With BA moving out of T1 at the end of March and AY moving to T3 around Juhannus-08 (end of June), in the meantime are we left with the Servisair option upstairs only? I know some BA flights will remain, but can we expect them to keep their lounge complex open at T1 for some intra-Europe OW codeshare destinations + GB airways?

I haven't used the AY/Servisair lounge for a long time but I recall it being a bit on the small side...

Also, with OW partners coming together in T3 - one wonders what the options are like post Jussi (end of June)

Any insights anyone?

AY should kick out BA flyers of the Longhaul/Golden Gate/Silver Wings lounges to get the usual Gateway experience at HEL if this happens.

If the idiotic J class LCC seat introduction for European AY flights would not have happened many discriminating British customers would choose Finnair anyway. Ok, the marketing department and chief bean counter Hienonen can still change this if they want or at least put the unspoiled AB 319's on the LHR - HEL route.

I think it is slightly more complex than 'BA moving out of T1 by the end of March'... The BA LHR-HEL flights will never move to T5, those flights will also move to T3 eventually (and will stay in T1 in the meantime). I don't know if they move at the same time as the AY flights, but that does seem to be logical. I wouldn't worry too much about the BA T1 lounge. The thing I do worry about is if they will close the T1 F lounge though ;)

BA will have a lounge in T3 once the flights have moved there.

AY should kick out BA flyers of the Longhaul/Golden Gate/Silver Wings lounges to get the usual Gateway experience at HEL if this happens.Not allowed as those lounges are not Finnair-specific but OW lounges.

BTW: it's not BA's fault that Finnair uses the cr@ppy Servisair lounge in LHR :( AFAIK if you're not a OW Sapphire/Emerald but flying in AY C, you will not be allowed in the Terraces, but redirected to the AY lounge. I guess AY doesn't want to pay BA for the lounge access in that case.

[Added later]Just found the schedule of BA moving:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=8209678&postcount=5

24th June 2008

GB Airways, NCE, HEL, BCN, MAD, LIS and Finnair move to T3

AFAIK if you're not a OW Sapphire/Emerald but flying in AY C, you will not be allowed in the Terraces, but redirected to the AY lounge. I guess AY doesn't want to pay BA for the lounge access in that case.


Since when is this true? I always had access to the Terraces with a J ticket even without having status in the past.

Since when is this true? I always had access to the Terraces with a J ticket even without having status in the past.

Since years. Here (http://www.finnair.fi/finnaircom/wps/portal/finnair/kcxml/04_Sj9SPykssy0xPLMnMz0vM0Y_QjzKLD443NjQCSZnFe8e7-OhHogk5e6IJucQ7eyOEfD3yc1P1g9Iy49089b31A_QLckNDI8o dFQFzrGaC/#target_17316) you can check the current rules.

It makes a difference, though, if you fly AY metal (with tiny, dense, plastic seats - but who in right mind would do that, if options were available) and have the J-ticket from BA-quota.

Since years. Here (http://www.finnair.fi/finnaircom/wps/portal/finnair/kcxml/04_Sj9SPykssy0xPLMnMz0vM0Y_QjzKLD443NjQCSZnFe8e7-OhHogk5e6IJucQ7eyOEfD3yc1P1g9Iy49089b31A_QLckNDI8o dFQFzrGaC/#target_17316) you can check the current rules.

It makes a difference, though, if you fly AY metal (with tiny, dense, plastic seats - but who in right mind would do that, if options were available) and have the J-ticket from BA-quota.

This isn't quite my experience, I have to say. I flew to HEL on AY in J in May and was given access to Terraces with no questions asked. When I do the same in a week, I very much expect to be able to do the same.

This isn't quite my experience, I have to say. I flew to HEL on AY in J in May and was given access to Terraces with no questions asked. When I do the same in a week, I very much expect to be able to do the same.

Further observation. After looking through the AY web pages about AY or OW business tickets, I found this (http://www.finnair.fi/finnaircom/wps/portal/finnair/kcxml/04_Sj9SPykssy0xPLMnMz0vM0Y_QjzKL9443MQ0BSYGYLj76kW hCzp5oQi7xzt4IIV-P_NxU_aC0zHg3T31v_QD9gtzQ0IhyR0UAZzcmMg!!/#Bisnes). It seems that OW C/D/I/J tickets should open all OW business lounge doors. Somewhat conflicting with the information presented here (http://www.finnair.fi/finnaircom/wps/portal/finnair/kcxml/04_Sj9SPykssy0xPLMnMz0vM0Y_QjzKLD443NjQCSZnFe8e7-OhHogk5e6IJucQ7eyOEfD3yc1P1g9Iy49089b31A_QLckNDI8o dFQFzrGaC/#target_17316).

Little OT, as the discussion in several threads is branching: The difficulty is at HEL, that the domestic flights and so called oneclass flights to many European destinations can not be booked in C/D/I/J (not quite sure what is the case with BA codeshares to TKU, TMP, or OUL), thus the lounge access without sapphire/emerald status may be impossible, except for the AY rubys.

Further observation. After looking through the AY web pages about AY or OW business tickets, I found this (http://www.finnair.fi/finnaircom/wps/portal/finnair/kcxml/04_Sj9SPykssy0xPLMnMz0vM0Y_QjzKL9443MQ0BSYGYLj76kW hCzp5oQi7xzt4IIV-P_NxU_aC0zHg3T31v_QD9gtzQ0IhyR0UAZzcmMg!!/#Bisnes). It seems that OW C/D/I/J tickets should open all OW business lounge doors. Somewhat conflicting with the information presented here (http://www.finnair.fi/finnaircom/wps/portal/finnair/kcxml/04_Sj9SPykssy0xPLMnMz0vM0Y_QjzKLD443NjQCSZnFe8e7-OhHogk5e6IJucQ7eyOEfD3yc1P1g9Iy49089b31A_QLckNDI8o dFQFzrGaC/#target_17316).


Regardless of what AY has on their website, the OW rules about class of service -based lounge access could be clealer.

1. J/F BP gives lounge access with all OW carriers, not clearly staten if this applies to all of the OW lounges or not but experiences seem to vary a lot per airport/airline. If this would be a hard written rule (which I do not believe it is) I wonder why AY states some cheap 3rd party lounges as their J lounges on airports/terminals where clearly better (and obviously more expensive) OW alternatives do exist. HKG comes to my mind as good example of this where Wing/Pier are definitely not mentioned as AY J lounges (with class of travel access, that is...)

2. any long haul J/F BP with a short-haul/domestic Y connection gives lounge access for all sectors on the ITN, this is clear and should open domestic lounge doors at HEL as well. Particular to AY & HEL is to note that the long haul J lounge can be accessed as an arrival lounge as well with a J boarding pass to HEL

3. nothing is valid for N.A. w/o status and one is better of sticking with Starbucks & McDonalds if wallet wasn't conficated at TSA security check point and if any time is left before boarding in the first place... :D