A3 [ATH] Lounge to get major refurb in the Spring
 

A new expanded Aegean lounge will be scheduled to open in the Spring. Everything will be replaced. The current lounge is penciled in to close around February subject to AIA. The good news is that the smoking lounge will be either eliminated altogether or a 1/4 of the size. At ATH the security checks will all be harmonised after check in and before the shops.Lots of building work currently going on.

Schengen I assume? No chance of anything better for non-Schengen...

Any idea how long it's expected to take? I've got an ATH run scheduled for Mar. so I suspect not that fast, but hope springs eternal?

If security is harmonised and you don't have to go through it again to go through it to move from schengen to non-schengen it should be ok (although quite far). I was secretly hoping for aegean to take over the old BA lounge though...

I guess it will expand to the right side as you look at it. Can't remember whats there, is it the old AZ lounge?

Any gossip on any major changes?

Well, since the Lufthansa lounge (immediately to the left as you look) has been closed for a while (and no work seems to be going on) maybe they're just taking over that space? The signs outside the LH one say that "a new, improved lounge is coming soon" but who knows...

For sure the harmonised security will be a great improvement and should make it easier using the A3 lounge when travelling from the A gates. It will also be great for B-Gate connections. Often I have just 20 to 30 minutes between flights (getting off the bus to beginning boarding) and I hate having to go out and then back through security again (although it's usually quite a smooth process).

Has anyone considered that they might completely switch things around? They are woefully short of gates so maybe all the non-Schengen flights could be moved to the remote pier leaving the entire main terminal area for Schengen.

In any case it'll be a great improvement. They had WAY too many checkin desks anyway.

Very good news. It was about time they entirely get rid of the smoking area ^

The LH lounge is scheduled to re-open on December 19 according to Lufthansa: http://www.lufthansa.com/de/en/Lounge-News_en

Ah, I was there a few days ago and nothing seemed to be happening. Unless it got a lot bigger, that's going to be one VERY crowded lounge for the time the A3 one is closed!

Exactly what I was thinking... With the LH lounge closed, the A3 one is so packed, I couldn't stand staying for more than 5 mins last time. Hopefully they have a contingency plan that doesn't involve everyone having to go to the LH lounge during the refurb.

That space is indeed unused, however it is not as large as you may think. The GoldAir lounge reaches until far into that area, and the AZ lounge (when it was still open) was quite small.

The only way A3 could refurbish their lounge without major problems for pax, is by opening a new one at a new space - so that an instant switch would be possible.

Who knows, if they are going to change the layout so much, that may even be a possibility. Its great to see that they are planning to move the security forward, which also means that the current security area will be available for other building. Maybe The A3 lounge will move over there..

My last three visits it has actually been only 60% full at differrent times. Anyway they may need to restrict lounge access for a period during renovations to the one nearest your gate! We will just have to put up with it as in the long run we will all benefit from a new lounge. I have not seen the planning authority for the works but did see the LH one and strict rules applied on how long the work was permitted to last as it was granted 24/7 working hours.

With regards security it will be a much more ideal set up even though ATH is a mess during the works it was badly needed in an expanding facility and the need to install the new technology.

A few pics of the new security area / renovations :

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps0t5phgsw.jpg

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/a...pstodctjyl.jpg

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/a...pstrfzesqe.jpg


New E Gates


http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/a...psxh8hurxl.jpg

Electronic checkpoints! I am pleasantly surprised!

yeah! what a pleasant surprise!!

Let's hope they also add some off the "E-Passport" gates for EU passport holders. They seem to be pretty much everywhere now. I've been lucky and never had to wait more than a few minutes in 'A' Arrivals but it never seems very well staffed and I'd hate to arrive in the back few rows of that EK 777-300!