Questions and Answers

Hi all,

We are passing through DXB in a couple of weeks on an EK F ticket (AS award). I’m looking for any current data points about the “workaround” for utilizing the chauffeur service from the airport to the hotel (Grand Hyatt). I know I wouldn’t be able to use it for a return airport transfer. Anybody had any luck with it recently?

Also, I’ve seen a couple of comments posted recently about being denied lounge access due to being on an Alaska award (I believe more-so at outstation locations). I know that it can typically take some explaining since it books as a staff ticket, but has there been any sort of crackdown on access since the devaluation? Any input is much appreciated.

Thanks!
BKT

Some worth checking posts:
[I]Many of them are dated. So checkout the latest comments.[/I]

[URL]http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2015/01/29/how-to-still-get-emirates-chauffeur-on-alaska-award-tickets/[/URL]

[URL]http://www.milevalue.com/trick-how-to-still-get-free-chauffeur-service-on-your-emirates-first-or-business-class-award/[/URL]

I was on EK F in Feb and was not denied lounge access. I didnt bother with trying for chauffeur service though. I landed late and went straight for the taxi stand and hailed a cab for the airport the next morning. It wasnt expensive at all, maybe 30-35AED per trip?

Car service worked a few weeks ago, but remember it’s completely YMMV. Depends on the agent working, etc.

Lounge access shouldn’t be a problem though!

No problem booking chauffeur service at the desk in DXB. The guy didn’t even ask for my boarding pass. He actually looked my reservation up in the computer manually so I was sure I’d be denied. The only reason I can think of that it would have worked is because of a change to the second segment of the booking, which is what he used to look us up. The DXB-MLE segment was originally booked in J (on an AS F award) because it was a two cabin configuration 777-200. About a week before departure I noticed there was an equipment change to a three cabin 777-300ER. I called AS and they contacted EK to manually upgrade that segment to F. Maybe the manual upgrade modified the booking so it didn’t show as an AS award booking anymore? Maybe the guy just didn’t care and he can override the computer? Who knows.

In any case, I was able to book a chauffeur to the Burj al Arab for afternoon tea and a return pickup 4 hours later to bring us back to DXB.