Questions and Answers

Lucky,

I wanted to share this as it’s an interesting loophole of a negative nature that BA is using to exclude Emerald from First Class lounge access.

Tonight I am traveling to LHR from IAD in paid Business (Club). As an Emerald member I accessed the shared F and C lounge at IAD and was told that I was only allowed in the business class section as IAD does not technically have a “First” lounge. When I pointed out that there is a First Class section, with dining, she informed me that it is not technically a First lounge but a dining area exclusive to First passengers. I challenged this as being somewhat arcane given that LHR and many other locations with a First lounge has the same dining.

It was rather fruitless to pursue this further as Cathy refused me entrance and told me in no less terms to “take a seat in the business class section or leave.” Needless to say that being on the late 10:25PM departure I was looking forward to a proper meal in the first lounge so as to hit the plane sleeping.

BA is clearly using a unique formula of not calling a First area of a lounge an actual First Lounge and thus excluding Emerald from access. Calling it First Dining to me is confusing, a bit misleading, and certainly impacts my choice in alliance.

Have you heard of this loophole? Any other members have similar experiences?

Actually, many airlines separate their lounges into different types and sets different criteria for access. BA can very well rope off a section of the lounge specifically for travelers in First Class, which is different from a OW Emerald accessing a BA First Class Lounge. If you were flying out of JFK for example, You could visit the BA First/Business lounges but not the separate Concord Room.

The agent was correct — the “Concorde Room” facilities are only for first class passengers, not Emeralds, unfortunately.[ATTACH=full]93[/ATTACH]