew QF91/SB149 SYD-NOU in W for work.
Both were previously QFF Platinum for 8 years until declining long haul product standards & QFF attitudes led us to look elsewhere. We’re still QFF lifetime Gold.
Outbound flight was Qantas metal / operated as an Air Calin codeshare. We had the audacity to book through Air Calin as they were 40% cheaper than Qantas were charging for their own flight. The inbound was Air Calin metal / operated as a QF codeshare.
On the outbound we were refused access to the Sydney Qantas Business lounge due to our crime of booking through Air Calin. This was clarified twice in a civil but curt exchange. As owners of a successful customer-focused business I would question the wisdom of turning away 2 QFF Lifetime Gold members on a Qantas flight on a minor technicality, knowing the taste that would leave.
Or put another way, for not paying an extra $400 each for the questionable privilege of using the crowded QF Sydney Business lounge with its well-known shortcomings. It was no hardship to find breakfast outside of same or better standard than the QF lounge. Nor were we overly fussed about doing so.
Conversely on the inbound, Air Calin allowed us into their modest Hibiscus business lounge in Noumea due to being QF Gold and the flight being a QF codeshare. Even though QFF carries no status nor has any official alliance with Air Calin. And probably done to improve the customer experience.
Makes you wonder if Qantas’ enforcement of technicalities takes priority over the customer experience in the longer term. Or did this episode just confirm what we already thought about their attitude towards QFFs? There has been a definite shift over the past 5 years. I’m sure many will say rules are rules in the corporate world. And customers will correspondingly vote with their feet.
QF lounge access rules are clearly defined to avoid disputes like this by people feeling entitled or hard done by. I'm QF Platinum and know if I book an Emirates flight number or fly Fiji Airlines, for example, but not on a QF codeshare I don't get QF lounge access. In your case the money saved is more than an offset for any perceived inconvenience, while good on Air Calin for letting you in. As you're apparently disenchanted with QF in general it seems a bit rich to complain about what happened. Just sayin'...
Chris C.
Chris C.
Member since 24 Apr 2012
Total posts 1,116
Actually, because of Qantas' specific alliance agreement with Emirates, if you book on an Emirates EK flight number you do indeed get lounge access as a Qantas Platinum member, except within the regions not covered by the agreement or when flying to those regions (such as to South Africa and The Americas).
mannej
mannej
QF
Member since 21 May 2014
Total posts 176
My wife & I recently flew QF91/SB149 SYD-NOU in W for work.
Both were previously QFF Platinum for 8 years until declining long haul product standards & QFF attitudes led us to look elsewhere. We’re still QFF lifetime Gold.
Outbound flight was Qantas metal / operated as an Air Calin codeshare. We had the audacity to book through Air Calin as they were 40% cheaper than Qantas were charging for their own flight. The inbound was Air Calin metal / operated as a QF codeshare.
On the outbound we were refused access to the Sydney Qantas Business lounge due to our crime of booking through Air Calin. This was clarified twice in a civil but curt exchange. As owners of a successful customer-focused business I would question the wisdom of turning away 2 QFF Lifetime Gold members on a Qantas flight on a minor technicality, knowing the taste that would leave.
Or put another way, for not paying an extra $400 each for the questionable privilege of using the crowded QF Sydney Business lounge with its well-known shortcomings. It was no hardship to find breakfast outside of same or better standard than the QF lounge. Nor were we overly fussed about doing so.
Conversely on the inbound, Air Calin allowed us into their modest Hibiscus business lounge in Noumea due to being QF Gold and the flight being a QF codeshare. Even though QFF carries no status nor has any official alliance with Air Calin. And probably done to improve the customer experience.
Makes you wonder if Qantas’ enforcement of technicalities takes priority over the customer experience in the longer term. Or did this episode just confirm what we already thought about their attitude towards QFFs? There has been a definite shift over the past 5 years. I’m sure many will say rules are rules in the corporate world. And customers will correspondingly vote with their feet.
QF lounge access rules are clearly defined to avoid disputes like this by people feeling entitled or hard done by. I'm QF Platinum and know if I book an Emirates flight number or fly Fiji Airlines, for example, but not on a QF codeshare I don't get QF lounge access. In your case the money saved is more than an offset for any perceived inconvenience, while good on Air Calin for letting you in. As you're apparently disenchanted with QF in general it seems a bit rich to complain about what happened. Just sayin'...
I would suggest a re-read of your lounge entitlements flying on an EK flight number...
david2202
david2202
Qantas
Member since 19 Jun 2015
Total posts 2
My wife & I recently flew QF91/SB149 SYD-NOU in W for work.
Both were previously QFF Platinum for 8 years until declining long haul product standards & QFF attitudes led us to look elsewhere. We’re still QFF lifetime Gold.
Outbound flight was Qantas metal / operated as an Air Calin codeshare. We had the audacity to book through Air Calin as they were 40% cheaper than Qantas were charging for their own flight. The inbound was Air Calin metal / operated as a QF codeshare.
On the outbound we were refused access to the Sydney Qantas Business lounge due to our crime of booking through Air Calin. This was clarified twice in a civil but curt exchange. As owners of a successful customer-focused business I would question the wisdom of turning away 2 QFF Lifetime Gold members on a Qantas flight on a minor technicality, knowing the taste that would leave.
Or put another way, for not paying an extra $400 each for the questionable privilege of using the crowded QF Sydney Business lounge with its well-known shortcomings. It was no hardship to find breakfast outside of same or better standard than the QF lounge. Nor were we overly fussed about doing so.
Conversely on the inbound, Air Calin allowed us into their modest Hibiscus business lounge in Noumea due to being QF Gold and the flight being a QF codeshare. Even though QFF carries no status nor has any official alliance with Air Calin. And probably done to improve the customer experience.
Makes you wonder if Qantas’ enforcement of technicalities takes priority over the customer experience in the longer term. Or did this episode just confirm what we already thought about their attitude towards QFFs? There has been a definite shift over the past 5 years. I’m sure many will say rules are rules in the corporate world. And customers will correspondingly vote with their feet.
I think the rules are pretty clear, if you're not flying on a QF ticket you can't use the lounge regardless of status level. But i agree with you on the price point. QF is always $1200 to $2000 more per head to Europe than others eg: Qatar, a One World member. In Feb we booked a PER - PARIS flight on Qatar due to their better arrival/departure times and no wish to try the direct dreamliner and then pick up a BA flight in LHR. So loyal as ever to QF I asked the travel agent to book QF code share ticket on Qatar. The quote was $2500 more than Qatar. Now who would pay that extra to get a few extra QF status credits and points and still not fly in a QF plane? If QF want their loyal customers to buy a code share ticket then they need to match the price. Apart from price, QF is being beaten on service standards, business class seats, food and lounges by Singapore and Qatar every day. Despite 30 years loyalty to QF, as Life Gold I can now choose what airline and price I want and not worry about dropping in status or getting into a lounge.
KT
KT
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 21 Jan 2018
Total posts 13
I think there are a lot of people flying business internationally on a regular basis that try very hard to "stay loyal" to Qantas but once you are Platinum and/or Lifetime Gold and a return flight to London on Qatar (who absolutely offer a superior service to Qantas on this route) is going to cost about $1,500 per ticket less, that loyalty can be sorely tested. As it is when you rack up a lot of points but then they are extremely hard to redeem for business fares anywhere except for "unpopular" destinations at off peak times.