Opinions of Qantas Club lounge access

QF Qantas Club Access

Hi all, am relatively new to status/lounge access and would appreciate the opinion of more experienced members of ausbt,com re my situation.

I have earlier this year been fortunate to have obtained EK Gold status. EK Gold lets me access into QF club access when flying domestically (stated on both QF and EK websites), and I will be flying much more domestically in the next 4 months and from now on than before. I assumed all I have to do is show my EK gold card and QF boarding pass to gain access to the QC lounge

I have had issues particularly with the Melbourne QF Lounge when entering the lounge the last 3 times I've been there. Despite showing my valid EK Gold membership card, they stated to me that I needed to have my EK ticket number on my boarding pass to enter the lounge, and this is NOT stated on either the QF or EK websites. The first time this happened, I yielded, though this meant I would lose my QF status credits and FF points. I called up QFF after this first instance and they agreed with it is myself that decides which FF programme I want my SCs and FF points are credited to, and they reinstated my SCCs and FFs. I asked how this could be avoided and the QFF lady said she would put a note on my profile and ask the lounge attendent to look at my profile to avoid this happening. I do not want my EK number as the FF program as it does not get me EK points, and would rather QF points.

The second instance in Melbourne, the same thing happened, and I asked them to look at my QFF profile but they said they could not access my profile, completely contradicting the QFF member, and also a lounge attendant at the Brisbane QF lounge, who said yes they could access my profile. I discussed with the customer service manager and he said they had internal memos confirming that the EK FF number had to be on the ticket, and despite me showing him the QF and EK websites on my phone (they didn't have their own internet access to their own website or EKs!) which he agreed to he still did not yield. He stated EK needs to reimburse QF for my entrance into the lounge, which of course I have no issue with, but no where does it state that I have to change my boarding pass FF number to ease QFs methods in reimbursement for my QC visits - surely there are other methods. He could not comment on that. I then asked him how hgeneral public are supposed to know what internal memos say (or even have to know what they say) when their public site contradicts what their own website says. Blank look and I realised I was arguing with an idiot and would not win, so I yielded. I emailed QFF and got my SCs and FF points reinstated.

Third time in Melbourne QC lounge, the same process happened again, though I did not argue as I get nowhere. I've been to the Brisbane, Adelaide and Hobart lounges, and they had no issue letting me in, so its a Melbourne specific problem it seems. A discussion with a different QFF lady after the second instance was completely useless. She suggested I by a QC membership but could not give me an answer when I asked her why I should buy membership when my EK Gold status lets me in already?

Has anyone got any suggestions. I am (fortunately/unfortunately) a time poor professional and don't want to have to waste anymore time emaling QF every single time about this than I need to on this very first world problem issue.

By the way, I obtained EK Gold status through long haul premium cabin status and will be having more long haul flights in the future, and will be obtaining EK Platinum status. Yes I could switch to QF for international flights (and would probably obtain QF Gold/Platinum) but I do not like the QF connections as much, and this whole episode has soured my opinion on QF.

Thanks in advance guys

I'd be taking a hint after the same thing hapenning 3 times

Certainly seems that maybe its time to just start putting your EK number on bookings..

I understand this is a hassle if you want to credit to QF, however if you've got no QF status, i dont see much benefit in crediting there. 

You will get other status benefits as EK gold on QF such as priority services, however wont receieve these without status on your boarding pass. 

Will you be travelling domestically a lot more with QF? In the future will you be travelling Internationally/Domestically enough to obtain Gold/Platinum status? 

If you will be flying enough to obtain Status take these steps into consideration.

If I were you, I would keep up with the hassle till you obtain platinum with EK, once you have reached it make the move over to QF, as it will most likely be better off for you. When booking future flights once you have obtained EK Platinum, book the flights under your QF Frequent Flyer Number. When wanting to access the lounge show your EK Platinum card and you should have no hassles getting into the lounge even though booked under your QFF number. This will enable you to earn Status Credits on your QFF number whilst still using your EK platinum.

Benefits of obtaining status with QFF:

1. More likely to recieve complimentary upgrades/freebies when travelling economy when you have Platinum or Platinum 1

2. OW benefits, you will have access to many more lounges around the world and many more routes.

3. Easier access to lounges.

4. Status matches, some status matches will only apply if you are with a competing alliance.

These are just some of the benefits of switching over to QF.

When with QF you will recieve the exact same benefits when flying EK

The decision is up to you though!

1. Seeing that your location i

Thanks Tom,

I probably won't be travelling that much domestically after these next few months, maybe 6 times or so a year, hard to say. Thanks for your advice though. I did consider QF for international flights, but don't like their connections/limitations. EK is far better for me for international flights.

Enter your EK number on the booking, let them scan the boarding pass at the entrance with the EK number on it (to bill Emirates) and then go to the service desk inside the lounge and ask them to switch it to your Qantas number?

Good point, didn't think of that. Not sure if it will work, Melborne staff seem to be all over this stupid unwritten rule that the boarding pass has to have EK Gold Status on there

Your issue sounds similar to an issue I had gaining access to the Emirates lounge in Dubai a couple of weeks ago - although in my case it was the Emirates Lounge refusing access. At the time I was travelling on an Emirates aircraft with a QF Flight number on my boarding pass and my Qantas Gold Frequent Flyer card in hand.   After some investigating I was eventually told by Emirates that in order to gain access to their lounge as a Qantas Gold FF you need to have both a QF Flight number and your Qantas Frequent Flyer number on the boarding pass.   In my case my corporate travel desk inadvertedly assigned by Emirates Skywards FF number to the booking instead of my Qantas FF number - which apparently makes you invalid for lounge entry.   At least that is what they told me... 

"After some investigating I was eventually told by Emirates that in order to gain access to their lounge as a Qantas Gold FF you need to have both a QF Flight number and your Qantas Frequent Flyer number on the boarding pass."

That's incorrect - Qantas Gold frequent flyers can access Emirates business class lounges whether travelling on a QF or EK flight number on a flight operated by Qantas or Emirates in Australia, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and North Africa.

Yep. That's what I thought as well and indeed that is what it states on the Qantas website however this differs to what I was told directly by the Emirates representative that I spoke to.    From the customers perspective it is very confusing when you get mixed messages directly from the airlines involved.

I'd ask for a supervisor in that instance as the Emirates rep was incorrect. :)

Did that too. Was advised to log a complaint ticket on the Emirates web site - which I duly did.  After a week I got a reply simply instructing me to contact Qantas Frequent Flyer as I was travelling under a Qantas ticket.

In other words, it's a customer service merry-go-round.

Yes, that's pretty much the same scenario. It's god damn frustrating when the staff don't know the T&Cs, and when you ask them to prove it they can't. You just can't beat stupidity sometimes

Someone correct me, but where in the terms and conditions does it say that you need to accrue miles/points on the membership account that gives you access to the lounge, as a condition of entry?

Surely evidence of membership through the possession of a valid membership card is sufficient. Printing the membership number on the boarding pass does not in any way validate that membership, or does it?

My understanding is that printing the membership number on the BP is a method to expedite service delivery and not a condition of service access.

Someone please correct me if I am wrong on this.

Just as a footnote, I called the QFF Service Desk last night to report my experience.  The gent who took the call was quite helpful. He mentioned that there had been similar incidents from other Qantas FF passengers being refused entry due to not having a Qantas FF number on the boarding pass.  The issue was being escalated internally at Qantas for further investigation.   I'll post back to this thread if I hear anything more.