james dean

Im sure this may have been bantered about before but lately it seems the MLL is loosing its Luster i.e./ the perk/value of MLL access, while the Terminal services are getting steadily better and more desirable.
Lately (well maybe not lately) the MLL's are crowded with everyone and their dog, food is crappy, washrooms busy and not that clean, people clamouring around the buffett, kids double dipping..arrggg!!
Now take a look at the services in the Terminal, mind you not all of em. YVR for example, great food selection, lots of clean washrooms, full wifi access,lots of room to sit etc. same goes for several other Canadian airports. OK so you don't get free (cheap) booze and all the pickles you can swallow, but that is really starting to wear thin.
The other night I went to the MLL in YYZ, it was packed to brim, turned around and walked out, went to nice eatery (forgot the name) had a nice chicken salad and a cold beer and it's not the first time. It's like I just don't even want to go in to the MLL anymore.
The old saying "familiarity breeds contempt" may well apply to me perhaps.
Now LHR & CDG are examples of the MLL that IMHO are a definite advantage to not having access.
Anyway that's my take...

RatherBeInYOW

I posted this in another thread recently, but I used to be one of those people that went right to the MLL 100% of the time.

Now I usually end up going to the MLL if I need to work / take a call (I can almost always find a good place to do so in the MLL, which is nice) and if I feel like relaxing and having a drink I end up in one of the restaurants in whatever airport I am in, and for example YYZ T1 has a couple of reasonable options.

So the MLL at North American airports still has some value for me, but not as much as it used to. You are right about the MLL in some overseas airports, FRA comes to mind for example as one where access to it is almost always desirable.

Symmetre

The MLL - especially domestic ones - have looked a lot more like refugee camps than airport lounges for a while now. There's never anywhere to sit, it's just people slumped over their belongings everywhere. The washrooms are generally disgusting and .... pickles? Seriously?

They used to be nice. But it's just one more brick in the wall AC seems hell-bent on building between itself and its best customers.

CZAMFlyer

Absolutely agree, I generally prefer the public concourses to the lounges during 'average' connections of an hour or so. I time my arrival at the airport to breeze to the gate and add a slight fudge factor; I'd rather spend my time away from the airport than in a lounge prior to a flight of any length.

Of course, 4+ hr layovers are made infinitely more tolerable when inside a flagship lounge, but as we're talking about MLLs, I'd rather spend that time finding something active to occupy my time - even if it means passing through security again.

james dean

It seems things have reversed in the last few years, the Terminal services are becoming more exquisite and the Airline lounges are becoming like dives. I can see why certain Airlines now have a separate First Class Lounge (BA, AF, UA) these First Class lounges are what the old airline lounges used to be like. BTW in Europe and in the US I often go to a *A lounge even when there is a MLL, most of the time there is little difference (especially in the US) and sometimes even worse.

rankourabu

The lounge becomes a haven during IRROPS, one very underrated function of it.

Maybe not for AC pax, but in the US, when there is IRROPS, I would not want to have anyone handling my delay/rebooking but a UA/AA/DL lounge agent.

vernonc

Good posts. YYZ is my home airport and I try not to use the MLL for some of the reasons described above plus the lineup to use the elevator and lineup to check in. If I arrive at the airport in time, I use the PP lounge instead even though they are also not much better in terms of offerings, I can get in/out quickly. I do use the MLL International lounge.
When away from YYZ, I would sometime use the MLL but normally use other options. In SFO I use the Amex lounge, in LAX I use the TBIT lounge. In YVR I use the MLL as there are no better options for domestic.
Food offerings in MLL have been rather sad but hope for some improvements given the recent AC announcements. They also need to reduce selling MLL access and also perhaps not provide it gratis to ACV customers who upg to J for $200.
Lastly they need some sort of 'concierge/SD' in the lounges. We have the agents at the entry desk and we have the cleanup crew. Would help with someone with some level of authority that can walk around the lounges tactfully fixing the silly stuff like kids throwing food, drunken louts, people on speakerphone skype calls, etc. I know we cannot legislate good behavior but a gentle reminder would help improve the experience for all of us. I have had on very rare instances a 'manager' come up and talk to me in the lounges. I used to enjoy this lounge benefit but now its almost inconsequential other than getting a couple of quick drinks in before sleeping on a red eye.

CZAMFlyer

The haven part is certainly true, but busy lounges at the best of times tend to become even more insufferably packed during large weather-related events.
I find the UA Premier line to be quick and effective when requesting rebookings - have you not found the same?

24left

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Thank you vernonc!

As we know, AC has renovated the YUL International and is in the process of renovating YVR International.

From photos and recent reports, food in the YUL one seems much better than what I've posted from YVR. Perhaps it's the "market" and customer expectations.

We all know YYZ, the supposed "flagship" international is in major need of a sandblast, for many reasons.....and perhaps a new space where one can have great views of the runways.

While I now generally avoid both the YYZ Dom and TB due to poor offerings and insanely slow elevators and very long lines during the "rush hours", I may still go there at 5:30 am.

As we know, at least at YVR Dom, there are stairs, and great views if nothing else.


A recent experience at YYZ international prior to a flight left me with the decision to not do that flight or any other on those days or in the morning, as well as even going to the MLL.

The morning issue is simply the big meh offerings and no hot food.

Being there on that Sunday morning was rather hellish. I noticed a completely different crowd, a lot of children and people in flip flops. Yes, all the clues for people going on vacation perhaps.

There were adults and children touching the food, there was a young child standing on the angled blue chairs in the seating area. He could have easily slipped and fallen. He was also throwing food. His parents were busy texting.

Near the business area, another children yelled from approx 7-730 am.

The washrooms were a mess.

I went to the desk to ask the attendants what??????
She said, "yes, Sundays are busy will all the ACV pax. They can pay $50 additional on package and get MLL access"

After a close encounter of the horrid kind with one of the other "guests", I decided this is not the Maple Leaf Lounge. This is not a place for a person to have some quiet space, do some work etc.

This was a Fast Food Restaurant, but without happy meals. There are no senior AC staff keeping an eye on the guests, their behavior and dealing with issues - let alone the ability for ANY desk agent to handle ticketing changes etc. The line up to get in went all the way out the door, almost to the moving walkway.


I understand the opportunity for additional revenue AC has by giving vacationers etc the ability to pay a minimal sum to access the lounge. Not sure what that amount brings in relative to the cost of food and staff, but I'm sure there's money in there somewhere.


As a result, I would now rather find a nice spot in the departure area. I'm sure that works out great for AC.
.

Jumper Jack

The only function of MLL is having two classes of Tomatoes juice at this point for me.

I am as el cheapo as one gets, but them breakfast in MLL is just... ugh.......... where the MC of consuming MLL food is more than its MB.

Looking forward to the pizza though.

GateGuardian

The DL app is pretty good these days. I can usually rebook my flight faster than finding an agent.

AtlanticXpat

It's a choice that will shortly be taken away from me - on international travel (which is mostly what I do) at least as I drop from E50 to E35k. I'll miss that nightcap in YYT MLL before boarding AC822 - not because the lounge is particularly nice (its rather tired) but because nothing else is open in the airport at that time other than the landside Timmies. This will change next year when the terminal extension opens but I digress...

At LHR I'll miss the Lufthansa lounge which is where I go in preference to the MLL. It's bigger, nicer and has better food IMHO. No biggie though as T2 is ratehr nice & The Gorgeous Kitchen restaurant is a perfectly pleasant place to grab a leisurely breakfast before boarding AC823. Even sitting at the gate wouldn't be too bad.

On my rare trips through YYZ, if it's beer o'clock I'll likely seek out the Mill St Brew pub. I would agree that as some airports improve the quality of their food and drink outlets, the appeal of a lounge, certainly a MLL, diminishes. Particularly for the business traveller that can expense what they need during a layover!

eigenvector

As a general rule, the value of lounges is inversely proportional to the general quality of airport. They can be a godsend in developing countries (sometimes the only air conditioned place in a tropical airport), or very mediocre airports like a lot of the American airports (LGA, looking at you). And they're also nice in very expensive countries - ZRH, OSL, LHR - where coffee and a muffin will easily set you back $15 CAD.

But for the Canadian hubs - YUL, YYZ, YVR - they are increasingly irrelevant.

lcohen999

Normally I would agree with you but UA messed up my ticket on mjy last IRROPS I was almost denied bording on the following leg because they didn't take the old flight off the ticket

One off I know...

lcohen999

YYZ Int'l I believe has a concierge there

I know YVR they pulled them out for regular staff