Page 1 of 1

BMI Lounge access with FC Gold

PostPosted: 15 Jun 2010, 18:31
by Martin
I'm flying to Cairo with BMI in November. I'm a Virgin FC Gold member so I believe I'll get BMI lounge access at LHR. The big question is can I take my wife in as well? Thanks.

Re: BMI Lounge access with FC Gold

PostPosted: 16 Jun 2010, 00:00
by Nottingham Nick
Hi Martin

Welcome to V-Flyer.

The perk for entry to the BMI lounge at LHR is a perk for gold card holders flying internationally with BMI.

There is no mention on the VS website, about being able to take a guest and I am sure that, if you could, it would tell you.

Nick

Re: BMI Lounge access with FC Gold

PostPosted: 17 Jun 2010, 12:08
by Martin
Thanks for the reply Nick. I have checked the VS site too and as you say there is no mention.
I think it will be worth me contacting BMI to see if they can be accommodating. My wife would be none too amused to be left outside! And having become accustomed to the UC lounge I'm not keen on spending time in the public area with the masses v(

Re: BMI Lounge access with FC Gold

PostPosted: 17 Jun 2010, 12:12
by chefknife
they allowed my missus in this past week, same circumstance

Re: BMI Lounge access with FC Gold

PostPosted: 17 Jun 2010, 12:52
by Martin
Thanks Chef
chefknife wrote:they allowed my missus in this past week, same circumstance


I also had a look on their info on flybmi.com and they do allow other scheme's gold card holders to take in a guest. Strange there is no mention of Virgin FC though.

* Diamond Club Gold card members - plus 1 guest
* Diamond Club Silver card members - plus 1 guest
* bmi Business Class passengers - no guest
* Flexible Economy (BD shorthaul) - no guest
* Star Alliance Gold card holders - plus 1 guest
* Star Alliance 1st passengers - plus 1 guest
* Star Alliance Business passengers - no guest

Re: BMI Lounge access with FC Gold

PostPosted: 17 Jun 2010, 13:23
by seanpep
One of my trips with BMI was very disappointing, I was flying Y on a low bucket and they had to phone someone about lounge access then said something like even though you are on one of our lowest fares it seems you can use the lounge". As if they were in shock. Didn't seem to realize how much flying I must do to get AU if all I book is the lowest fares! Oh nobody else was allowed in and I did try.

Re: BMI Lounge access with FC Gold

PostPosted: 24 Jun 2010, 18:19
by Martin
Oh nobody else was allowed in and I did try.


Thanks Sean

I have dropped BMI an email. From the conflicting reports, it seems they don't know the answer themselves! ?| I'll post the response here when I get it.

Cheers
Martin

Re: BMI Lounge access with FC Gold

PostPosted: 24 Jun 2010, 19:37
by hat
shame they don't offer the same on domestic connecting flights through heathrow

Re: BMI Lounge access with FC Gold

PostPosted: 14 Jul 2010, 00:04
by seanpep
Martin,

Any update on this?

Sean

Re: BMI Lounge access with FC Gold

PostPosted: 14 Jul 2010, 10:35
by Martin
Nothing yet - I sent my question via their website about 2 weeks ago. Not a word out of them yet.

Martin

Re: BMI Lounge access with FC Gold

PostPosted: 29 Jul 2010, 12:02
by Martin
seanpep wrote:Martin,

Any update on this?

Sean


Sean
I gave up waiting for a reply from BMI via email so I called them. Got through to "Brian" who sounded like he was in a call centre in Bangalore. After waiting 10 minutes he said he did not know - and could not find out - so please could I contact VS FC. I called the Au line and after holding while they checked with the support team, the answer came back as "just the cardholder".

Question. Do you think it would impact my holiday if I went in on my own and drank champagne while my wife sat outside with the masses at Starbucks? ?| :D

Cheers
Martin

Re: BMI Lounge access with FC Gold

PostPosted: 29 Jul 2010, 12:45
by honey lamb
Martin wrote:Question. Do you think it would impact my holiday if I went in on my own and drank champagne while my wife sat outside with the masses at Starbucks? ?| :D

Cheers
Martin

Do you know a good divorce lawyer? :o)

Re: BMI Lounge access with FC Gold

PostPosted: 25 Aug 2010, 19:36
by PeterStansfield
Hi

I've discovered a new potential 'wrinkle' in Gold card use of the BMI Lounges. Yesterday I went from LHR to Frankfurt, and bought the ticket through BMI. Being an Au, I went to the lounge, where they told me I couldn't be admitted as I had to be on a 'BMI Flight'. I said I'd bought a BMI ticket, but it was for a codeshare (flight actually run by Lufty) - and that didn't count

Were they right to evict me?

Re: BMI Lounge access with FC Gold

PostPosted: 25 Aug 2010, 20:33
by slinky09
Martin wrote:Question. Do you think it would impact my holiday if I went in on my own and drank champagne while my wife sat outside with the masses at Starbucks? ?| :D


Your marriage maybe.

Re: BMI Lounge access with FC Gold

PostPosted: 25 Aug 2010, 20:54
by tontybear
slinky09 wrote:
Martin wrote:Question. Do you think it would impact my holiday if I went in on my own and drank champagne while my wife sat outside with the masses at Starbucks? ?| :D


Your marriage maybe.


possibly. but Martin asked about his holiday not his marriage!

Re: BMI Lounge access with FC Gold

PostPosted: 25 Aug 2010, 20:56
by rich1664
tontybear wrote:
possibly. but Martin asked about his holiday not his marriage!


One in the same.

They seem like a really good idea, and for the most part they are, but every now and then you wonder what on earth you are doing there....

Re: BMI Lounge access with FC Gold

PostPosted: 26 Aug 2010, 01:09
by Martin
.
Thanks for the laughs guys. I just hope Mrs H never signs up to v-flyer!!!

The reality is that I'll attempt to get us both in, ii) the official on the door will reject me v( as they did to poor Peter :( , so me and my wife will go and buy some champagne and oysters at the Caviar House :D

Re: BMI Lounge access with FC Gold

PostPosted: 26 Aug 2010, 07:43
by slinky09
Martin wrote:.
Thanks for the laughs guys. I just hope Mrs H never signs up to v-flyer!!!

The reality is that I'll attempt to get us both in, ii) the official on the door will reject me v( as they did to poor Peter :( , so me and my wife will go and buy some champagne and oysters at the Caviar House :D


That sounds like a sound plan y) .

Re: BMI Lounge access with FC Gold

PostPosted: 06 Feb 2011, 01:35
by worc0670
Just to pick this thread up again. Is it true that as an FC Gold member I can only get access when flying internationally, but not when flying domestically?

Cheers.

Re: BMI Lounge access with FC Gold

PostPosted: 06 Feb 2011, 11:32
by GHM197
Can't you just go in the Virgin Clubhouse rather than the BMI lounge? I'm pretty sure as a Gold card holder you (and one guest) can go there, irrespective of which airline you're flying with, or whether you're flying domestically or internationally.

Re: BMI Lounge access with FC Gold

PostPosted: 06 Feb 2011, 12:23
by tontybear
I thought BMI used T1 whereas VS use T3

Re: BMI Lounge access with FC Gold

PostPosted: 06 Feb 2011, 12:56
by spiceke
Interesting thread as I had exactly the same scenario a few days ago.

Booked to go to Berlin with Mrs S - last time went with BA, but not going to chance it again with strikes (and that is a shareholder saying that so what it is doing to their reveue, Heaven knows)

Had a choice of BMI or Lufthansa.

BMI slightly more expensive but I thought worth it for lounge access - the snob in me always wins.

However - BMI call centre didn't know about access for Mrs S and VS Premier line said she would not get access.

So ........ booked the cheaper Lufthansa flight (same metal though)

Re: BMI Lounge access with FC Gold

PostPosted: 06 Feb 2011, 16:08
by worc0670
Nope, must be flying VS to use the VS lounge, even with a Gold card. One of the disappointments of gaining Gold......

Re: BMI Lounge access with FC Gold

PostPosted: 28 Feb 2011, 15:54
by Martin
GHM197 wrote:Can't you just go in the Virgin Clubhouse rather than the BMI lounge? I'm pretty sure as a Gold card holder you (and one guest) can go there, irrespective of which airline you're flying with, or whether you're flying domestically or internationally.


GHM

You can't do this for two reasons:
1) As a Gold card holder they do check you have a VS ticket before they let you into the Virgin clubhouse
2) VS are in terminal 3, but BMI international goes from T1 so the logistics make it impossible if you just have an hour or two.

As it turned out, I upgraded at check in for £150 pp and that gave me full BMI lounge access.

Cheers
Martin