nivsy

While concious of the thread best and worse lounges i am curious to know what expectation lounge users should have when flying BA.

Recent experiences at Venice, Nice, Pisa, Dubrovnik has let me to believe one should not expect too much but last night at Bordeaux was frankly the worst ever. It makes me really wonder why BA continue to supply "lounge access" in some places and instead they should just reduce to BC fare.

Bordeaux at 20.30 yesterday - first thing you need to get the so called lounge access code from the News Eatery after security. So you have to Q for access code while the one chap serves up normal food to all passengers (like a normal food outlet). You get the code go behind the dreaded door and are met with a pen wih some uncomfortable seats and school tables. The fridge was empty the trays were empty and nothing on show except empty bottles. With some convincing some of us managed to pull him away from the min area and come bck to the lounge. I did tke some pics (always have an issue down loading)...although he would only open a couple at a time (and they were not very good) despite 7 rows of BC pax for the 737 flight back to LGW. BA advertise lounge access as an enhancement to premier pax or silver and gold members. I fail to see how at some outstations it is an enhancement at all. They should make it clear that outsourced lounges in some areas are of inferior quality.

LondonElite

I don't think BA does any active expectations management! Most lounges are just places to sit for 20 minutes while you wait for the flight, and don't aspire to be restaurants with unlimited booze.

corporate-wage-slave

Well you've correctly identified a selection of the poorest lounges within BA's European network, and Bordeaux is indeed particularly poor. Given the relatively low number of flights to small airports with limited infrastructure then I'm not sure what the alternative is. Presumably - as is the case in few places - no lounge at all, which you suggest, but I am personally happy enough with quiet and hopefully comfortable seating away from the bustle of the main concourse. I'd like them to all be like MUC, LIN, GVA or FCO, or indeed Iberia's MAD T5S, but you are in probably BOD's best lounge.

shefgab

That lounge in BOD is pretty bad. I was there a few weeks ago, but at least the fridges weren't totally empty. I thought it ironic they supplied gin but no tonic or mixers other than coke.

I presume BA are paying a fixed fee to the lounge operator, and BA think that they are getting value for money, otherwise they'd tell the operator to get their finger out and provide something resembling a proper lounge. Of course in a monpoly situation like in BOD, the lounge people may just have said "take it or leave it". Of course, BA could stop giving lounge access and give a voucher instead. No doubt this would annoy some pax that thought the lounge was adequate.

When I flew though INN where there was no lounge in the height of the ski season, i'd much rather a barren quiet lounge, than the manic departures area cafe.

LondonElite

What about RAK? What a dump.

nivsy

Yes I can understand the arguements for a voucher and also those who prefer some sort of lounge. Seriously though, if anyone in BA actually viewed that lounge at BOD surely they would also be horrified. It certainly does nothing to enhance BA and everyone in that lounge last night were lmost disbelieving what they were experiencing.

I think I will send the pics to BA and see what they have to say.......even though I guess we all know what they will say......

CMK10

I wasn't too disappointed in BUD this year (minus having to leave the lounge to use the bathroom) and after reading some of these stories I don't think I'll ever complain about that lounge again

AlbaGuBrath

The GLA and EDI lounges are brilliant. If only more were like that.

Edit: Is this mainland EU only? Who knows..

layz

Although BA think it's in Europe and only offer CE on the route it's not really a European lounge. But it is a dump. It was overcrowded and the fridges were bare. Asking for a restock resulted in some water that was quickly snapped up.

There was a few beers in a sort of display. I put them in the fridge to cool down, but the staff took them out and put them on display again. Eventually some pax just decided to drink them warm, so they lost their crappy display of beers and the passenger that drank them had to have them warm.

Boarding was a farce too, despite being in row 1 (CE) I was sent up the back steps as an assistance passenger was going up the front. Just as I was going up the back steps they then let people use the front steps and so I had to walk all the way to the front against the general flow of passengers. Yes, I did point out I was in row 1 when they told me to use the rear steps, but they insisted I did anyway.

Back on topic. ALL airlines I've flown on generally have poorer lounges at outstations. Some airlines (e.g. AF except in F) provide poor lounges even in their home airports. If I know I'm flying from something that's not an alliance hub I know the lounge is most likely to be something like a Servisair contract lounge.

nivsy

I will get to check out the BUD lounge in erly May...at lest CMK 10 indicated that it is not too bad.

While i agree that AF may not offer up suitable home lounges, I choose never to fly AF, for various reasons, but I expect better from BA especially as they advertise that lounges are a benefit of flying with them and in Business Clss. They should just make it clear that expectations or quality of service in Euro outstations run by 3rd parties can vary in quality.

layz

AF also advertise their lounges as a benefit of status or business class. I can't see BA saying "WARNING: lounges may not be operated by BA and may be a bit crap"

Of course if you find the lounge being so poor there's no problem emailing customer relations, if some lounges get poor feedback then BA might look at using another lounge in the terminal (if there's an option) or putting pressure on the lounge operator to make improvements.

Can you think of any airline that manages to maintain quality in their less important outstations?

CMK10

Well I hope you agree. Decent booze, okay food options (mainly cold, but some soup), views of the tarmac, okay number of outlets, workable wifi, friendly staff. Pictures here if you're interested:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-...rst-class.html

DELLAS

Due to infrastructure and indeed culture lounges will always vary. Whilst in some out stations the lounges are dire it is still a bit better then being outside. I would rather some lounge access than none at all. There are some stations where BA can't do anything but accept this.

britbronco22

Ha, when I clicked on this thread I had the Bordeaux lounge in mind, and bingo that was the one that kicked if off!
I used it in January (fancied a day trip thanks to that super low fare in the January sale), and it is really little more than a glorified waiting area. It didn't help that the flight was delayed by more than an hour.
I didn't complain because I wasn't really bothered at the time, but I expect if you did you would get offered a few thousand Avios or so.

orbitmic

Well, I personally prefer a very poor lounge like BOD than no lounge at all. It is a pathetic place but it is quiet. For the rest, many outstations have airport lounges of varying qualities from good to very poor and others have BA lounges, again of good to very poor quality. I wouldn't say that BA lounges are all better, and I much prefer the NCE airport lounge (though much less likes than BA's LHR lounges) to BA lounges at FCO or TXL as it has more food and drinks options and better wifi. I do prefer those two BA lounges to PSA or DBV let alone BOD or RAk though. And still, I prefer all of the above to nothing at all, including the voucher system as in SZG