Flythe96flag

But is there an incentive for anyone with status travelling in J to use the Business lounge over the premium lounge? The idea of 'exclusivity' to an inferior lounge would be absurd, given Silvers have access to it.

I mean I understand it in cases like T5 for BA, where Galleries First is for Emeralds whereas the Concorde Room is reserved for F passengers. As an F pax with OWE I would still use the CCR, because the it is smaller and has better beverages and food offerings.

The premium lounge does have better food and beverages, no? IIRC the J lounge still has prosecco, or did I miss something?

Anyway, IME most times I am at the desk I am asked if I'd like to use the premium side, to which I always reply 'yes'. I assume that question implies that I am free to use either side.

I have had some issues before the premium lounge opened, accessing the J lounge on a BA coded AY flight. I find it quite odd that the Schengen lounge does not follow standard OW access. Though I guess the only airline operating there is AB, which does not allow OW entry into its 'exclusive waiting area'-non-lounges.

FFlash

Unbelievable. This is against the OW rules clearly and for that matter, these two rules should be upside down if talking about "premium". Now anybody who has some color card can use the premium lounge, so much for premium

wkndtraveler

Yes, certainly I'll but not before February. Maybe someone else will manage to make it before me.

WilcoRoger

I'd go with "sloppy wording" theory, especially as the lounge has the usual OW signs at the door. I certainly did use the Schengen lounge with AB ticket and BA card. The AY code might refer to the days when you could have the same flight on AY or BE code, at least I saw people turned away because they had BE coded flight.

intuition

The "sloppy wording" theory and BE history could be an explanation. oneWorld lists all AY HEL lounges on their page as status lounges (and correctly lists almost@home as 3.rd party lounge and BA only )



Sometimes the business lounge looks less crowded so that might be one reason.
But for me it is a principle - OW says I can go to any lounge, then I should be able to choose. In HKG, I sometimes go to the 'inferior' G16 lounge for the HKG style food. If they said 'You need to go to our first class lounge because it is better' then I'd be pretty upset.



Agreed. They made the lounge slightly premium with food and beverages, but due to crowding they decided to set the entrance bar too low.

Now they need to drop the AY-code requirement but better access rules would have been OW emeralds and AY platinum + gold. Then it would be consistent with other top lounges, and also consistent with how silvers are "bumbed up" to lounge access at their own lounges.
"This is a top tier lounge for plat/emerald, but we extend it to AY Gold as a special perk of the AY+ program".

cistavoda

That's exactly what they should do.

Flythe96flag

Personally, I'd be surprised if the amount of OWS even came close to the amount of AY+ Golds in terms of traffic at the premium lounge.

remymartin

BA Silver is so easy to obtain, and given the amount of flights BA has, I will just disagree with you.

wkndtraveler

I asked AY about the access to the AY+ Schengen lounge at HEL as Gold/OWS with CX ticket and AY flight. They answered:

"Here's the current information:
Lounge access at HEL ap:
•oneworld Emerald and Sapphire card holders (marketed and operated by oneworld airlines)."

So, they welcomed me in. I asked them to update AY's website, too.

Post Scriptum

Any info on the general occupation levels in the lounge during the day.
My experience limits to the early mornings (i.e. 8ish flights ) but as I'm planning a short family holiday in London I have ample flight options to choose and would prefer a later flight. Thenagain, if the lounge is filled up to the limits later on...

intuition

One general indicator of lounge load factor would be to examine the time-of-day discount they offer for paying customers
http://www.finnair.com/int/gb/inform...irport/lounges

WilcoRoger

3-5 pm it's chock full - most Asian flights leave then. In the morning the London flights fill it a bit. During the day it's quiet, but YMMV

Flythe96flag

I'd probably go for the AY839 service at 14:05.

No early wake up calls involved, lounge not too busy, and also perfect timing to have a nice lunch before the flight to keep you full.

In addition, its arrival into London at 15:10 means you beat the rush hour, and are already able to check in to a hotel, still leaving time that evening for other plans. ^

pekkav

Hello
I am taking my family for holiday soon. We are travelling lh in payed AY J. Unfortunately we're all non OW status flyers.
My question is about kids room. Is it for older children or toddlers? and is it really exclusive to status members only? My son is 3.
I haven't used OW/AY services past 10 years.

skba1

Being currently in the Premium lounge of the non-Schengen area I can tell that this kids room (which you will not have access to as you do not have status) is not particularily exciting at all. A TV, a computer and some pillows. Also some kind of other device (game console???).

Have not checked out the 'normal' J lounge at all.