PVG: a weak link in *A cooperation

[KeithMEL]

Am referring to lounge access.

I was trying to avoid the dreary lounge that NZ uses at PVG, and tried to gain access to the SQ and NH lounges.

The dragon at the SQ lounge turned me away as the SKL PVG isn't a designated *A lounge. She pointed out the absence of *A signs, and mentioned that I needed to be flying SQ to gain access to the lounge even with *G status. Fair enough.

So i tried my luck at the NH lounge, which had a *A sign. No go. I pointed out the *A sign and that surely it's a designated *A lounge. "Sorry, the sign is to show that we are a member of Star Alliance - you are not welcome here as you are flying air new zealand." Well, what's the bl**dy point??

It seems that the airlines are denying lounge access in PVG on a technicality, ie by not having lounges designated as *A lounges. To me this undermines one of the key benefit of traveling with the alliance.

*A at PVG - nothing more than just pretty logos? At least I can enter the SKL in SIN with *A BPs in the appropriate cabins.

[jjpb3]

So i tried my luck at the NH lounge, which had a *A sign. No go. I pointed out the *A sign and that surely it's a designated *A lounge. "Sorry, the sign is to show that we are a member of Star Alliance - you are not welcome here as you are flying air new zealand." Well, what's the bl**dy point??

Did the sign say "Star Alliance Gold"? That's what would indicate the lounge is a designated *G lounge.

Based on a guide I have, I think they were wrong to deny you access. Sorry you had to put up with that.

[KeithMEL]

I'd neglected to mention that I was trying to access the lounges on the basis that I was flying NZ in C.

According to my *A cheat sheet I'm allowed access to any business class *A lounge regardless of whether they have the *A logo or not, they just have to be designated by the relevant *A carrier as a business class lounge. (eg one can enter the SKL SIN with an LX C bp even if it doesn't have any *A signage) Ditto for F.

On the *A website, it states:

Lounge Access for International Business Class: Customers who present an international Business Class boarding pass, regardless of the Star Alliance carrier they fly, have access to all members' designated business departure lounges. Guests are not permitted.

Only exception to this rule I can think of is the LH FCL which can't be accessed by non-LH/LX *A F pax - as the SEN lounges are the designated First lounges.

So either the NH/SQ lounges in PVG are completely 'undesignated' (not likely - since the SKL and the Signet Lounge are labelled as such), or i should've brought a copy of the rules with me. Either way, it's not good enough.

And don't even get me started on the attitude of the NH dragon...

[jjpb3]

I'd neglected to mention that I was trying to access the lounges on the basis that I was flying NZ in C.

Definitely, you got shafted.

*A needs to do some housekeeping.

[jhm]

The dragon at the SQ lounge turned me away as the SKL PVG isn't a designated *A lounge. She pointed out the absence of *A signs

the NH/SQ lounges in PVG are completely 'undesignated' (not likely - since the SKL and the Signet Lounge are labelled as such)

So did the SKL have a sign or not ?

[SuperJonJon]

So did the SKL have a sign or not ?

According to a pic i took last month, there is no mention of Star Alliance.

[KeithMEL]

So did the SKL have a sign or not ?

According to a pic i took last month, there is no mention of Star Alliance.

No sign, but it is on the other hand designated as a *A lounge according to *A even if it isn't a *G lounge. It is also not under the list of lounges excepted from the universal lounge access policy based on class of travel.

My lack of coherence can best be explained by the flying (read: free booze) I've done within the last 24 hrs.

[cawhite]

Problems with being admitted to *A partner lounges for *A pax traveling on airlines other than those whose names are on the front of the lounge(s) at PVG has been reported as a problem for at least the past few years.

[MAN Flyer]

Did the sign say "Star Alliance Gold"? That's what would indicate the lounge is a designated *G lounge.

So did the SKL have a sign or not ?

As per SuperJonJon's recent picture they no longer have *A mentioned on the board outside. They used to have but changed it.

The NH lounge on the other hand does as I saw myself a couple of weeks ago. I didn't try either as I was flying Tr......

To be honest the SKL - and all lounges at PVG that I have used - is/are poor and generally overcrowded, so you've not missed anything.

The only good thing about PVG is the Maglev.

as the SEN lounges are the designated First lounges.

What SEN lounges are designated First lounges, surely not those horrendously overcrowded dwellings at FRA ?!.

[jhm]

To be honest the SKL - and all lounges at PVG that I have used - is/are poor and generally overcrowded, so you've not missed anything.

The KA lounge (admittedly before it joined OW) I used a few times was okay - not crowded, hot food, free Internet terminals etc. Much much better than the 3rd party lounge which CX pax have to use.

[KeithMEL]

What SEN lounges are designated First lounges, surely not those horrendously overcrowded dwellings at FRA ?!.

Sadly - yes even those.

The lounge NZ uses at PVG (CNAC First Class Lounge - this sounds much nicer than it actually is!!) wasn't too crowded, but it was horribly smoky. Nothing much to eat or drink either - just some soft drinks, coffee/tea, sandwiches and bowls of some fungus-like substances suspended in a clear yellowish liquid.

[jhm]

bowls of some fungus-like substances suspended in a clear yellowish liquid.

Sounds like a sweet snow fungus soup which you can have with dates, longans etc - quite nice actually!

[MAN Flyer]

The KA lounge (admittedly before it joined OW) I used a few times was okay - not crowded, hot food, free Internet terminals etc. Much much better than the 3rd party lounge which CX pax have to use.

I flew (cough) CX (cough) ex-PVG and I was given an invitation to the KA lounge. I was in J and am BA Silver and presume it's the same lounge whether it's for cabin flown or status.

It was very busy in there.

[jhm]

I flew (cough) CX (cough) ex-PVG and I was given an invitation to the KA lounge. I was in J and am BA Silver and presume it's the same lounge whether it's for cabin flown or status.

It was very busy in there.

It's the same lounge (down the escalator at one of the gates).

Perhaps it's crowded due to all the OW pax! This August, I couldn't get in even though I'm BA Gold, CX own 100% of KA and I was flying JL J PVG-NRT and CX F NRT-HKG both that day. Unlike KeithMEL's experience, the KA lounge staff were friendly in saying "no" (along the lines of later this year yes but now, sorry!).

[UMD]

Am referring to lounge access.

I was trying to avoid the dreary lounge that NZ uses at PVG, and tried to gain access to the SQ and NH lounges. The last time was when I tried to access NH lounge when I was flying OZ C.

The dragon at the SQ lounge turned me away as the SKL PVG isn't a designated *A lounge. She pointed out the absence of *A signs, and mentioned that I needed to be flying SQ to gain access to the lounge even with *G status. Fair enough.

So i tried my luck at the NH lounge, which had a *A sign. No go. I pointed out the *A sign and that surely it's a designated *A lounge. "Sorry, the sign is to show that we are a member of Star Alliance - you are not welcome here as you are flying air new zealand." Well, what's the bl**dy point??

It seems that the airlines are denying lounge access in PVG on a technicality, ie by not having lounges designated as *A lounges. To me this undermines one of the key benefit of traveling with the alliance.

*A at PVG - nothing more than just pretty logos? At least I can enter the SKL in SIN with *A BPs in the appropriate cabins.

It has happened to me several times at NH lounge at PVG. I was turned away even when I travelled SQ C but was invited by my boss who was flying United F (which uses NH F lounge at PVG). My *A Gold status could not even get me in as a guest of the United F passenger.

But then again, *A lounge dragons are good at turning away passengers who don't entirely know the rules and who don't usually like to argue like myself. So far, I have been turned away from TG lounge in BKK (Dong Muang) and LH Lounge in JFK while I was flying SQ C with *A Gold Status.