A couple of friends were flying Lufthansa First Class to Denver Thursday afternoon and invited me to join them for a few hours in the First Class Terminal. I was flying to Brussels later in the evening, so I already had a same-day Lufthansa boarding pass.
According to LH’s Lounge Access and Variations page, I should have been allowed access to the lounge:
As a HON Circle Member and First Class passenger you may invite one companion into the lounge, as well as family members (spouse/partner, children under 18), provided that they are all flying with you. Please note that your companion must possess a valid boarding pass for a same-day Lufthansa/Star Alliance flight and must leave the lounge with you.
If you hold a Lufthansa Senator Card and have Star Alliance Gold status, you may invite one guest into the lounge per visit. Please note that your companion must be in possession of a valid boarding pass for a same-day Lufthansa/Star Alliance flight and must leave the lounge with you.
Or should I have been?
The arguably ambiguous wording in the rules above brought back memories of my jurisprudence class in law school and the common law canons of construction when dealing with statutory ambiguity.
Deciphering the paragraph above from a legal perspective, the first concept I recalled was Reddendo singula singulis (“refers only to the last”). That means, when a list of words has a modifying phrase at the end, the phrase refers only to the last, e.g., firemen, policemen, and doctors in a hospital.
Above, the rule states, “As a HON Circle Member and First Class passenger you may invite one companion into the lounge, as well as family members (spouse/partner, children under 18), provided that they are all flying with you.” I believe the modifying phrase “provided that they are all flying with you” only refers to family members, not to companions–especially after considering the next sentence in the rule.
A second canon of construction is Generalia specialibus non derogant (“the general does not detract from the specific”). Here, where there are general words that seem to contradict a more specific caveat, the more specific caveat prevails. The next sentence in the regulation states, “Please note that your companion must possess a valid boarding pass for a same-day Lufthansa/Star Alliance flight and must leave the lounge with you.” Why would this sentence need to be included if the companion was encompassed in the “provided that they are all flying with you” stipulation? It would be redundant.
Therefore, whatever Lufthansa’s intentions were, the current regulations only require 1.) that a companion be traveling on a same-day Star Alliance flight and 2.) leave the lounge with the first class passenger.
Let’s return to my story. After meeting up at the lounge, a lounge attendant took my passport and boarding pass. Upon examining it, however, she said I had to be on the same flight as my friends and that she could not permit me to access the lounge.
I know that Lufthansa is stingy about lounge access (having dealt with a similar issue and prevailed at the Lufthansa First Class Lounge in Munich earlier this year), so I had printed the entry guidelines referenced above and presented them to the agent.
Suddenly, she got snippy and said, “I work here sir and I know the rules of the lounge.” I smiled and showed her the appropriate rule, but she was not convinced, stating “rules are rules.” I agreed with her, responding, “And the rules available on Lufthansa’s website state that I should be allowed access to this lounge.”
She responded that this is not a lounge, but a terminal. I simply pointed to the same rule sheet which (as you can see below) had a “First Class Lounges” headline and included the Frankfurt First Class Terminal in the list. After explaining to me that the list referred only to lounges in Munich (I have no idea where she got that notion), she called in a supervisor.
Meanwhile, another agent came over and they began speaking to each other, unaware that I understood German. The gist of the conversation was that I did not understand the rules. The second agent tried to tell me the same thing, but I politely stated that the rules indicated otherwise. A supervisor arrived, listened to what I had to say, then affirmed that I would not be allowed into the lounge. Again, I referenced the rules and the “boss” was called out from the back.
The boss was a very nice woman who spoke English with hardly a trace of a German accent. After taking a look at the rules I presented, a horrified look spread across her face and she stated, “Sir, you are right. I can’t believe these are online. According to these rules, you should have access to this lounge.” Gratified, I expected her to grant me access, but she instead stated, “But this is incorrect. I cannot allow you into this lounge and will make sure the website is changed today. You must be traveling with the first class passengers to access the lounge, unless you are the family member of a HON. If you and your friends go back to Terminal A, they can take you into a First Class Lounge there, but not here. Only the CEO can make an exception.”
I wish I had Christoph Franz’s mobile number on me, but I was about ready to give up. I found it interesting that her understanding of the rules was completely opposite of what the website states. If one thing is clear on the website, it is that the family members of HON Circle members must be traveling with the HON Circle passenger.
Denied entry, I looked from right to left, then made a run for it, through security, around the corner, and right for the breakfast buffet before being tackled by two security screeners and being dragged away kicking and screaming.
Actually, that did not happen.
Instead, I saw that further arguing would do no good. As I stated earlier, the boss was very kind, albeit very firm. She offered me a drink of my choice (I ordered my favorite strawberry smoothie) and a limousine ride back to Terminal A. I could have fought further, but she claimed her boss was not in the office yet and I did not want to embarrass my friends any further, so I just gave in and accepted the smoothie and ride back.
Two days later, the website still has not been updated. Could it be that my interpretation of the rules was indeed correct?
I think the most interesting thing about my experience is that while Lufthansa may be known as the airline that does everything by the books, apparently they do not follow the printed rules when it does not suit them. I got the distinct sense that LH will bend rules for HON Circle members (rightfully so, I believe) just like United bends rules for 1K and Global Services passengers and that published rules merely serve as guidelines, not immutable law.
I have a couple first class trips this fall where I will have access to the First Class Terminal. Hopefully, I have not made a bad name for myself there. If anything, though, I will be looking for an apology next time I am there.
cannons of construction. ! Oh dear
bakc 2 skool 4 yew
LOL. Huked on fonics reelee wurked fore mee. I wouldn’t want to destroy my canons with a cannon…
Interesting – they do protect that lounge religiously and should change the rules if they intend on granting access only for guests flying on the same flight. Odd that you’d be granted access to the F lounges in the main terminal – it’s pretty much the same minus the limo ride, so they must be protecting that aspect?
What does the German of the Lufthansa site say?
LOL….made a run for the breakfast buffet before 2 security screeners dragged you away kicking and screaming. But ya, that’s stupid they didn’t let you in. They treat it like Fort Knox, but it’s just a lounge.
@BR: And it wasn’t like I was wearing ripped jeans a t-shirt, I was wearing a suit and made it clear I was only going to stay for a couple of hours.
@Bryan:
The German rules state exactly the same thing as in English!
Als HON Circle Member und First Class Reisender dürfen Sie eine Begleitperson sowie Familienmitglieder (Lebens-/Ehepartner, Kinder unter 18 Jahren), die gemeinsam mit Ihnen fliegen, in die Lounge einladen. Bitte beachten Sie, dass Ihr Begleiter eine gültige Bordkarte für einen Lufthansa/STAR Alliance Flug desselben Tages besitzen und die Lounge mit Ihnen verlassen muss.
Als Inhaber der Lufthansa Senator Card und mit dem Status Star Alliance Gold können Sie jeweils einen Gast in die Lounge einladen. Bitte beachten Sie, dass Ihr Begleiter eine gültige Bordkarte für einen Lufthansa/STAR Alliance Flug desselben Tages besitzen und die Lounge mit Ihnen verlassen muss.
http://www.lufthansa.com/de/de/Loungevariationen-und-Zugang#ancAbT1
I think you should write to Lufthansa and request that the website be changed so that other passengers are not humiliated in front of your friends like you were. See how they respond to that. 🙂
I think I agree with your parsing. however, you would have had to leave at the same time, and I don’t think lufthansa would have been required to give you a car ride to your plane. that means you’d have had to walk out back to the main terminal and go through security again to board your flight. is that what you were planning to do? that doesn’t seem to be worth the effort.
@Bluto:
Indeed, I had planned to leave the FCT and walk over to Terminal A when my friend’s flight to Denver departed. In fact, I made this clear to the lounge matrons and to the “boss” but it did not make a difference to them.
As to whether the whole process was worth it, granted it would have been easier if my friends had just used a FCL rather than the FCT, but it was their first time in first class and there is something special about the FCT. In hindsight, I have no regrets–the Terminal is a wonderful experience and I’d do the same thing over again.
Hi Matt,
It seems that there is some confusion on the LH website. If you look here, the rules for FCT are clear on same flight requirement:
http://www.lufthansa.com/online/portal/lh/us/info_and_services/at_the_airport?nodeid=3281713&l=en&cid=1000390
But, the rules for Munich appear indeed to be different:
http://www.lufthansa.com/online/portal/lh/us/info_and_services/at_the_airport?nodeid=3282335&l=en&cid=1000390
Very interesting. Indeed, by those standards the boss was correct. I cannot imagine why that says the exact opposite of what the Lounge Access pages specifies…
I didn’t even notice that yesterday!
@CASAFlyer’s text definitely conflicts with the text that you found. I’ll address just the language you had.
LH’s website is fairly sloppily written on this topic. There are three categories of taggers-on that LH addresses: companion, family and guest.
I think you were attempting to enter as a “guest,” not a “companion.” Though they use these two words a little inconsistently (and even interchangeably), this is likely the intent of the writer of the rules that you had.
A “companion” would be on your same flight, but in a different class of service. This is a little unclear based on the last sentence of the first paragraph (where they say a companion must have “valid boarding pass for a same-day Lufthansa/Star Alliance flight”), but is probably what they meant.
A “guest” is someone NOT on your flight. They hold this entry to a higher standard, requiring the sponsor of access to hold a Senator card or a *A Gold card. They also require the guest to be traveling same-day on Star.
Based on my read of their intent, the principal question at hand is actually if your sponsor has a *A Gold card. Did they?
If LH deleted this line (the last sentence of the first paragraph), “Please note that your companion must possess a valid boarding pass for a same-day Lufthansa/Star Alliance flight and must leave the lounge with you,” I think they’d be all set – assuming LH wants to allow *A Gold card holders to bring a guest in with them.
This warrants writing to LH about. You had a real basis as to why you should have been granted access, based on the language offered. This should be changed, as the manager suggested, or the manager should recognize the website rules.
To this statement: “I got the distinct sense that LH will bend rules for HON Circle members (rightfully so, I believe) just like United bends rules for 1K and Global Services passengers and that published rules merely serve as guidelines, not immutable law.” You’ve not been living in Germany long enough, clearly…. 😉
@NYBanker: That’s an interesting take on the rules. LH differentiates between companion and spouse/partner, so based on my reading I conclude that that companion and guest are interchangeable, though I agree that the word companion itself (i.e. “accompany”) suggests traveling together.
But look at the image above–the heading is guests.
In any case, my sponsor is a Premier Executive on United and did have a Star Gold card, though he was not asked to present it. I interpret that Star Alliance Gold requirement to refer only to the Star Alliance Gold/Senator lounges, but again it is far from being clear.
As for your last statement, while Germany appears to be a society highly focused on rules and order, from what I’ve seen the last seven months at the airport: Nope. Only when it suits them.
This isn’t always a bad thing. 🙂
I am going to escalate this issue with LH this week. There should not be so much confusion about lounge access.
Matthew,
you’re right, the Star Alliance Gold card is of interest only when entering a Senator/Star Gold Lounge. First Class Terminal/Lounges are exclusively for First Class Passengers or HON Circle members (by the way: the HON circle status is Star Alliance Gold also).
Your sponsor didn’t need to present his card because he was on a First Class ticket which is enough justification for entry to the FCT.
@CASAFlyer: the first set of rules clearly indicates that it applys to the First Class Terminal only. At Munich there is only a standard First Class Lounge and they do have different rules.
Would you mind sharing a copy of your correspondence and their reply?
@NYBanker: When I hear back from Lufthansa, I will share their reply.
I am quite disappointed that LH never bothered to respond. I will follow-up next week.
I was on a Star Alliance First Class RT flight to FRA from JFK. I was Singapore (SA) to FRA and then LH from FRA back to JFK. I rushed all over that airport to find the 1st class terminal and immediately they threw me out as I wasnt flying on LH First Class. I said are you kidding me?? I’m actually flying a step up on Singapore and I’m also a Star Alliance Gold Card holder. Didnt matter…….. I got the famous “It’s Not Possible” from the German agent and sent on my way…..
Matthew, the whole HON Circle program of Lufhansa is a big disaster. They constantly change the rules at whim and do anything to limit the number HON passenger. I am HON since the start of the program and can attest that it’s a big smokescreen. I wonder how many other “old” HON people will support my opinion.