Star Alliance associated airlines started to issue lounge access policy change notices back in December, affecting Gold members, but it now also applies to First Class passengers with the latest update.
We contacted the Star Alliance spokesperson, who confirmed that a rule change was taking place on May 3, 2021, and we published a piece at the time.
You can access the Star Alliance page for lounge access here.
Here’s an update on Lufthansa issued in December:
Whether it’s a business partner or a family member, HON Circle Members, Senators and Star Gold passengers may continue to take travel companions with them into Lufthansa Group lounges and Star Alliance lounges worldwide in accordance with the current rules. From 3 May 2021, these travel companions must travel on the same flight.
Information at a glance
- Valid for all Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines and SWISS lounges
- Valid for all Star Alliance airline lounges worldwide
- Applies to HON Circle Members, Senators and Star Gold passengers
- All travel companions must travel on the same flight
Here’s the response from the Star Alliance spokesperson in December:
An alliance-wide Guest Entitlement policy change is indeed taking effect on 03MAY, and the website will be updated accordingly on that date.
Up to this date, Star Alliance Gold members could invite a guest holding a boarding pass valid on any Star Alliance member airline departing the same day. From the date of policy change, the guest must be on the same flight as the Gold status member.
It is our understanding that member airlines of the Alliance were to have notified their FFP members by this date, so the communications your refer to from Aegean and Lufthansa is correct.
UPDATE: This change also affects First Class-passengers:
You are entitled to bring one guest travelling on any Star Alliance flight departing from the same airport on the same day. As of May 3, 2021, the guest must be traveling on the same flight.
This change now also affects First Class passengers who cannot bring an associate or friend to the first-class lounge unless both passengers are on the same flight.
Conclusion
Most airlines have now changed their web pages or sent out emails informing their GOld-level members about this change.
We were not previously aware that this change would also affect First Class passengers before Star Alliance pushed the update to its website on Wednesday. They still haven’t changed the information about Gold-member guesting, which is perplexing.
These changes mainly affect business travelers or friends who travel from the same airports but on different Star Alliance operated flights, and one doesn’t have status. You can no longer guest members unless they are on the same flight with you.
