ARCHIVE: GIG / Rio de Janeiro Admirals Club & oneworld Lounges
 

I'm getting ready for the big trip to SA. It's mostly OW F ticket, but I was forced to buy some one way tickets and the cheapest from GIG to GRU was with Varig.

Will I have access to AC in GIG when flying Varig? This is not a question of status/OW access, as I have AC membership, it just a question of actually having physical access to the club.


Also flying on a separate LAN Peru ticket (LIM-CUZ-LIM). Any OW lounges to get excited about at either airport. Somehow I don't think there is one at CUZ, but what about LIM? It's a Y ticket, so in this case I will have to rely on my OW Emerald status.

Thanks!

I don't think you will Varig is in a different terminal than the AC. Perhaps they are connected airside, but I doubt it.

Too bad, like all South American ACs, it is a very nice club.

Rio de Janeiro (GIG) Admirals Club Hours
 

I was wondering if anyone can tell me what the actual hours of operation are for the Admirals Club in Rio. Have a trip coming up and need to go to a meeting after landing and want to freshen up before heading out.

AA's website says that the Rio lounge is open from 11am to 8:30pm. This doesn't really work (nor make much sense) for overnight flights that get in early like MIA at 8am.

Can anyone confirm the GIG AC access for early arrival flights?

Thanks.

Many int'l clubs cannot accept incoming pax b/c of security/immigration, etc...meaning they are essentially departure lounges. It sounds likes this may be the case for GIG.

The Rio (GIG) Admirals Club is open daily from 11:00am until 8:30pm, local time. Only ticketed departing passengers can visit the club: "The Rio de Janeiro Admirals Club is located in the Blue Sector restricted area, Mezzanine Level, above Gate 8."

For more info, see: http://www.aa.com/content/travelInfo...eJaneiro.jhtml


Most international clubs (with the major exception of FRA) are located inside security and exit immigration, meaning that you must be a departing passenger in order to use the club.

There goes that idea. Thanks all for your help.

> The Rio (GIG) Admirals Club is open daily from 11:00am until 8:30pm, local time.

That's inconvenient. My flight to Miami departs at 11:55 PM. I'd been planning to arrive early and relax. And my arrival is 9:30 AM from Miami, so that isn't the route this Club is serving.

Sylvia

I have done this in GRU... Perhaps you can connect through there.
 

I haven't kept up with the current situation in GRU and CGH, however for what its worth. Some years ago I flew AA to GRU in C and had a few hours until my connection to Curitiba. They offered Arrivals service. Basically they meet you at the gate and escort you back to the Admirals club (which is in fact in the departure side of security), where you can take a shower, breakfast, etc. Later when you are finished they will escort you back to the immigration agents. One big advantage is when I got to immigration there was no line as everybody had already gone through from the earlier flights. Actually I remember the American Concierge who was taking me had to go find an immigration agent to stamp my passport.

Another thing that you may try is actually calling the Adminrals club in GIG and explaining your situation, they may have some way of taking care of you even if its not official policy.

good luck..

The current schedule has the MIA flight leaving at 8:45pm so an 8:30pm closing makes sense.

The December (that was what I checked) schedule has a 10:50pm AND your 11:50pm flight. I would highly suspect that:

1. AA.com is wrong about the closing time
2. AA will adjust the AC hours to match the last departing flight (they tend to keep the AC in synch with the flight schedules and not kick you out until your flight boards).

If you want to make sure (and not take our words for it here on FT) I strongly suggest you call, fax or mail your query to the GIG AC to make certain.

My bet is when the schedules change, so will the AC hours!

Back many years ago in the SEA AC .. they actually closed in the middle of the day and re-opened for the red-eye flights. This was based on the pax needs (there were no AA flights back then at say 5pm .. ) .. tho now there is no AC in SEA so it is mute point .. but shows that they DO adjust the schedule to meet the needs of the pax.

This sounds right to me as I can't imagine the AC closing before a scheduled flight leaves. Last year I was departing GRU when the flight was delayed to an hour after the AC's stated closing time. The AC staff stayed late to allow the AC remain open for pax until the flight was eventually cancelled.

Any recent updates on the GIG AC? I noticed on the AA website, they say the showers are closed for refurbishment, have they been reopened? Are they also refurbishing the AC?

Showers at GIG
 

It is my understanding that the GIG AC is (or was) undergoing renovations causing the showers to be closed. Does anyone know if the showers have been reopened. (Would very much like to shower at GIG and not wait until I connect in GRU).

I can't answer your question, but I did notice the construction going on there last week.

I've been going to that club quite regularly for over 8 years and had no idea they even had showers. :confused:

AA's AC Website still says that "Due to refurbishment in process, the showers are unavailable and will remain so until refurbishment completed."

http://www.aa.com/aa/i18nForward.do?...ations.jsp#GIG

Related but slightly off topic question... How are the showers at GRU?
I'm connecting on AA 950 and might want a quick shower during that layover :)

I'll be in GIG in December. I'll by flying US Airways and TAM which both depart from T2. Is there any way I can get to T1 to use AA's lounge? Any bridge or link? If so, does AA sell day passes at that location?

Also, do you know of any other lounges in T2? Does TAM operate one? Any ones that sell day passes?

-Kinglobjaw