PDXPremier

Passing through here later this month....any recent reports?

smithrh

Well, the travel covid restrictions don't go away until the 26th, so I wouldn't expect there to be any change before then.

Even after the 26th, there are still going to be masking requirements (if I read the website correctly) so it could be that the plexiglass stays up for a while longer.

ESpen36

Not sure if Hawaii state guidelines are what continue to impact this lounge. I thought all the plexiglass and limited service were to meet JAL requirements/restrictions, since it is mostly a Sakura lounge? (aside from AA front desk agents, the rest of the lounge is serviced/catered by a third party hospitality contractor under agreement with JAL)

(I guess I was making the assumption that Japan's govt covid restrictions are much more invasive than those of any US state, especially since Japan continues to be closed to all foreign visitors and masking requirements remain.)

ajf87

I was there last fall. It was virtually empty. Food service was very limited but what they did have was decent - on par with a mainland Admirals club, maybe a bit better. It was a far cry from before the pandemic. Food and liquor were all served from behind plexi. They had a soup, noodles, some bread and cheese, fruit, and a handful of wines and other alcohol. Coffee and soda if I'm not mistaken were self-serve.

To be quite honest it really wasn't that much pre-pandemic, but for Hawaii the bar is pretty low. It beats sweating your balls off in the terminals. On the plus side it appeared to be lightly refreshed with newer furniture and outlets everywhere. Restrooms are just outside the lounge and way nicer than the ones in the terminals too.

econ

Yep, Toto toilets too.

robertablake

I was assuming the requirements/restrictions were based on JAL/Japanense gov't as well, but maybe be driven by Hawaii's rule, or a combo of both?

Majuki

I saw a sign there on Tuesday that effective 3/13 the hours are 10:30 am – 9:45 pm, and this is reflected on AA's website. This is the first time since the pandemic that I've been in the lounge, so I don't know if this represents an expansion of the operating hours.

econ

It was open until at least 10:30 pm a few months ago.

PDXPremier

Not an expansion....looks like they are closing early which is a bummer if you're on a later red-eye.

scubadu

Honestly, this lounge needs to up its game at this point. The whole "but I love the AAngels, their the best in the system" in HNL is a tired excuse at this point. My understanding is that UA and DL have substantially improved their F&B (and alcohol) offerings in their HNL clubs. The whole "Hawaii is making us do it" just isn't true any longer.

Regards

metallo

Agreed. Definitely some of the worst lounge offerings in the AA system currently (but unsure what barriers there still may be to making improvements at this point).

Majuki

I was on a midday Alaska flight, but that's unfortunate if you're on a redeye back to the Mainland. I was among the few customers there at that time of day. There was a JAL flight leaving within 2 hours of the time I was there, so there were a handful of customers on that flight. (I saw JAL boarding passes.)

Isn't it JAL who governs the lounge? That was my understanding that limited the food and beverage. However, perhaps they could do like what they did with the old QF/AA location and turn it more into an Admirals Club after the JAL flights depart.

scubadu

Yes, it is JAL that governs the lounge. However, it is also officially branded as an AA Admiral's Club (not a "partner" lounge) and AA should exert some pressure on JAL to return to more standard offerings. Much of what is going on (at least last time I was there) is just standard covid theater, which is not required by Hawaii or any other entity.

Regards

MSP_Monopoly

Can I get access to this lounge if flying J on the HNL-DFW route? The website is a bit ambiguous.

HNL

Yes. That is sold as Flagship Business and qualifies for lounge access