mikebg
Feb 10, 05, 3:00 am
It seems that with the much heralded move to the new terminal at TLV the EL AL lounge has gone sharply downhill. The food available seems to consist of the following 'delicacies':
Dry biscuits of a pretty low quality.
Tastless oranges and apples (no other fruit).
'Standard' Israeli sliced bread (no wholemeal, black, rye ...).
Cream cheese, butter and margarine.
If you are very lucky and travelling early in the morning you might manage to get some of the few croissants or puff pastry cakes they put out. They are usually gone quite early and there is nothing in the afternoon.
Drinks:
The choice of non-alcoholic drinks is limited. No tomato juice, for example.
At least the coffee is good.
There was a time when they had a salad bar for afternoon flights. No more. At LHR they provide a continuous suppply of the most delicious finger sandwiches and a decent variety of cakes, together with a wide variety of drinks.
Is this the airline's policy? I doubt it. I reckon it is just the local lounge management that is hopeless. The LY lounges at LHR and JFK are far superior. What other evidence do I have for this feeling? Well, try and ask if there is X or Y which they don't have and all you will get is 'That's what there is' - in other words, take it or leave it, what do we care, after all you are only paying for a business class fare, what do you expect? At LHR on the other hand, whenever I have asked a similar question I have been treated with respect and told that they will look into it or that many other passengers have asked for it, or whatever.
You would think that TLV is their 'flagship' lounge and they would want to make a good impression ...
Dry biscuits of a pretty low quality.
Tastless oranges and apples (no other fruit).
'Standard' Israeli sliced bread (no wholemeal, black, rye ...).
Cream cheese, butter and margarine.
If you are very lucky and travelling early in the morning you might manage to get some of the few croissants or puff pastry cakes they put out. They are usually gone quite early and there is nothing in the afternoon.
Drinks:
The choice of non-alcoholic drinks is limited. No tomato juice, for example.
At least the coffee is good.
There was a time when they had a salad bar for afternoon flights. No more. At LHR they provide a continuous suppply of the most delicious finger sandwiches and a decent variety of cakes, together with a wide variety of drinks.
Is this the airline's policy? I doubt it. I reckon it is just the local lounge management that is hopeless. The LY lounges at LHR and JFK are far superior. What other evidence do I have for this feeling? Well, try and ask if there is X or Y which they don't have and all you will get is 'That's what there is' - in other words, take it or leave it, what do we care, after all you are only paying for a business class fare, what do you expect? At LHR on the other hand, whenever I have asked a similar question I have been treated with respect and told that they will look into it or that many other passengers have asked for it, or whatever.
You would think that TLV is their 'flagship' lounge and they would want to make a good impression ...