I simply had an fascinating expertise attempting to entry the Malaysia Airways Golden Lounge at Kuala Lumpur Worldwide Airport, and I’m unsure what precisely to make of it, as I discovered the enforcement to be a bit odd.
My Malaysia Airways lounge entry denial
I’m presently on a visit the place I’m flying Malaysia Airways enterprise class from Tokyo Narita (NRT) to Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to Ho Chi Minh Metropolis (SGN), with a roughly 15-hour in a single day layover in Kuala Lumpur, arriving at 6PM and departing at 9AM (that was the subsequent obtainable flight primarily based on my first phase, and it’s how the airline offered the ticket).
I had booked a room for a 12-hour block on the Sama-Sama Specific transit lodge within the terminal, in order that I may get some relaxation. Nevertheless, upon arrival, I made a decision to cease by the Malaysia Airways Golden Lounge. My thought was simply to have someplace to take a seat for an hour or so to work, to keep away from going into my room and falling asleep instantly.
After I introduced my boarding move, the dialog went one thing like this, with the agent not even scanning my boarding move:
Lounge agent: “I’m sorry, your flight is tomorrow, you possibly can’t but entry the lounge.”
Me: “Oh, I’m in transit, I simply landed from Tokyo Narita… I believed I’d get lounge entry throughout the connection? I don’t plan to sleep right here, I’ve a transit lodge within the terminal booked.”
Lounge agent: “You’ll be able to solely use the lounge on the day of departure, it’s a brand new rule.”
Me: “Okay, sorry, I didn’t know. So visiting any time on the identical calendar day is okay?”
Lounge agent: “No, you possibly can go to the lounge as much as three hours earlier than departure.”
Me: “Even on a connection, lounge entry isn’t allowed greater than three hours earlier than departure?”
Lounge agent: “Sure, I’m sorry.”
I discovered {that a} bit odd. I completely perceive that the airline doesn’t need folks sleeping within the lounge, and I additionally perceive if the rule was that you may solely entry the lounge on the identical calendar day (although at most carriers within the area, lounge entry is offered for the complete length of a offered connection).
Nevertheless, I discovered it unusual that the airline supposedly has a three-hour lounge entry restriction even for connecting passengers. It’s frequent for airways to have a three-hour rule for originating passengers, however that’s virtually all the time waived should you’re on a connection.
I left the lounge and headed to my lodge room. Out of curiosity, I then pulled up Malaysia Airways’ phrases & situations. The one point out I noticed of the three-hour rule was in reference to buying lounge entry:
Lounge Entry is bought on a person foundation, restricted to one-time entry per passenger for a most length of three (3) hours earlier than flight departure. The lounge entry will likely be indicated on the boarding move with the ‘LOUG’ indicator.
I then checked out some anecdotal on-line experiences about lounge entry, and the frequent knowledge appears to be that entry greater than three hours out is on the discretion of the actual lounge agent.
With that information, I made a decision to return to the lounge at 4AM, round 5 hours earlier than departure, and the agent scanned my boarding move and let me in with out considering twice.
I respect the coverage, I’d similar to to know what it’s!
I’m not attempting to reap the benefits of something I’m not entitled to, so it’s all the time a bit odd to me when airways don’t really clearly publish what their insurance policies are for lounge entry:
- If lounge entry is restricted for these on connections, it might be good if the phrases mirrored that (except I’m lacking one thing?)
- If the airline desires to say that connections over X hours aren’t entitled to lounge entry till a sure period of time earlier than departure, that’s cheap, however it might simply be good to know what the rule is
- If the provider’s meant coverage is to really prohibit lounge entry to a few hours earlier than departure on connecting itineraries, then the airline has one of many strictest lounge entry insurance policies of any airline I’ve seen, and that’s one thing connecting passengers ought to concentrate on (like in case you have a five-hour connection)
So a minimum of primarily based on my expertise, that is an uncommon instance of frontline brokers having discretion. The primary agent by no means even tried to scan my boarding move, as I believe the system wouldn’t have prevented entry. In the meantime the second agent had no points doing so round 5 hours earlier than departure, and I used to be let in with out concern.
Backside line
I’m often fairly good at understanding airline lounge entry insurance policies. Within the case of Malaysia Airways, I had an uncommon expertise in Kuala Lumpur, because the coverage merely wasn’t clearly revealed. I had an extended layover in Kuala Lumpur, and was instructed that lounge entry is just allowed three hours earlier than departure, even on connections.
Nevertheless, I then tried afterward, and had no points accessing the lounge 5 hours earlier than departure. Based mostly on on-line experiences, it might appear that brokers have a variety of discretion. I don’t thoughts regardless of the rule is, I simply suppose it must be revealed.
Have you ever ever skilled an airline lounge entry coverage like this, which simply isn’t clear?
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