Old May 30, 2016, 6:01 am
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F lounge in AUH opened 30MAY2016

Old Nov 27, 2016, 8:41 pm
  #316  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Bangkok and Bristol
Programs: EY, QR Platinum, BA Gold
Posts: 108
Originally Posted by as219
For me, this is what made the LH FCT so special: they told us we could forget about the time, that they'd find us and make sure we made it. Brilliant. After a Porsche ride across the tarmac. were the last two people on the plane before the door closed. That's first class service.
Agree with what you say, unfortunately I've given up flying LH because I never know if they will go on strike.
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Old Nov 27, 2016, 8:50 pm
  #317  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Bangkok and Bristol
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Originally Posted by B747-437B
I made my first visit to the lounge yesterday afternoon and was extremely disappointed by the entire experience.

I arrived at around 1240 for a 1420 flight, but was immediately told that I would need to leave in about 10-15 minutes so as to be at the gate for boarding promptly at 1305. I told them that was ridiculous since I didn't need 75 minutes to board in First Class, but she insisted that since it was an A380 I had to be there on time.

As a result, I also couldn't order anything from the menu (they said I needed at least 30 minutes to order and consume those due to the lounge being pretty full) and to my utter surprise they had no self-service or other ready snack options available. No nuts, no crisps, no packaged anything - nothing else to snack on if you have less than 30 minutes in the lounge. What a joke for a premium lounge.

One of the waiters suggested that I go to the old lounge instead which I did, and was able to have a quick bite from the buffet there instead. Went to the gate at 1325 and they were just starting boarding, after which we had a further 40 minute delay and only departed at 1500 (the boarding process was also a very poor experience but that is another story).

The entire experience is typically Etihad unfortunately. Over-promise and under-deliver. Very sad that the excellent on board product is complement by this disgraceful ground experience.
They tried this with us the other night. We arrived about 7:45p with our flight at 9:30p. We were told no time for ordering anything but the buffet was open. Not much on it but few salads, desserts and some sandwiches. However we talked to one of the wait staff and asked if we could order off the menu and told them we were short of time and they took care of us within 15 minutes. So for us they did go the extra mile. I have to say the shrimp and sliders were excellent.
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Old Dec 9, 2016, 10:08 pm
  #318  
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 28
Originally Posted by chriswortley5
Very disappointed to read about the cuts in lounge service, I'm basically only going with Etihad because they opened a new lounge and its very positive reviews.

Will be there at 11am and especially as its a Friday (next week) what can I expect in terms of passenger volume and services?

I'm a bit of a review geek so will post my experience.
Follow up. Quite impressed with the lounge, warm welcome, private room available (great for our baby to sleep/play in) and great service all round. Only about 5-6 guests visited during my 2 hours at 10 am on a Friday with about 20 staff. Indeed no buffet (I'm guessing they got fed up with nobody using it!)

I love the presumptiveness of the service in first class "your champagne sir, I've ordered you some tapas while you decide what you would like to eat" then she promptly arrives back, removes the ornaments (that our 15 month old could damage) and replaces them with toys.

I agree its probably not the world's best lounge and a transiting passenger may prefer the business lounge. I'm surprised at the recent reports of poor service and would have expected a transiting guest to immediately be offered a quick snack.
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Old Dec 10, 2016, 3:26 pm
  #319  
 
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I have generally only had good experiences there. The really small "buffet" area is at the back of the lounge on the right, it is a bit out of sight, so maybe that's why some posters did not find it. It is not the grandest of lounges (and can get busy at the time of the night flights), especially size-wise, but I quite like that compared to the EK railway stations at DXB. I also appreciate that they also have a barber located at the lounge (like the business lounge).

As to boarding time, you can't take any of the ME3 carriers seriously on this, unless you plan to spend more time at the gate than on the flight 😉 I suspect that has to do with the fact that some of their passengers are notoriously unpredictable as to whether they will turn up on time! Anyway, as someone else has already posted, just plan to get to the gate a few minutes before closing time, and you will be fine.
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Old Dec 10, 2016, 4:55 pm
  #320  
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 28
At 10am there was defiantly no buffet (not even packaged snacks) I did take a picture of the counter but I cant figure out how to post it. The buffet area contained drinks, a coffee machine and a selection of dates.

Agreed I would never go to the gate at the start of boarding but I wouldn't have the nerve to wait untill they almost close the door.
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Old Dec 10, 2016, 10:13 pm
  #321  
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
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Originally Posted by Wtravel
Anyway, as someone else has already posted, just plan to get to the gate a few minutes before closing time, and you will be fine.
That doesn't help with getting food though if the lounge staff insist that you don't have enough time to be served based on what is printed on the boarding passes. If there was a self service buffet (and my experience was the same as chriswortley5 - the counter was there but no food laid out) you could grab something quickly. The lounge seems to be designed more as a lifestyle experience rather than a functional space.
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Old Dec 11, 2016, 2:40 am
  #322  
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
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Originally Posted by B747-437B
That doesn't help with getting food though if the lounge staff insist that you don't have enough time to be served based on what is printed on the boarding passes. If there was a self service buffet (and my experience was the same as chriswortley5 - the counter was there but no food laid out) you could grab something quickly. The lounge seems to be designed more as a lifestyle experience rather than a functional space.
I think it's extremely poor not to offer a buffet, especially for those in transit with minimal time, or even a shorter time due to a late arrival. If I was a peckish F pax in transit with minimal time and was told I didn't have enough time to order from the menu and to be told there were no other food offerings available, I would be far from impressed. If they told me to enjoy the buffet in the Business lounge, I would give them a pice of my mind. In summary, a lack of a buffet is very bad show indeed.
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Old Dec 11, 2016, 3:07 am
  #323  
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
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"The lounge seems to be designed more as a lifestyle experience rather than a functional space."

It really does, and for the person not served. The attendant trying to shove you out of the door must have been new, my experience is that they write the realistic leaving time on the boarding card when you enter.

The only reason I can imagine this being the case is to get you through US Preclearance but it doesn't sound like that was what happened
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Old Dec 11, 2016, 5:04 am
  #324  
 
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Agree, preclearance flights are another matter. Other than that, just give them a later flight (the server is not going to insist on physically inspecting your boarding card...) and you will be fine �� Come to think of it, no one there taking a food order has ever asked me when my flight was leaving. Maybe that is a new way of reducing catering expenses ��

As to the "buffet", I have only been there at night, and have seen some small things there, but not very appealing (never had anything, usually order off the snack menu if hungry) and it is tiny anyway. So perhaps it depends on the time of day if they put something out. But agree with the other posters, if they bother with a buffet there should be a decent offering (commensurate with the fact that it is a F lounge) at all times.
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Old Dec 13, 2016, 11:49 am
  #325  
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Join Date: Dec 2013
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I am curious if I would be able to take two guest into the lounge (as a platinum guest). I am traveling with my mother and sister (17 years old). Any experience here?
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Old Dec 13, 2016, 6:08 pm
  #326  
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 354
Originally Posted by h1ghfly3r
I am curious if I would be able to take two guest into the lounge (as a platinum guest). I am traveling with my mother and sister (17 years old). Any experience here?
I had managed to take 2 into the premium lounge over xmas last year but this was before the first was open. one of the other passengers was a gold so might have helped. Getting 2 into the first is a stretch unless. Although if you are flying first possibly?
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Old Dec 14, 2016, 4:39 am
  #327  
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Posts: 484
Originally Posted by mike84k
I had managed to take 2 into the premium lounge over xmas last year but this was before the first was open. one of the other passengers was a gold so might have helped. Getting 2 into the first is a stretch unless. Although if you are flying first possibly?
Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, I am not flying in First this time. But a full Flex First ticket for one of the guest might help. But I thought it would be better to ask for your experience first
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Old Dec 17, 2016, 1:04 am
  #328  
 
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Originally Posted by Wtravel
Agree, preclearance flights are another matter. Other than that, just give them a later flight (the server is not going to insist on physically inspecting your boarding card...) and you will be fine �� Come to think of it, no one there taking a food order has ever asked me when my flight was leaving. Maybe that is a new way of reducing catering expenses ��

As to the "buffet", I have only been there at night, and have seen some small things there, but not very appealing (never had anything, usually order off the snack menu if hungry) and it is tiny anyway. So perhaps it depends on the time of day if they put something out. But agree with the other posters, if they bother with a buffet there should be a decent offering (commensurate with the fact that it is a F lounge) at all times.
So when should I leave the lounge relative to departure time on AUH-BOM? Should I even bother trying -LAX-AUH arriving at 20:10, onward to BOM at 21:40, all in F.
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Old Dec 17, 2016, 1:21 am
  #329  
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
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Originally Posted by beachfan
So when should I leave the lounge relative to departure time on AUH-BOM? Should I even bother trying -LAX-AUH arriving at 20:10, onward to BOM at 21:40, all in F.
Yes, if you want to get from BOM-LAX as quickly as psbl in comfort. People (Except some here on FT) rarely, if ever choose longer layovers or take a different airline based on how much time you get in a lounge. Personally, I prefer the least amount of time both in the air & at the airport. I'd much rather get extra time at home or in my hotel, relaxing.
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Old Dec 17, 2016, 11:30 pm
  #330  
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
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Sorry, I meant trying for the lounge on an 1:30 minute layover. Already booked on that itinerary, and then I later decided to overnight in AUH and fly the A380 the next day, but too late, sold out.
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