HI all,
So I’m taking my first flight on Asiana in January to Bangkok with a 12 hour stop over in ICN. I’m planning to see Seoul but wondering if I can access Asiana business lounge with my Star Alliance Gold status? I am also flying with a friend who doesn’t have gold status, will they let her in the lounge?
Also, does anyone know if there is an arrivals lounge in ICN?
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As a follow-up, IIRC from reading the OZ web site, there are two STARGold-accessible lounges operated by OZ at ICN. But reading the OZ web site, it appears one is limited to those flying OZ flights, the other takes anyone on any other STAR carrier. Am I correct in this, or is the one I interpret as being restricted to OZ-fliers located in a pier where only OZ flights operate, thus implying such a restriction?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shareholder
As a follow-up, IIRC from reading the OZ web site, there are two STARGold-accessible lounges operated by OZ at ICN. But reading the OZ web site, it appears one is limited to those flying OZ flights, the other takes anyone on any other STAR carrier. Am I correct in this, or is the one I interpret as being restricted to OZ-fliers located in a pier where only OZ flights operate, thus implying such a restriction?
The OZ lounge in the OZ terminal- the only one I know -is accessible only to OZ fliers, because it's in the OZ-only terminal (not a pier but terminal). The terminal also handles KE, but no other *A- except codeshares with OZ.
When I say "the only one I know ", it's because I always traverse ICN via OZ; I'm not sure whether you could still get to the "other Star" terminal- actually "non-native carrier" terminal- and then back to an OZ flight (or vice versa).
When it opened up you could be chaperoned by security people, but I think that was only while things settled down
There are two *A lounges, both operated by OZ. One is in the main concourse and the other is in Concourse A. EVERYONE enters the main concourse after passing through immigration. The gates on the main concourse are used exclusively by OZ and KE, but the concourse itself is used by everyone. Concourse A is used by all other airlines. To enter Concourse A you must have a boarding pass for a non-OZ/non-KE airline. They will not let you enter the train boarding area if you have an OZ or KE boarding pass. So if you have an OZ boarding pass, your only choice is the main concourse OZ lounge. If you have any other *A boarding pass, you can use either of the OZ lounges. However if you don't have an OZ boarding pass and try to enter the OZ lounge on the main concourse they will probably try to direct you to the one on Concourse A. If you just want to experience the main concourse lounge, just tell them politely that you'd like to use this lounge and they should let you in. They did for me. However, the main concourse lounge can get very crowded at times and if it's already overcrowded they might possibly refuse you entry because of that. I'd personally just head to the Concourse A lounge myself because it's not as crowded and there isn't any real significant difference that I've noticed between the two.
The above is the situation for non-transfer passengers. If you are a transfer passenger, and transferring from non-OZ/KE to non-OZ/KE, and you use the transfer point at concourse A, then you will never enter the main concourse. I've never tried it but don't see why you couldn't though take the train when you arrive to the main concourse and then use the transfer point there to enter the main concourse, if you so desired. Or the other option to pass through entry immigration on arrival, then go up and pass through exit immigration which would also get you to the main concourse. So arriving passengers, from the arrival area, should be able to get to the main concourse departure area without any problem if they want. But once you're in the departure area of Concourse A, there is no way to get back to the main concourse.
There are two *A lounges, both operated by OZ. One is in the main concourse and the other is in Concourse A. EVERYONE enters the main concourse after passing through immigration ...
I have never been to ICN before. I will be arriving from SIN on SQ J, and departing on OZ J. There is a connection time of over 4 hours.
I gather I should be able to access the lounge in the main concourse.
Any suggestions for spending those four hours ( late afternoon/evening)? Where would the best shopping be?
When is the busiest time for the lounge? I would like to take a shower, so don't know whether to take it as soon as I arrive, or wait till closer to departure time.
Also, do I need to fill in any paperwork for a transit?
I have never been to ICN before. I will be arriving from SIN on SQ J, and departing on OZ J. There is a connection time of over 4 hours.
I gather I should be able to access the lounge in the main concourse.
Any suggestions for spending those four hours ( late afternoon/evening)? Where would the best shopping be?
When is the busiest time for the lounge? I would like to take a shower, so don't know whether to take it as soon as I arrive, or wait till closer to departure time.
Also, do I need to fill in any paperwork for a transit?
Thanks for any advice!
In transfering from SQ to OZ I presume you will take the train to the main concourse arrival area and then find the transfer point, rather than going through immigration. I don't believe you'll have to fill in any paperwork if coming from SIN. Just show your connecting boarding pass or ticket and passport. If coming from BKK or certain other countries they require a health form to be filled out, but not if from SIN.
Once in the departure area in the main concourse you can access the OZ C lounge. My experience is that about 7PM is the busiest. Few if any seats available and a long wait for showers. Defiinately go there first when you arrive if you want a shower. As to food, it used to be that they only provided hot food at about 6:00 - 6:30 PM. After it's gone, they don't replenish it. However they may have changed it recently due to many complaints. I was just at the C OZ lounge in concourse A a couple days ago and they put out hot food at about 3:30 PM, which wasn't the case previously. I'm not sure if they're now doing the same at the OZ lounge on the main concourse or not.
If I were you, I'd get a shower first, then see if there's hot food and eat if you want. If no hot food but you want to eat, then leave and do your shopping then return shortly before 6 to get some hot food as soon as it's put out.
I'm not much into shopping, but there seems to be a high concentration of shops between the two piers. The OZ lounge is at one of the piers, and from there walk in the direction of the low numbered gates and you'll see the various shops.
I am doing the same trip in reverse. JFK-ICN on OZ in C, then ICN-SIN on SQ in C. I arrive about 5am and have 4 hours to kill. Would love to experience both lounges and get a shower. Possible?
If you arrive on OZ, then you will be dropped off at the Main Concourse so when you go upstairs for the transit processing, you will find yourself on the departures level of the Main Concourse.
There, you can firstly go to the OZ lounge on the Main Concourse (in the West pier) which apparently opens earlier. Then, if you want to be closer to the departure gates, you can take the transit train to the Concourse A, where you can use the other OZ lounge (but apparently it opens later than the Main Concourse).
But, once you're in the Concourse A, you can't go back to the Main Concourse when you're on a departures level.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by A_Lee
I was just at the C OZ lounge in concourse A a couple days ago and they put out hot food at about 3:30 PM, which wasn't the case previously. I'm not sure if they're now doing the same at the OZ lounge on the main concourse or not.
When I was at the main lounge a couple of months back they had hot food after 1600.
When I was at the main lounge a couple of months back they had hot food after 1600.
That's interesting because it was a couple months ago when I spoke to the manager of the lounge and she specifically told me that they only served hot food at three specific times during the day, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Perhaps you went there right after that and they modified their schedule. It was the third time I complained to the manager and she was very apolgetic and embarassed at the incredibly rediculous policy of putting out such little hot food such that it was gone immediately.
I did visit the OZ lounge on concourse A just last month at around 4PM - 5PM and they did not have any hot food there at that time. The attendant told me the hot food would not be out until 6PM. I'll have to ask them the next time I'm there what is their exact schedule now.
