Fundamentally, a business class ticket is a business class ticket…confirmed passengers who paid with miles instead of dollars should not be treated as second class citizens.
From all initial reports, it appears Air Canada’s new Signature Suite in Toronto sets the standard for à la carte airport lounge dining in North America. I am very excited to try it and salute Air Canada for its efforts to create a world-class product on the ground.
Nevertheless, I am dismayed at how strict the access policy is. Access will only be granted for paid business class passengers on Air Canada. Passengers who upgraded or paid with miles are not granted access. Travelers on Star Alliance partners, even in paid business class, are also not granted access.
Lucky’s Point: Restricted Access Better Than Overcrowding
Ben from One Mile at a Time lays out a well-reasoned argument for why this policy isn’t ideal, but the best “in this case for now”.
Citing overcrowding concerns in a lounge that is only 5,500 square feet and designed to handle 150 guests, Ben argues that limiting the lounge to paid business class passengers on Air Canada is a better alternative than either allowing guests in on a first-come-first-served basis or permitting overcrowding that makes the experience unpleasant for everyone.
Furthermore, he argues that nothing is being taken away from business class travelers who upgrade or use points.
Let’s keep in mind that nothing is being taken away from passengers here — passengers who previously had access to the Maple Leaf Lounge will continue to have access, and arguably they’ll have an enhanced experience, as the lounge won’t be as full (assuming Air Canada doesn’t make cutbacks there).
He also, rightly in my mind, argues that opening up the lounge to more guests later on is better than introducing restrictions due to unmanageable overcrowding.
But I also see this from Air Canada’s perspective. Keep in mind that they’re starting with these entry requirements, and in the future they’re open to expanding access as space permits. They’d rather be strict now and then extend access to more passengers, rather than the other way around.
My Point: Treating Mileage Customers Differently Sets Too Dangerous A Precedent
Ben’s case is strong. I agree that an overcrowded lounge can be a horrible lounge. And yet I believe that separate but equal is inherently unequal.
Let’s take an example, Toronto to London. Say on a given date that Air Canada is willing to sell a business class seat for $3,000 or 55K miles. Why should the passenger who paid with miles be treated as an inferior customer to the one who paid cash?
Seriously. Why is there an implicit bias against those who paid with mileage? Why not allow only passengers who used mileage into the lounge instead of those who paid cash?
Because that would be absurd. But why doesn’t the same logic apply in the other direction? Passengers who choose to pay with one currency may still have access to the same perks they once had, but they are no longer given the same benefits of those who paid with a different currency.
That just strikes me as unfair.
Should “Fairness” Matter?
Obviously, Air Canada has the prerogative to set strict access limits on its new lounge. Yet even Singapore Airlines allows award ticket passengers into its exclusive Private Room in Singapore. Lufthansa and SWISS allow award tickets access to their wonderful first class lounges.
I’m very much in favor of restricting this lounge to business class passengers only (i.e., no elite members traveling in economy class). I’m even okay with limiting access only to Air Canada customers, even though its a tad ironic that passengers on JV-partner Lufthansa will not have access.
But I’m not okay with Air Canada prohibiting access to those who upgraded or are traveling on award tickets. In some cases, the upgraders have paid more. Many corporate travel policies only permit economy class bookings, but a full-fare economy class ticket upgraded to business class is often much more expensive than a discounted “paid” business class ticket.
I’m of the opinion that even if it results in overcrowding, all business class passengers on Air Canada should be granted access. If there is a waiting list for a table, passengers can enjoy a drink or appetizer in the nearby Maple Leaf Lounge. When their table is ready, they will be paged. It’s that simple. If it feels too crowded at full occupancy, remove some tables…
CONCLUSION
Let’s also not forget that Air Canada is quite stingy in releasing award space. It’s not like each flight is full of those who used miles (again, though, this should not matter). I honestly do not think allowing those traveling on award tickets into the lounge would necessarily even make it crowded.
I’ll answer this question now: is a lounge with an unfairly restrictive access policy better than no lounge at all? No, I don’t think so. But I also think that is not applicable to this situation. There are easy ways Air Canada can allow all Air Canada business class passengers to use the lounge without sacrificing its quality.
What do you think?
I concur. It doesn’t matter what currency you use, Business Class means Business Class, with all the benefits. No cherry picking which benefits to offer.
In as much as Aeroplan is a separate company, a person maybe using 55k in Aeroplan miles but its not AC miles or for that matter a person could have used any *A miles to have gotten the tkt.
I think its a good idea restricting it to rev tkts only, no different then how many Carriers have made limo service also restricted to rev tkts.
People simply have to get used to having to pay up if you want something@st and Biz cabins today are filled with kettles, better said free loaders. So AC simply wants to make sure it takes care of those who are taking care of AC.
If aperson doesnt like the new T&Cs theres a simple answer dont fly AC unless its afull rev tkt
This could be of concern to those that do booking services right? I assume there are people out there that will book flights for you with cash/miles and now those services will have to add a line item – “we paid for your ticket with your miles and you can’t access this lounge”.
A few things strike me as interesting. For one, they reserve the right to change this at any time. If I pay for business class and am never called in for a meal because it is so overcrowded, I would be significantly more upset than I would be happy if I got into the lounge on an award ticket. Ultimately, Ben is right, nothing is taken away from anybody, they are simply rewarding the people who spend the most on a ticket, and in more cases than not, this is the people who spend money, not miles. Also, why would you want people to go into the maple leaf lounge and then get called into the business class lounge when a table is ready, or even worse, to remove tables if there is overcrowding? I would think that would create an uproar at the airport, and people would be really angry because even more people would be disappointed than we have right now. I’d be curious to know your logic, since it is beyond me why you would want overcrowding in a lounge, for paying passengers to potentially not get served in the lounge, or to shrink the size of the business class lounge?
Hi Alan, I guess I disagree with your very premise. You distinguish between “paying” for business class and using miles. I don’t see a difference. Furthermore, I believe that there are many instances in which upgraders have paid more for their ticket than those traveling on a discount business class ticket.
Why do you think that waiting for a dinner table in the Maple Leaf Lounge might create an uproar?
My bottom line is that a business class passenger is a business class passenger, regardless of method of payment. Award travelers are paid travelers and should not be treated as second class citizens. Based on that principle, I’d rather there be no lounge than the current arrangement.
Yea! Score one for the “chumps”.
(Sorry…but that comment has really stuck in my craw)
A business class ticket regardless if it is miles or cash should be treated the same.
I think its a fair deal. The miles you are using to buy the ticket need not have been generated through Air Canada. There are various sources, eg, Star Alliance partners, CC sign ups, CC spends, etc.
The hotel chain I used to work at was known for giving comp transfers for revenue Club room bookings. Redemptions would get all facilities, except for the comp airport transfers.
Based on this logic, the natural conclusion is that since the miles may not have been generated through Air Canada then Business Class tickets should not be bookable at all then. If you’re saying the method of payment (miles) is not the same value as cash, then how are they both able to purchase the same product? Basically the slippery slope is that there is two levels of business class. And if it became a pattern that award tickets could never be “true” business class, then passengers might as well take their miles somewhere else.
Brilliant reasoning Matthew and I agree completely.
AC Has recently become stingy. They give priority acsess to their own frequent flyers while limiting star alliance benefits for non AC card holders. Take this as another example:
If you’re flying economy to Europe on AC with star gold a second bag will cost you 100cad. AC gold members get 2 bags in Econ as do AC25K (SILVER).
If you are flying domestically in Econ with star silver (on tango fare) a bag will cost you 30cad. AC25K STATUS (star silver gives you a free bag). Star gold status also gives you a free bag.
It seems to me that bar the very little millage accural, a star status holder might as well fly WestJet domestically if the fare difference is higher than say, 60cad.
As mentioned in the original blogging, AC is unsure what the take up will be and wants to ensure overcrowding does not occur. You seem to forget the complaints of overcrowding at UA’s ORD Polaris lounge after it opened. The only way to ensure this does not happen, particularly at the peak 5p-8p period for European departures is to limit access until actual use rates can be measured over an initial period of time. Canadians are cautious and that’s how AC’s playing it. If there is no over crowding, then access will certainly be extended to award tickets and possibly upgrades.
I don’t disagree with you that “a ticket is a ticket” be it revenue or award. Though airlines generally get about 20% of the actual ticket price from reward seat redemptions. (A 55K award @1 cent a mile yields just $550 to the airline vs $2500 or more from an average revenue seat sold.). Co-pays on upgrades can range from $300-$500 on what might be a $750 Latitude segment fare. That might give an edge (revenue-wise) to upgrades over awards (at least fixed rate awards).
Time will tell if AC broadens access…possibly even to Upper tier elites in economy, or at least flying on awards or upgrades.
I’ve been thinking about this and Inhappdn
To agree with you. The method of payment should be immaterial. If your on a ticket on AC metal in the proper class of service then you should have access.
For those suggesting otherwise consider the slippery slope here. “As a result of overcrowding in the lounge award and upgrade tickets will no longer have access.” Or what about “food and beverage in business class will no longer be complimentary for award tickets or upgrades.” Or how about “only tickets purchased with cash or an AC credit card will be eligible for lounge access”.
The simple fact is that if we accept one form of discrimintion based on based on a method of payment then anything goes.
I agree completely – a business class ticket is a business class ticket, regardless of currency.
I’d be equally upset if they’d restrict people on “cheap” corporate cash-rates or government fares…
There is a disregard at AC as well as some European hospitality companies who think that award travelers are somehow “getting something for free”, treating award fliers/hotel guests as second class customers….
Remember that at the core, a plane ticket is a ticket to get from point A to point B. Thats it. So when you purchase a business class ticket, regardless of payment method (miles or cash), you are only really entitled to getting from origin to destination in business class. All the rest: lounges, priority security lanes etc are really just perks just added on by the airline to entice you to travel on their airline or in a particular class of service. Really. All you are paying for is a seat on a plane. Everything else is stuff marketers dreamed up to get you on their airline and to get more money out of your pocket.
Now, if AC decides to restrict access to a particular lounge to customers paying cash, I don’t see anything particularly unfair about that. Sure it sucks for those paying with miles, but this is AC’s way of enhancing the experience for people to pay cash for their business class seat (and hoping to increase the appeal and increase sales). Clearly AC is valuing customers who pay cash higher than those paying with miles, but lets be honest, revenue/cash tickets ARE of more value to an airline than miles/points/upgrade tickets. (I’m not saying miles tickets are “free”, but the airline is clearly valuing them differently. And again, if we’re being honest, most of us, like the airlines, value the cash more. Otherwise we wouldn’t be spending all this time on these blogs trying to accumulate points and miles to get premium class travel at a fraction of the cash cost).
Interesting thread!!
I don’t like it, mainly because I see a slippery slope where this gets copycatted by other airlines. I can totally see Doug Parker rolling out access restriction on upgraded or mileage tickets to Admirals Clubs and/or Flagship Lounges and spinning them as “enhancements” to the lounges.
That being said – lounge overcrowding is a real issue. An overcrowded lounge really isn’t a pleasant experience at all. And while I don’t think waiting for a dinner table in the Maple Leaf Lounge is bad, I personally would find having to wait for a table in the first place because of overcrowding a real downer. That detracts from the premium experience a J class product is supposed to provide, in my opinion. I’d probably have just restricted access to AC passengers and stopped there, just to keep the precedent of stripped benefits on award/upgrade tickets out of the system.
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up to оther people that they will help, so here it occurs.