New Lounge At Heraklion?
Sep 24, 2018, 9:48 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: OTP
Programs: AF/KL platinum, Turkish gold, QR gold
Posts: 1,572
New Lounge At Heraklion?
I was just booking a little island escape on SkyExpress, and saw this curious news on their website.
Now I know that Sky Express is a curious little airline and they already offer lounge access to all pax at ATH and SKG. But this got me intrigued as AFAIK there never was a lounge at HER to the complaints of many?
Maybe our esteemed Cretan καΐκι captain KLouis knows more about this? Is it just a broom cabinet with a coffee machine in it? Something actually decent? Does this mean that the lounge might be soon offered to A3 passengers as well?
CIP LOUNGE. Now available also at Heraklion airport
In a totally new and comfortable place, which is created with exceptional taste for the Sky Express passengers that depart from Heraklion, can now relax and have a waiting time with coffee or light refreshment before the embarkation to the flight, in our CIP Lounge.
We are waiting to welcome you on board our flights as well as in our brand new CIP Lounge at Heraklion airport
Book now your next flight with Sky Express.
In a totally new and comfortable place, which is created with exceptional taste for the Sky Express passengers that depart from Heraklion, can now relax and have a waiting time with coffee or light refreshment before the embarkation to the flight, in our CIP Lounge.
We are waiting to welcome you on board our flights as well as in our brand new CIP Lounge at Heraklion airport
Book now your next flight with Sky Express.
Maybe our esteemed Cretan καΐκι captain KLouis knows more about this? Is it just a broom cabinet with a coffee machine in it? Something actually decent? Does this mean that the lounge might be soon offered to A3 passengers as well?
Sep 24, 2018, 10:07 am
#2
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: PAS, Paros Greece
Programs: A3 *G
Posts: 1,372
Good on Sky Express I say - trying to make the effort to establish themselves as being a little different and 'better'. And if it forces A3 to follow suit then that's a bonus for us too.
Sep 25, 2018, 3:06 am
#4
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,127
Any additional facility at HER would be rather welcome. Yes, even a broom cupboard with a coffee machine 
The off-season baggage belt departure hall, anyone? (Anyone who has been there recently during off-season will know exactly what I mean.)
The off-season baggage belt departure hall, anyone? (Anyone who has been there recently during off-season will know exactly what I mean.)
Sep 25, 2018, 7:48 am
#5
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: GVA
Programs: A3 *G, LX *G, AF *S
Posts: 761
I was in HER mid of July, and wondered already when I saw signs with "Lounge" written on them. Since I had some time, I followed them (up the stairs, around some corners) and... stood in front of a lounge that was currently put together: I saw a bar close to the entrance, cables hanging around, ladders standing here and there - all behind the glass entry doors.
So it seems something was happening. However, not sure whether it was for a specific airline or a general lounge.
So it seems something was happening. However, not sure whether it was for a specific airline or a general lounge.
Sep 25, 2018, 11:28 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: OTP
Programs: AF/KL platinum, Turkish gold, QR gold
Posts: 1,572
I was in HER mid of July, and wondered already when I saw signs with "Lounge" written on them. Since I had some time, I followed them (up the stairs, around some corners) and... stood in front of a lounge that was currently put together: I saw a bar close to the entrance, cables hanging around, ladders standing here and there - all behind the glass entry doors.
So it seems something was happening. However, not sure whether it was for a specific airline or a general lounge.
So it seems something was happening. However, not sure whether it was for a specific airline or a general lounge.
Perhaps we are in for a pleasant surprise here! As the great bulk of all airlines flying into HER are charter flights, a joint lounge for carriers such as Sky Express, Aegean and perhaps one or two more airlines that fly into HER like Cobalt would make sense as you wouldn't need a huge amount of space.
Sep 25, 2018, 4:54 pm
#8
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,127
Perhaps we are in for a pleasant surprise here! As the great bulk of all airlines flying into HER are charter flights, a joint lounge for carriers such as Sky Express, Aegean and perhaps one or two more airlines that fly into HER like Cobalt would make sense as you wouldn't need a huge amount of space.
Sep 25, 2018, 7:12 pm
#9
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Heraklion, Greece
Posts: 7,566
Sorry for being... late but I had a lot to do!
- I've never flown Sky Express as it's much more expensive than A3: no experience there.
- I also tried to follow the big signs to the lounge: I ended up behind locked doors.
- Given that a lot of people in Crete are A3 Golds, I guess that an A3 lounge at HER would look like Omonoia square around noon. Thus, very few chances that we'll see one soon.
Sep 25, 2018, 7:15 pm
#10
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Heraklion, Greece
Posts: 7,566
Sep 25, 2018, 10:42 pm
#11
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,127
It's just that the previous off-season involved using the baggage hall as departure hall much to my amusement... They did move lots of seats into there though.
Sep 26, 2018, 12:08 pm
#13
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,127
I guess I will see what it's like when I'm there in November. I am imagining it like they've Skegnessed it (Skegness being a nickname for Thessaloniki due to it being SKG, and you have that little walk through the duty free shop).
