Heathrow BA lounge access

[wilkowilko]

I’m Gold Sparrow with Royal Jordanian, flying BA economy to New York, but collecting Avios on my BA account, rather than my Jordanian one. Does anyone know if I can access the BA lounge by showing my Gold Sparrow status? And can I take a guest in with me? Thanks

[tootsci]

https://www.headforpoints.com/forums/topic/royal-jordanian-hotel-status-match/page/6/

This should answer your questions

[wilkowilko]

Just read through it but it doesn’t answer the Q above…

[DanC]

Access: Business Class / First Class / Sapphire Tier / Emerald Tier

Airlines:American Airlines / British Airways / Iberia / Access for eligible customers traveling on any oneworld member airline.

royal-jordanian Gold Sparrow is oneworld Sapphire https://www.oneworld.com/members/royal-jordanian

and as you’re flying BA you should be able to access the Business Lounge.

[tootsci]

@wilkowilko Perhaps not explicitly, but essentially, as per thread, you’ll need to enter your RJ FF number so it’s in your booking and therefore BP and then swap it back to your BA FF number either in the lounge or at gate, though not sure what routes to do so are currently working. If you mean has someone presented themselves at the lounge with a BP with their BA FFN and flashed their RJ pass eg in their Apple Wallet, I don’t recall anyone reporting on that, perhaps another poster may have tried.

[TGLoyalty]

You don’t have to change your FF number to simply access the lounge. Show your RJ gold card on your app.

And ensure the person at the lounge absolutely does not change you FF

Same for fast track security you’ll need to talk to the attendant.

They might be able to use the FF space instead of the programme you want to credit the flight to at check in desk but I’d make sure my BA FF was still shown on the booking in the app/electronic boarding pass on at the gate for sure.

[executiveclubber]

You just have to show your oneworld status, so your app. Thankfully there’s no need to overcomplicate it 🙂

[tootsci]

Thanks @TGLoyalty. I didn’t bother swapping my RJ FFN for my BA one last month as the tier points were minimal and I’m not currently going for status. I have another BA flight in November and while I’m not fussed about the tier points again I may do as you suggest and just show my RJ card in my Apple wallet (though my RJ number is currently on the booking for the seat selection and so would mean a bit of hokey cokey on the FFN so perhaps not)

[wilkowilko]

Thanks for the replies!

[wilkowilko]

Update: South lounge T5 let us in but only after initially querying it. North lounge said that because the FF number on the booking wasn’t my Jordanian one, technically we weren’t allowed to use the lounge… but she waved us through anyway. Seems a bit confused, overall 😂

[executiveclubber]

wilkowilko wrote:

Update: South lounge T5 let us in but only after initially querying it. North lounge said that because the FF number on the booking wasn’t my Jordanian one, technically we weren’t allowed to use the lounge… but she waved us through anyway. Seems a bit confused, overall 😂

I’m almost certain you were advised incorrectly and their manual would state presentation of a valid oneworld status allows access, irrespective of what’s on the boarding pass

[Swiss Jim]

The One World Lounge Access Policy is pretty clear on this.

Members of oneworld airline frequent flyer programmes with the equivalent of oneworld Emerald or Sapphire tier status can use lounges offered by oneworld airlines when departing on any flight marketed and operated by any oneworld member airline, regardless of cabin class being flown (exceptions are noted below).

Emerald tier frequent flyers can use First Class, Business Class or frequent flyer lounges.

Sapphire tier frequent flyers are welcome in Business Class* or frequent flyer lounges. (*does not include Qantas Domestic Business Lounges)

Emerald and Sapphire members may invite one guest to join them in the lounge. The guest must also be travelling on a flight operated and marketed by a oneworld carrier. You must be prepared to show your boarding pass and frequent flyer membership card, with oneworld Emerald or Sapphire tier status, to access a lounge.

So you need a boarding pass and a frequent flyer membership card with relevant status. You don’t need the the card number / status stated on the boarding card.

[JDB]

@SwissJim – that may be the stated policy and in this particular case I think BA was wrong but there are lots of carve outs beyond the words above with other OW airlines and affiliates such as CZ. For instance you can’t access the CCR with OW emerald because they don’t classify it as a first lounge. QR business lounge is not accessible unless travelling QR, OW emerald/sapphire have to go to other lounges. CZ only allows access to Sky Pearl lounges via OW status if travelling on their flights etc. etc. One needs to check the rules of each lounge if relying on OW status rather than travel class.

The same applies to OW status free seating at time of booking – it varies by airline and status doesn’t usually trump travel class – eg QR flights booked in ‘R’ class are still payable even with OW status whichever airline you book through.