The smallest business lounges?
Jul 12, 2016, 9:49 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: LCA/KUL/RGN
Programs: RJ Gold, AZ E+, Air Asia Platinum
Posts: 2,188
The smallest business lounges?
I recently flew AMM-AQJ and the new AMM Domestic lounge was the smallest I have ever been at (maximum capacity=10 pax).
Pics here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/26889035-post3.html
The lounge in ANE is probably even smaller,as described by CWS in the BA forum:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/24927773-post237.html
I am curious,does it get even smaller/worse?
UPD:
So I flew to AQJ yesterday.
The lounge is located next to Entrance 5 (the last entrance as you enter the ramp by car/bus). It is before the police checkpoint (in AMM they check ID/tickets and x-ray bags to make sure only pax enter the check in area). So you enter the terminal,go to the lounge,go thru ID check,check in (if you have not checked in at RJ Business Class check in at entrance 1 already and go thru security. Everything is within a few steps.
Now,the lounge...this is by far the worst and the most pathetic lounge I have ever seen in my life.
Food and beverages:
Cerutti Espresso machine (no latte/capuchino e.t.c,espresso only) and paper cups;
Half empty (warm) pepsi bottle;
Bottled water (have to ask the lounge host to take it out of the fridge under his desk);
Packaged arabic sweets (see pic 1).
That's it.
The lounge is extremely small (pic 2 was taken from the far corner of the lounge and you can see how close the other end is). The capacity is 10 passengers (yesterday we had 3 pax in J and 1 Sapphire in Y,but there was only me and another lady in the lounge.
There are power sockets next to the sofas,but there are no toilets and I can't imagine where is the nearst toilet,appart from the one post-security..Also the lounge is separated from the terminal by glass walls,so everyone passing by can see you. Since the lounge is landside,you can get out to smoke e.t.c. as much as you wish.
The only advantage of this lounge is that you can wait there till everyone else clears security (which is just 30 seconds away),but arriving to the airport more than 40 minutes prior to departure is not recommended. Also it might be useful if you are on a connection,say from Asia and you have an hour or so to kill. In this case I would personally get some coffee/snacks from Starbucks or SNAX mini-market in arrivals and take it to the lounge.
There is also a nice cafe outside by the fountain,located in the middle of the parking complex.
In total,it's a big dissapointment. Yes I am glad that RJ now offers some kind of lounge access,but since it's a third party lounge,I can't imagine how much money is wasted on this. If they are paying so much for rent and maintanance of the lounge,it would not be too expensive/hard to offer some more snacks/refreshments.
So I flew to AQJ yesterday.
The lounge is located next to Entrance 5 (the last entrance as you enter the ramp by car/bus). It is before the police checkpoint (in AMM they check ID/tickets and x-ray bags to make sure only pax enter the check in area). So you enter the terminal,go to the lounge,go thru ID check,check in (if you have not checked in at RJ Business Class check in at entrance 1 already and go thru security. Everything is within a few steps.
Now,the lounge...this is by far the worst and the most pathetic lounge I have ever seen in my life.
Food and beverages:
Cerutti Espresso machine (no latte/capuchino e.t.c,espresso only) and paper cups;
Half empty (warm) pepsi bottle;
Bottled water (have to ask the lounge host to take it out of the fridge under his desk);
Packaged arabic sweets (see pic 1).
That's it.
The lounge is extremely small (pic 2 was taken from the far corner of the lounge and you can see how close the other end is). The capacity is 10 passengers (yesterday we had 3 pax in J and 1 Sapphire in Y,but there was only me and another lady in the lounge.
There are power sockets next to the sofas,but there are no toilets and I can't imagine where is the nearst toilet,appart from the one post-security..Also the lounge is separated from the terminal by glass walls,so everyone passing by can see you. Since the lounge is landside,you can get out to smoke e.t.c. as much as you wish.
The only advantage of this lounge is that you can wait there till everyone else clears security (which is just 30 seconds away),but arriving to the airport more than 40 minutes prior to departure is not recommended. Also it might be useful if you are on a connection,say from Asia and you have an hour or so to kill. In this case I would personally get some coffee/snacks from Starbucks or SNAX mini-market in arrivals and take it to the lounge.
There is also a nice cafe outside by the fountain,located in the middle of the parking complex.
In total,it's a big dissapointment. Yes I am glad that RJ now offers some kind of lounge access,but since it's a third party lounge,I can't imagine how much money is wasted on this. If they are paying so much for rent and maintanance of the lounge,it would not be too expensive/hard to offer some more snacks/refreshments.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/26889035-post3.html
The lounge in ANE is probably even smaller,as described by CWS in the BA forum:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/24927773-post237.html
Well this was today's surprise in the middle-of-nowhere. I've been through ANE before but not seen a lounge facility at one of the smallest airport's on BA's network but vscxfan did mention it in this thread. And today there certainly was a lounge, of sorts. Allow me to introduce the Angers British Airways Club's (sic) Room.
It's the most bijou lounge I've ever encountered, so small that I wasn't able to get my camera achieve the focal length to take decent photos. I didn't actually bother to sit in the lounge, but they enforced fast track: an agent approached me while I was poking around the airport's facilities and said "Monsieur CWS, you may board now". The others were invited to walk across to the aircraft only after I had got on board.
ANE - Club's Room
Contract lounge
Angers Loire Métropole Airport.
Airside, left after security and in front of the gate.
Opening hours:
Around BA's flights, of which there aren't many.
Access:
Self selecting since the door is open and the lounge is unstaffed (there is not really space for a lounge agent). However interlopers risk being turfed out by the nearby gate agent, and there's nowhere to hide your humiliation.
Food and beverage
Nespresso machine and capsules,including caffeine free. Sugar, no milk. Water (Cristaline). Actually non status passengers are also allowed this. Vending machine for Coke, Coke Zero, Nestea Iced Tea, Vittel and Orange Fanta, €2 in coins only. Strictly speaking there is no food or drink supplied in the lounge, there isn't space for it.
No champagne.
Entertainment and business facilities.
Accommodation consists of 2 DSF style sofas and 2 desk chairs, one desk, so the maximum capacity is 6 passengers, 7 if someone sits on the desk. Power socket (EU standard). A selection of French magazines are available to read. Flat screen TV. Rubbish bin.
Miscellaneous information:
The lounge has no toilets but they are just outside in the airside seating area.
It's the most bijou lounge I've ever encountered, so small that I wasn't able to get my camera achieve the focal length to take decent photos. I didn't actually bother to sit in the lounge, but they enforced fast track: an agent approached me while I was poking around the airport's facilities and said "Monsieur CWS, you may board now". The others were invited to walk across to the aircraft only after I had got on board.
ANE - Club's Room
Contract lounge
Angers Loire Métropole Airport.
Airside, left after security and in front of the gate.
Opening hours:
Around BA's flights, of which there aren't many.
Access:
Self selecting since the door is open and the lounge is unstaffed (there is not really space for a lounge agent). However interlopers risk being turfed out by the nearby gate agent, and there's nowhere to hide your humiliation.
Food and beverage
Nespresso machine and capsules,including caffeine free. Sugar, no milk. Water (Cristaline). Actually non status passengers are also allowed this. Vending machine for Coke, Coke Zero, Nestea Iced Tea, Vittel and Orange Fanta, €2 in coins only. Strictly speaking there is no food or drink supplied in the lounge, there isn't space for it.
No champagne.
Entertainment and business facilities.
Accommodation consists of 2 DSF style sofas and 2 desk chairs, one desk, so the maximum capacity is 6 passengers, 7 if someone sits on the desk. Power socket (EU standard). A selection of French magazines are available to read. Flat screen TV. Rubbish bin.
Miscellaneous information:
The lounge has no toilets but they are just outside in the airside seating area.
Jul 12, 2016, 11:04 pm
#2
Moderator: Delta SkyMiles, Luxury Hotels, TravelBuzz! and Italy
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 26,540
This is more suitable for the Trip Reports given that the OP has posted so many photos of his current lounge experiences.
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator
Jul 14, 2016, 4:19 am
#3
Join Date: Jun 2008
Programs: TK*G (E+), IHG Plat Ambassador
Posts: 7,884
And I thought that SK CDG Lounge is one of the world's smallest
Well actually even if not world's smallest it is certainly world's most crowded taking into consideration number of SK flights from CDG (plus LO and A3 flights).
Well actually even if not world's smallest it is certainly world's most crowded taking into consideration number of SK flights from CDG (plus LO and A3 flights).
Jul 14, 2016, 9:04 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: LCA/KUL/RGN
Programs: RJ Gold, AZ E+, Air Asia Platinum
Posts: 2,188
Also remembered that the MH lounge in PEN is very small too (but it is very big and luxurious in comparison to the two above).
It has a capacity of about 20-25 people,a decent buffet and even a shower suite. During my stay there there were only 3 or 4 people.
It has a capacity of about 20-25 people,a decent buffet and even a shower suite. During my stay there there were only 3 or 4 people.
Jul 15, 2016, 7:45 pm
#5
Moderator, Hilton Honors
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: on a short leash
Programs: some
Posts: 71,422
I have fond memories of the old NZ lounge at RAR. It felt full even with just a couple of people (seated maybe 10). Since in those days the terminal was open air it was usually a case of going into the lounge to grab a cold drink and pop outside to drink it under the stars. Magic.
Jul 18, 2016, 1:09 am
#7
Join Date: Feb 2007
Programs: NZ Koru
Posts: 6,411
Atleast RAR has an lounge TBU/APW don't
Jul 18, 2016, 4:02 am
#8
Moderator, Hilton Honors
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: on a short leash
Programs: some
Posts: 71,422
Jul 23, 2016, 6:14 pm
#9
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: LAX and LHR. UA lifetime Gold 1.9MM 1K , DL Gold Medallion, HHonors Gold, Marriott Gold, Avis President's Club
Posts: 3,592
Catania, Sicily is tiny. No lavatories, no food, just a few non-alcoholic beverages, desperately hot (no aircon?), and few seats.
Aug 2, 2016, 2:48 pm
#11
Join Date: Aug 2016
Programs: UA
Posts: 67
Stuttgart AirFrance Lound
By and far the smallest I have every seen is the Stuttgart AirFrance lounge. It is about the size of a living room, with maybe 20 chairs max. Decent selection of stuff but it sure is tiny
. That's the whole thing, although I think that may have been a temporary lounge for a few years, haven't been back through it in over a year, but it was there for at least 4+ years as I was traveling through. Literally the only beer available was a bottled german pinecone beer.. and I didn't have somewhere to sit multiple times.
