brunos

Indeed, that IB/VY models works for IB+ members but not for other OW elites.
Same would probably applies to AF/TO for other ST programs.

And keeping an AF lounge at ORY just for that purpose???

NickB

I agree that this seems rather unlikely. One could see what has increasingly been the case with BA at a number of domestic outstations (eg: MAN, BHD), i.e. closing the airline's dedicated lounge and have the space taken over by an arms-length independent lounge operator.

orbitmic

Agreed with all of you, I think that AF keeping a lounge at ORY is beyond unlikely, Transavia getting a lounge of their own even more so. At most, Transavia might decide to make an agreement with an airport operated lounge, but if they ever did that it would likely be to sell access as an ancillary rather than gift it to FB elite members. Having said that, the AF Patio lounge at ORY used for La Navette flights is already a rather minimal effort (I suspect DOM-TOM flights might get a much nicer one?)

Goldorak

Patio lounges are long gone !!

San Gottardo

On European airlines‘ strategy regarding using various „legal containers“ to get cost down on top of running a proper LCC, here is what Lufthansa does. You have to read the entire 3 pages to at least understand vaguely what they are doing. It’s a bit anarchic…

See this thread from Flyertalk

orbitmic

Oh, thanks!!! I haven't actually flown from ORY for a while (though last time it was still a really poor lounge in hall 2 (somehow I assumed they still called them patio but that was just the assumption) - is it still the same one or have they replaced it by something decent by now!

brunos

ORY has changed a lot since you flew.
I like it compared to CDG.
The AF lounge is quite decent.

San Gottardo

There are two AF lounges at Orly. One in Schengen, which is a renovated version of the previous non-Schengen lounge, quite nice. And one non-Schengen, which is actually quite nice, on par with the better CDG lounges I'd say. The one that existed in the headhouse of the old Orly 2 no longer exists (or is not used by AF anymore), the entire setup of gates and access has changed a lot. In the very distant past there also was a little patio in Orly 1, but that is gone since a long time.

Bullspread

For the sake of completeness, there is even a UTLI area within the lounge.
The lounge staff usually brings a very careful attitude towards ULTI PAX notably with pro active pre boarding monitoring .

San Gottardo

Yep. There is a dedicated ULTI area in the Schengen lounge, to the left of the reception. In the non-Schengen lounge, I had a "private cabana", but not sure that is always roped off. In both lounges, someone usually comes and asks for drinks orders, or something from the buffet. The ULTI treatment has gotten significantly better over the years in Paris lounges.

joyu12

Honestly since Orly 3 opened and AF moved from Hall 2 to what was the old non-Schengen Hall 3 (merged with hall 4) Orly got a lot more pleasant (i absolutely hated it before), its still not the best airport in the world but it feels like an easy to get through city airport, with AF/XK pretty much alone at the old hall 3/4 you almost never have huge security lines. Orly 3 is also pretty good in paxex and similar to what ADP are implementing when renovating terminals at CDG. Haven't tried the Orly 3 Non-Schengen lounge but the images look good!

San Gottardo

The ORY3 non-Schengen lounge is much much nicer than then Schengen one!

No more AF at ORY is a loss. I had hoped it would be an expansion rather than an exit. Bring back JFK, SXM, add more European routes. It has indeed become a pleasant place, more than just convenient for its proximity to Paris.

on.the.bowery

I think they should load the furniture of the ORY 3 lounge into big trucks and ship it to CDG hall K.

(Actually they should detach it fully from the ground, fly it with 100 helicopters and drop it on the hall K lounge.)


Such a shame. That lounge + the new COI cabins were an investment of 124 million euros. Knowing that each lounge in CDG cost was around 15 million… I bet this one was near that.

For the curious : Like many things onboard, this beautiful lounge was imagined by then Brandimage, now SGK.



(They also did the hall L and M, GVA and IAD lounges.)


Funny to think that only four years ago they were about to open GVA, MUC and MAD from ORY.

San Gottardo

Now we have the salad… semi-informed politicians whose lack of understanding of the matter is surpassed only by their noisy grandstanding get involved, their (non-)actions being reported by semi-informed journalists.

Politicians saying that their region will be cut off from the world despite being one of Europe’s most important tourist destinations (forgetting that Transavia will fly to Orly instead and not grasping that to bring the rest of the world to the South of France the Orly line makes virtually zero contribution as pax use CDG to transfer), and calling for the government as “owner” (sic) to weigh in to change that decision. Sooo French. symbolism and pompous but empty headline phrases. Pathetic.

AFKL is a commercial enterprise that uses its resources where they can generate profits. If the ORY-MRS/NCE/TLS routes do not make enough profit and the resulting reduction in the offering really leads to cutting off those regions from the rest of the world, the politicians should lobby the government to put in place a PSO route. But that has nothing to do with which airline is serving it, and whether that goes from ORY or CDG.

At this stage, the only people losing out - and thus the only ones who should be complaining - are us with a frequent flyer status: we are now left with a choice between navigating a more distant and time-consuming alternative departure airport, CDG; or using a different airline, Transavia, where we no longer get offered the benefits linked to our status. For everybody else, nothing changes.

Digicola

Seems to completely disregard the fact that if the flights get moved to CDG they actually will be connected to the world as opposed to connected to France