Lounges @ Athens Airport
May 21, 2021, 10:33 am
#136
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 488
May 21, 2021, 11:08 am
#137
Moderator: Aegean Miles+Bonus
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: AMS / ATH
Programs: AFKL Plat, A3 Gold
Posts: 7,339
Having an OA flight number you won't be able to access the lounges as a non-A3-member. But with an A3 flight number (which you only get when combined with an international flight)...why not? When your boarding pass shows the A3 flight number then I would definitely try to enter the lounge.
May 21, 2021, 11:25 am
#138
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Amsterdam
Programs: A3, BA, OZ,
Posts: 1,099
I mean, not to speak on someone else's behalf, but the response seemed pretty clear to me. They said, 'Yes you can.' and then put a space and then started a new paragraph explaining that for Olympic flights, you can not. Perhaps you interpreted it differently than I did, but I think the response was trying to provide a brief description of the rules after answering the direct question.
May 22, 2021, 6:08 am
#139
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: BCN
Programs: BA Gold · A3 Gold · DL Gold · VY apologist
Posts: 8,545
Yeah I didn't understand that either (and still don't).
A3 *G, flying ATH-JMK in C on an A37xxx flight, I should have access to both the A3 lounge and the LH lounge, correct?
A3 *G, flying ATH-JMK in C on an A37xxx flight, I should have access to both the A3 lounge and the LH lounge, correct?
May 23, 2021, 10:45 pm
#142
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Lincoln, UK
Programs: A3G, BA Silver, LH FT
Posts: 296
Having an OA flight number you won't be able to access the lounges as a non-A3-member. But with an A3 flight number (which you only get when combined with an international flight)...why not? When your boarding pass shows the A3 flight number then I would definitely try to enter the lounge.
As a Star Alliance Gold customer travelling in any class on a Star Alliance member airline operated flight, you have access to any member airline lounge at the airport where your flight departs, if the following conditions are met:
- You present your boarding pass of a Star Alliance member airline operated flight which departs at the same day as your visit or latest by 05:00 AM the next morning.
- If your boarding pass does not carry the Star Alliance Gold indicator, you will need to also show your valid Star Alliance Gold card.
- The lounge displays the Star Alliance Gold logo at the entrance
Last edited by palcsaky; May 23, 2021 at 11:00 pm
May 24, 2021, 1:35 am
#143
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: 39000ft
Posts: 956
I have to say that in this case the LH lounge dragon was wrong.
We have discussed this case many times in the forum (i get that it's confusing but try bear with it). A3690 (and all A3 international flights except LCA) are A3 operating flights. The difference is that they use OA aircraft (but that does not mean that the operating carrier is OA, i know weird right?). Similarly, all domestic flights (and LCA flights) are OA operating flights (despite that they might use A3 aircraft). Think like A3 in the former case (or OA in the latter case) just use leased aircraft for their operations.
We have discussed this case many times in the forum (i get that it's confusing but try bear with it). A3690 (and all A3 international flights except LCA) are A3 operating flights. The difference is that they use OA aircraft (but that does not mean that the operating carrier is OA, i know weird right?). Similarly, all domestic flights (and LCA flights) are OA operating flights (despite that they might use A3 aircraft). Think like A3 in the former case (or OA in the latter case) just use leased aircraft for their operations.
May 24, 2021, 8:12 am
#144
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: PAS, Paros Greece
Programs: A3 *G
Posts: 1,372
I was in the Schengen A3 lounge on Saturday afternoon. The offerings aren't great but I was pleasantly surprised. When I looked on the website, the page still said "open only as a waiting areas, no food or drink available". Far from "just yogurt", there are small sandwiches, which taste a lot nicer than they look as well as cakes, cookies etc. There seemed to be some tubs of either salad or fruit too, but I didn't try those. There is the usual full drinks selection in the fridges, but only disposable cups. Basically everything is pre-sealed - even the single tissues/serviettes are plastic wrapped which seems very wasteful but understandable I guess. Only plastic cutlery is available. You still have to wait to be served coffee by staff - that's the only thing available that isn't sealed.
May 24, 2021, 9:20 am
#145
Join Date: May 2013
Location: YYZ/YTZ/YUL
Programs: BA Gold, TK Elite
Posts: 1,558
I was in the Schengen A3 lounge on Saturday afternoon. The offerings aren't great but I was pleasantly surprised. When I looked on the website, the page still said "open only as a waiting areas, no food or drink available". Far from "just yogurt", there are small sandwiches, which taste a lot nicer than they look as well as cakes, cookies etc. There seemed to be some tubs of either salad or fruit too, but I didn't try those. There is the usual full drinks selection in the fridges, but only disposable cups. Basically everything is pre-sealed - even the single tissues/serviettes are plastic wrapped which seems very wasteful but understandable I guess. Only plastic cutlery is available. You still have to wait to be served coffee by staff - that's the only thing available that isn't sealed.
May 24, 2021, 12:45 pm
#146
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: 39000ft
Posts: 956
I was in the Schengen A3 lounge on Saturday afternoon. The offerings aren't great but I was pleasantly surprised. When I looked on the website, the page still said "open only as a waiting areas, no food or drink available". Far from "just yogurt", there are small sandwiches, which taste a lot nicer than they look as well as cakes, cookies etc. There seemed to be some tubs of either salad or fruit too, but I didn't try those. There is the usual full drinks selection in the fridges, but only disposable cups. Basically everything is pre-sealed - even the single tissues/serviettes are plastic wrapped which seems very wasteful but understandable I guess. Only plastic cutlery is available. You still have to wait to be served coffee by staff - that's the only thing available that isn't sealed.
May 24, 2021, 1:46 pm
#147
Moderator: Aegean Miles+Bonus
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: AMS / ATH
Programs: AFKL Plat, A3 Gold
Posts: 7,339
May 24, 2021, 2:18 pm
#148
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: 39000ft
Posts: 956
Nope still not open. Aspire is open only to the airlines that have a contract here (e.g. LH were sent away) and they also apply the 3-hour limit stay (calling pax. after that time). It's a good thing they have alcohol... I also think the lounge itself is an improvement from the old one.
May 28, 2021, 9:01 am
#149
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: 39000ft
Posts: 956
What's the situation with guest access at the ATH A3 lounge right now? I presume they're running at reduced capacity due to the virus so are they still allowing an A3 Gold to bring in a guest? Or is it on an as-available basis depending how busy things are? I'm stopping by with a friend in around ten days and we'd be there around 10:30am, hopefully for two or three hours as we both have long connections (to different A3 flights). I guess mid-morning is a pretty busy time, from what I remember. Does anybody have recent, first hand experience? Thanks.