Can you access a Lufthansa or SWISS First Class lounge with a double connection? Depends upon whom you ask.
I was traveling on a Lufthansa First Class ticket (LAX-MUC-ZRH-FCO) and had reached Zurich. Per Lufthansa’s lounge access guidelines, first class lounge access is granted for travelers with a:
First Class boarding pass for an arriving/departing LH/LX flight on the same day.
On the SWISS website, access is simply reserved for:
SWISS First, First Class Lufthansa, HON Circle
Easy enough, right? But I had connected from Munich in business class and would be connecting to Rome in business class. Did that give me access to the SWISS First Class Lounge in Zurich?
The way I read the access requirements, the one from Lufthansa at least, yes. I arrived earlier that day in Munich in Lufthansa First Class, therefore held a “first class boarding pass for an arriving LH flight on the same day”.
Nope. A lounge matron politely told me I did not have access because my previous flight and onward flight were in business class. However, before I could even question the policy a supervisor stepped over and said I could access the lounge as an “exception”.
I was happy to save that battle for another day and simply said thank you and entered the lounge.
Incident Two + Three
This wasn’t the first time something like this happened, though. In fact, I went through the same issue last year in Zurich as well and was forced to pushback.
Same story–I was traveling from Los Angeles to Frankfurt to Zurich to Rome. I was initially denied access but asked them to check again the rules. After a quick consultation, I was granted access. It seems to me most agents are just not used to situations like this. Why connect in Zurich as well when you can fly nonstop from Frankfurt to Rome?
A third reference point occurred later that year. This time, I had met my business partner John in Frankfurt. He had flown from LAX-FRA in Lufthansa First and then we were connecting together from Frankfurt to Zurich to Nice (this time it was not deliberate, but an issue of award space).
Would I have access as a guest? Once again, the rules seemed to indicate YES:
To access the First Class Terminal and the First Class Lounges travelling companions must present a valid boarding pass for the same flight as the passenger who invited them. Life partners, spouses and children under 18 years must present a valid boarding pass for a flight departing on the same day as the passenger who invited them.
Again, I was initially denied access. I cited these rules and was told to hold on. One agent carefully checked her own system. Finally, after a few minutes, she opened a Swissport profile and said that John could have access but I would not. I looked at the profile and that is exactly what it said. I did not know if this Swissport (a ground handling company) profile was even correct, but chose not to fight it.
This was just a month after my previous visit.
CONCLUSION
While it may be only a handful of odd people like me who deliberately schedule in extra layovers, it may require some pushback in order to gain access. As near as I can tell based upon the access rules, you have access in connecting cities as long as you hold a same-day arriving or departing first class boarding pass. Be polite, but stand your ground if you are denied.
I’ve been denied LX F lounge a lot while flying LH F. Outbound to FRA they said no way. They claimed it was because the ticket was on UA stock so there was no way I could get in, even on long haul lh first. Bummer.
Strangely enough, I wasn’t allowed a lounge at arrivals to FRA either since I arrived 11pm for a next morning flight/ “next day” rule.
Good job Mat! That is the spirit and attitude to do it!.You deserved to enjoy your First Clads lounge.
BTW, LX has updated the access guidelines for First Class passengers in those situations: since earlier this year F lounge access on arriving flights (!) is only granted at the first arrival airport. So if you do e.g. SIN-ZRH-GVA then only at ZRH F lounge access is granted.
@Christoph: Is this published somewhere?
Unfortunately only in their internal manual, but they are happy to show you their guidelines upon request. Currently this is only for arriving flights, not departing flights. So LH has the most relaxed allowance for accessing the F lounges (arriving and departing, all on the same ticket), followed by LX (restriction to first connection point at arrival), and OS is third (as they do have a similiar restriction in place as LX but in both directions; well at least officially).
I agree with you on Point 3. John has access due to LAX-FRA. You and he share a BP for FRA-ZRH. Thus you have access as his guest.
That’s probably not the policy they intended but it’s what they drafted. Did you follow up? I would’ve asked for compensation.
Actually it is no way to have F-class on europe flights, it is just not available at all. In this case it is really a shame that passenger paid F-class fare LAX-FCO via MUC-ZRH do not have access to F-class lounge. The fare paid (fare basis) should determine the class, not the booking class.
Trust me, Swiss only makes a stink when the ticket is booked on points (LH First), if you travel on paid tickets they bend all the rules…
Good info. @Cedric, that’s a good observation. I was hoping to get a award ticket on LH F but starting out in ZRH and thus have LX F access. Sounds like a gamble. Also, the other poster mentioned UA stock. I hate these subtle discriminatory aspects of lounge access that LX seems to play.
UA stock issue is only on a revenue ticket.
I just arrived at the SWISS F lounge (A gates) and had no problem entering. I’m on a First class award ticket using UA miles; itinerary is/was ORD-FRA-ZRH-FLR. I don’t know if this makes a difference, but we checked in at the LH ticket and have proper LH baording passes with the first class ticket wallet. The A lounge has no view, so they offered to drive us to the E lounge since we have a long layover (we will have to get back to our A departure gate on our own – actually back to the lounge for a ride to our hardstand gate). I sure wish I could fly like this without having to save up miles to do it!