Clubhouse/lounge access with VS Gold card on VS codeshare

!

I recently made Gold, so I was really looking forward to trying
out the famous LHR Clubhouse. So much so that I arrived
several hours early at the airport. It was going to be an
absolutely fantastic day!

I am on VS7802, a.k.a. NH202, which I booked on the Virgin
website. Flying cattle class, but that's OK because I'm
a Gold member, right? Everything was fine until I got to the
Clubhouse reception. At this point:

- Virgin claim that I cannot enter the Clubhouse, because
my flight is not operated by Virgin. They say I should go
to the ANA lounge, which is in fact the Star Alliance lounge.

- The Star Alliance lounge claim that I cannot enter, because
I do not have a Gold card from one of the Star Alliance
members.

So I'm now stuck on a bench in a passageway, nursing my
disappointment.

Is the above really true? I have the following points:

- There's nothing on the Virgin website about Clubhouse
access not being valid if your flight is not operated by
Virgin (even though I bought it on Virgin's website and
the checkin stub says VS7802 first, and the ANA website
wouldn't accept the E-ticket number -- when I phoned them
they said this was because it was a Virgin ticket, not
an ANA ticket). I've searched the T&Cs for Flying Club
quite carefully.

- When I booked the ticket, logged in as a Gold member,
there was no warning when I selected the codeshare flight
that it came with impaired privileges. I thought the
whole point of codeshare was to allow people to have a
wider range of flight options while still patronising
their preferred airline? Virgin have got my money, right?

- It's almost impossible to find clear rules about lounge
access rules, but http://www.ana.co.jp/wws/uk/e/asw_commo ... pop_s.html seems to imply I do have
access to the ANA lounge. This is also what the guy on the
Gold telephone helpline told me last night (he also said
I didn't have access to the Clubhouse, but I didn't believe
him, beecause he also told me something which I subsequently
found in the small print is definitely not true, namely
that it is not possible to redeem miles for a flight by
an unaccompanied minor).

Mark, a very unhappy bunny now

[Nottingham Nick]

Sorry, but it is clear on the VS website, if you look.

If you go to gold card benefits - here.. There is an asterisk next to the section about 'Clubhouse comforts'

The asterisk at the bottom says "*Virgin Atlantic operated flights only (not including codeshare flights)."

Nick

Sorry for you but a very interesting situation.
I would ave thought that if it is VS flight number then it was a VS flight regardless of who VS got to opperate it for them.

Once VS join *A maybe this sort of thing will be resolved !

[Nottingham Nick]

I would ave thought that if it is VS flight number then it was a VS flight regardless of who VS got to opperate it for them.

Surely the definition of a codeshare flight is a flight with a VS orefix on the flight number, that is operated by a codeshare partner? ?|

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codeshare_agreement

The VS website clearly says you don't get CH access as a gold when you are flying on a codeshare.

Nick

Oh, I missed that asterisk! But it's not mentioned anywhere in the FC T&Cs or in the partner flight rules. I wonder what the legal situation is, if it's not in the T&Cs.

Anyway, the plot thickens because the ANA rep is adamant that their contract with VS was changed recently to make it clear people in my situation *do* have Clubhouse access. However, the Virgin clubhouse duty manager does not agree (they spent quite some time poring over a memo between VS and ANA), and the ANA rep gave up after about an hour (literally!).

The Clubhouse duty manager's position is that people flying on a codeshare flight operated by ANA only have access to the clubhouse if they are ANA Gold members, not Virgin Gold members (even if said ticket was bought from the VS website and has the VS flight number and ticket number as the primary one). Sounds absolutely bonkers to me!

I ended up in the Star Alliance lounge (but I only had about an hour there, given all the faffing). I will compose a detailed letter to VS on my return (ironically, on the flight back I am flying in a VS plane, so I will have Clubhouse access!).

Mark, about to enjoy the ANA flight (which, sadly, has better entertainment than VS, and has mains power in all seats, including economy! ii) )

Have been in the same situation with Jet Airways. My understanding that if the carrier you are flying with wants to contact you they can't if you are in someone else's lounge. Jet have moved to T4 now so it's completey impossible of course.

[Nottingham Nick]

Oh, I missed that asterisk! But it's not mentioned anywhere in the FC T&Cs or in the partner flight rules. I wonder what the legal situation is, if it's not in the T&Cs......

Interesting thought, but there is very little mention in the T&C of the Flying Club about the various benefits of the different memberships tiers.

The benefits are explained in a different section of the website - the one I linked to.

It is not my area of law, but I am sure there will be some all covering caveat that covers Virgin's rear. 8D

IMHO It is all about the difference between a codeshare agreement and an airline alliance.

I still think it seems a tad optimistic to expect that you will get benefits on a codeshare flight with another airline that is not part of an Alliance with the airline you have earned status on.

As has been alluded to in this and many other threads, if and when VS join an alliance, then things may be different.

Nick

Virgin have got my money, right?

They may have taken your money but they would have passed it on to ANA as the actual flight operator.

But check your credit card to see who actually took the money. For example I have booked a VS flight via expedia but the card payment was taken by VS. Ditto an expedia booking for Swiss.

Something similar might happen when you book a codeshare.

In the little link to ANA in the VS booking engine for VS7802 it openes ip a box that states

This flight is operated by a codeshare partner, which means you will not be flying on a Virgin Atlantic aircraft. Although the service offered will be slightly different we only partner with airlines that share our commitment to passenger service; but please be aware there may be product differences.

Codesharing flights allow us to give you more choice by providing more flights, meaning more options for you on where and when you fly.

LONDON/NARITA:

Thanks to our alliance with All Nippon Airways, we can now offer an additional daily flight between London and Tokyo for your convenience.

Our codeshare partner's rules may differ on matters such as (but not limited to) check-in times, baggage allowances & restrictions, refusal of carriage and denied boarding compensation. We strongly recommend that you review such rules in advance of travel by either contacting us and/or checking the codeshare partner's website.

To me that also includes lounge access.

[mcmbenjamin]

tontybear - Slightly different scenario.

Expedia was acting as an agent, a travel agent. Virgin was acting as a 'reseller' in regards to ANA.

Presumably the rule (modulo ANA having a quiet word with VS about
what they believe the agreement to be) also applies to guests, i.e.
there's no point me trying to find a nice Gold member flying on VS
that day to take me in as a guest (flying on ANA, though again with
a ticket bought through VS)? I'm on the same flight again in
2 weeks' time.

BTW, this is probably a FAQ, but which alliance is VS expected to
join, and when? (Looking at their current partners, Star Alliance
seems to me like the best fit.) And were the recent changes to
the FC programme made to align better with alliance programmes?

Mark

P.S.: In response to tontybear, the money was taken by VS, I'm
pretty sure. That's certainly what the Visa security scam thing
("Verified by Visa" or whatever it's called) thinks is the case.

P.P.S.: I was perhaps a bit unfair on VS' entertainment system
compared with ANA's. I'm a bit biased because ANA have a more
international selection, and I like to watch more than just
Hollywood blockbusters. But as I said the mains power at each
seat, including economy, is miles better than Virgin's "you need
a special GBP 55 adapter, and not in economy anyway".