Free access to airport lounges?

neil on 17/05/2012 - 22:55
Last edited 18/05/2012 - 15:51

I was just reading this and was wondering if it could work here?

TLDR; Does buying a business class ticket give me access to the Qantas lounge?

So in a couple of weeks, I am flying overseas via Jetstar(airline irrelevant). Unfortunately, there is a 4 hour layover in Cairns and would be great if I could hangout in the Qantas lounge.

Looking at this, it states:

Whether you are travelling in Business or First and/or a Platinum or Gold Qantas Frequent Flyer, including Qantas Club members you may have access to a Qantas lounge.* When you arrive at a lounge, show your Qantas Club card, or your Platinum or Gold Frequent Flyer card with your ticket or boarding pass.

Cairns has a domestic lounge where the eligibility is:

Eligible Class of Travel

Qantas International First

Eligible if connecting to or from a Qantas international flight on the same day.

One guest permitted - guest does not need to be travelling.

Qantas International Business

Eligible if connecting to or from a Qantas international flight on the same day.

One guest permitted if travelling onwards on a Qantas operated and marketed flight.^

Qantas Domestic Business

Next onward flight that day must be on a Qantas marketed and operated flight.

One guest permitted if also travelling on a Qantas marketed and operated flight.^

A business domestic flight is fully refundable. So if I buy the cheapest possibly domestic business class ticket, then can I cancel the business class flight while in the lounge.

What do you guys think? Do I have to also be a Qantas club member?

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Comments

  • eatwell365 on 17/05/2012 - 23:15
    +1

    Not really possible to get refund once your luggage is checked in and boarding pass has been issued, is it?
    Easier to hang around entrance of the lounge and ask if someone is kind enough to sign you in as guest.

    • neil on 17/05/2012 - 23:19

      To clarify:

      I have a booking in the morning for a flight to Cairns and then onto International after lunchtime, Jetstar Cheapo Class.

      I want to book a Qantas business class domestic flight for the same day, say at 7PM so I can access lounge.

      So I'd go to the lounge on the premise that I'd be taking the 7PM flight while I'll actually be taking the cheapo flight internationally at lunchtime. While in the lounge, I'll just cancel the business class flight (online? or by phone).

      • eatwell365 on 17/05/2012 - 23:33

        To book a business flight may not be good enough. To access the lounge, you will be holding the actual business boarding pass which you can only get after checking in with a business ticket on the counter.

        • neil on 17/05/2012 - 23:42

          So once you check-in and get a boarding pass then you can't refund then?

          Ah, that's a bummer. No wonder I couldn't find anything on the net about it.

  • randoom on 17/05/2012 - 23:50

    Yes, that article is quite the read. I'd call Qantas to confirm regarding specifics of the fare rules @ http://www.qantas.com.au/regions/amadeus/minirules/AUAUBUS/ — you'll certainly get into the lounge on a business flight and the fare is fully refundable so seemingly you could just not even bother about cancelling at all til later and just be a no show.

    Am interested to see how this turns out. That said, I won't give up my Qantas Club membership just yet :)

    • neil on 18/05/2012 - 01:08

      Hmm, cheapest business class flight I could find is $900. Not sure I want to experiment with that. Would rather get something in writing.

      • randoom on 19/05/2012 - 15:27

        You could just buy a single use pass to the Qantas club if you get desperate and want a sure thing. Plenty on eBay. I have one myself I got from attaining Silver FF status I'd be willing to let go for a reasonable price.

        • voteoften on 19/05/2012 - 18:44

          Those passes used to be pulled by ebay nearly as fast as they were listed. I'd buy them if they were BIN and if they weren't, I would email the seller, letting them know it would be gone, but that I would buy it privately.

          Neil, you can most likely get both you and your wife in on one pass.

  • Davo1111 on 18/05/2012 - 01:06

    Neil, just give them a call. I'm sure they will be nice to their business class customers :)

    EDIT: oh and in answer to the last thing, my bet is you have to leave the lounge to get a new boarding pass.

  • Natt on 18/05/2012 - 09:53
    +1

    I think you are going to need proof that you have "checked-in" for the connecting flight, so a boarding pass etc.

    I would look at buying a pass through ebay - not free but if you have a few drinks (and possibly a few more) it'll pay for itself :P

    • Hoju on 18/05/2012 - 10:13
      +1

      Yep, they will either ask for your boarding pass, or when you enter the lounge, they'll check you in then and there. You'd have to be quick with the excuses in the case of the latter!

      I had a colleague who used to get in free all the time. Basically a Qantas Club member can take a guest in with them free. When she was flying, she used to lurk around the front entrance and then just ask some kind businessman if she could come in on his pass.

      Probably helped she was a woman, but you could always try your luck :)

      • voteoften on 18/05/2012 - 16:06
        +1

        It works for me. A lot don't know they can do it and are somewhat suspicious.

  • tonester on 18/05/2012 - 10:06
    +1

    So in a couple of weeks, I am flying overseas via Jetstar(airline irrelevant). Unfortunately, there is a 4 hour layover in Cairns and would be great if I could hangout in the Qantas lounge.

    Cairns has a domestic lounge

    why qantas lounge?

    i have a free-for-life citibank signature visa which comes with complimentary priority pass membership that includes two free lounge visits such into reef lounge at cairns international :)

  • neil on 18/05/2012 - 10:42

    Reef lounge sound good. According to this site, :

    Cathay Pacific has a Reef Lounge available for First and Business Class, members of the Marco Polo Club, Cargo Plan Elite members and Oneworld Emerald and Sapphire members.

    May be a bit more expensive buying a Cathay pacific ticket!

    Looks like the Citibank Signature is now a $395 annual fee.

    Have seen some passes on eBay going for around $50+ ( I think) but that sort of defeats the point. I'd rather sit in the terminal and save the $50.

    Mooching off businessmen at the entrance probably won't go down well with the wife.

    Looking at the Qantas website, if you need to cancel a fare after checking in, you need to call them. Doesn't really explicitly state if you will be able to get a refund.

    Elsewhere on the web, another airline offers refunds as long as you don't fly. My inclination is that you can get a refund on a business class fare even if checked in. Imagine how many business flyers check-in the night before and then have to cancel due to business decisions. If I did go ahead, I'd book in for a night flight so giving Qantas a good 7 or 8 hours of lead time to cancellation.

    • tonester on 18/05/2012 - 10:56

      do you have a visa card?

      http://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/64196

      US $64 + $27 = $91

      :)

      • neil on 18/05/2012 - 12:05

        Interesting alternative but $91 to access a lounge seems a bit high.

        • tonester on 18/05/2012 - 12:20

          it's $64 first year access fee and $27 per lounge visit (alternatively, $187 access includes 10 visits)

          Mooching off businessmen at the entrance probably won't go down well with the wife.

          perhaps someone here or at http://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community can meet you or send a guest pass?

  • Car-la-la on 18/05/2012 - 10:52

    This is very interesting…
    please update us when it's over Neil - hope it works out for you!

  • voteoften on 18/05/2012 - 16:11

    The qantas passes off of ebay are good. I get my moneys worth, every time.

    They say they are for one visitor only, but I have always had my daughter with me when I have accessed the lounge with these. They don't bat an eye. I doubt they would bat an eye for an adult guest either.

    When I fly virgin, I generally buy access to their lounge. My daughter is always charged. Virgin lounge is geared up for charging whereas they don't have the facility to do so at qantas, so they would probably let 3 or 4 in on one pass at qantas.

  • voteoften on 18/05/2012 - 16:12

    One thing to keep in mind is if that they do keep track of you somewhat in the lounge, so they can come tell you your flight is boarding.

  • Natt on 18/05/2012 - 16:21

    Unfortunately its not possible to buy access to Virgin Lounges anymore - not at least as far as I know.

    Back in Decemeber 2011 they stopped single entry at the lounge, in January they wound up being able to buy passes online.

    Real shame actually, especially as they pulled out of the Priority Pass scheme as well :(

    • voteoften on 18/05/2012 - 18:09

      Oh, I thought they just stopped selling online, that you had to pay $35 at the door, rather than $30 online.

      • voteoften on 18/05/2012 - 18:23

        And you are correct……

        I try not to fly Virgin anyway as they have such crap check in at the airport, both in Oz and overseas. It is a joke.

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