Lounge for US-bound flights from YOW?
 

Is there any Air Canada or *A lounge for US destination passengers out of Ottawa? After passing US Customs & Immigration, I can't think of any place a lounge would be and it's not on the map. What do people with lounge priviliges do? If there isn't one there, is it possible to use the MLL in the old terminal before a US flight? I'm going out a couple of hours early in a different flight than Mrs. AC110, so I want to leave her in the lounge.

Do we have an option here, or is it the landside Tim Hortons lounge for us?

(Sorry if this has already been answered in here, the search function is broken at the moment.)

Nothing. Nada. Disappeared with the advent of pre clearance. Be glad they let you into the USA, if they actually do.

You could easily have called Air Canada to ask this question who would have told you the same thing. Try that for your next question.

you can pay your way in to the Capital lounge by Penauille. (on the second floor, before security). However, there is no free alcohol there, and it's before security, so you still need to leave it at least an hour early to clear US customs.

After I waited through the interminable automated call handling system process, perhaps they would have told me. As it happened, I was on FT and asked the question here. If my question offends you so much, why bother to answer it? Is it somehow outside the forum rules to ask a question that AC could have answered?

:confused:

Yes you can use the MLL in the old terminal if you are flying to the US, but remember its a bit of a hike because you still have to schlepp back to pre-clear in the new terminal. Its worth the effort if you've got a couple of hours to kill but otherwise there are enough nooks and crannies and Wifi in the new terminal to make an hour or so quite bearable.

DF

Thanks for the response, Doc. It probably will be worth the walk because I'd rather leave Mrs. AC110 in the lounge to wait for her flight in comfort. To my horror, I discovered that flying on points doesn't give me my pick of flights, so we're not on the same tube for the first two segments. Who knew?! :D

Unfortunately with the glass wall closing off the transborder gate area in the new terminal there's not much room to wander about and amuse oneself.

I have been told by AC that there are no plans for a lounge (whether it be an AC/Star Alliance lounge, or an AC lounge which also by contract allows other airlines' passengers to use it) in the transborder section of YOW.

....and exactly what do you think FT is for???

Completely appropriate to ask the question here and get an answer from someone who has been there rather than an agent in YVR.

You're right there has been a thread on this subject in the recent past and the answer remains unchanged: there is no lounge because there is not enough flight activity to justify the costs of one. YOW is a minor centre for transborder operations and there are about a dozen STAR flights a day to US cities, virtually all on one-class CRJs. So pray tell, why should there be a STAR lounge?

The OP's question is entirely appropriate, and a big part of the purpose for this forum, namely sharing info with other FFers.

Simon

Besides, who here would trust AC's answer (without confirming at FT) anyway!? ;)

=aw

It would be nice if there were a small for-pay lounge open to flyers on all carriers. Members with appropriate status in any and all programs (e.g. not AA elites but Admirals Club members) could then get in for free (paid by their plan as with some contract lounges). It could also serve Priority Pass holdres. Or it could be totally independent and even AC Elites pay on a per-visit basis.

Not that it's likely to hapen, given the lounge situation at YOW. My point is that it's not dependent on AC.

=aw

That would certainly be the civilized thing to do for us CRJ-weary FF's. But then again who said business (or any other form) of air travel is still civilized in this day and age of "toothpaste bombs"? :rolleyes:

Might be treasonous to say so now that I live in Ottawa, but I would hope that Calgary would get its transborder MLL back before they opened anything at YOW.

My thoughts exactly. YYC needs a *A lounge as there are upwards of 24-36 transborder departures on AC, UA, and US. Unfortunately there is no room in the airport for a lounge.