BA ABZ Lounge Closing 30 July 2017 [to be refurbished]
Apr 18, 2018, 5:08 am
#151
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold (OW Emerald) & Jet Airways - Thank goodness i never got started.......most awful FF program
Posts: 2,385
Who would have thought a new lounge will be downgrade on the current offering?
From mini burgers, little pies and a not so good curry to sandwiches!
I would have preferred to not have a BA lounge and the northern lights agreement to continue.
From mini burgers, little pies and a not so good curry to sandwiches!
I would have preferred to not have a BA lounge and the northern lights agreement to continue.
Apr 18, 2018, 5:39 am
#152
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: LHR, LGW
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 3,436
Currently (Wed 18 May, 0950hr to be precise) in the Northern Lights lounge. As you walk down to corridor to the NL lounge, you pass the new BA lounge. The covers are now removed from the windows between the BA lounge and the corridor. The counters are in, but still lots of cables and other bits and pieces showing. Looks to be a decent size, but perhaps not much bigger than the old lounge. I would like to say there was feverish activity, but it was more 'slightly elevated temperature' activity!
Or did I wake up and miss a month :/
Apr 18, 2018, 6:35 am
#153
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Aberdeen
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond, Accor Gold
Posts: 751
Apr 18, 2018, 7:14 am
#154
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: TPA/ABZ
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold. GGL/CCR.
Posts: 13,248
It hasn't even opened yet. Can we at least wait until it opens before you rip it to shreds?
Apr 18, 2018, 10:02 am
#155
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold (OW Emerald) & Jet Airways - Thank goodness i never got started.......most awful FF program
Posts: 2,385
thats a downgrade any day of the week. In fact, I was trying to indirectly praise BA for having such a good option, albeit, temporary in the Northern Lights lounge at Aberdeen.
Apr 18, 2018, 12:32 pm
#156
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: London Stratford, E7
Programs: BAEC Gold! Thanks to FT
Posts: 3,378
well if it’s like anything like EDI, GLA, MAN or BHD, and I can’t think of any reason why it would not be so, the offerings will be sandwiches, soup and 2 cheeses.
thats a downgrade any day of the week. In fact, I was trying to indirectly praise BA for having such a good option, albeit, temporary in the Northern Lights lounge at Aberdeen.
The Aberdeen Lounge is like Newcastle one of the best in the network and mainly due to the staff. I would typically only visit once every 6-9 months on work or pleasure. One of the staff there was lovely. The warm soup was quite welcome after an afternoon of running around seeing clients with some sandwiches, cheese and port. Bubbles on Request. I would sit on the round tables facing the lounge to the left of the entrance so I could charge my devices.
This member of staff would ensure that my glass of champagne wasn’t ever empty on my visits and I only had to sit down and she would come out the back, see me, go back and bring me out some. One day she said they had only half a bottl left so brought it out in a tall glass so otthers wouldn’t ask for some. It was therefore a pleasure to see this lady in Northern Lights recently. Whilst I wasn’t too enamoured by the lounge it was lovely to see her again and she did tell me rumours were that the lounge wouldn’t be the same as it was.
I’d hope in the very least the lounge is as the other regional offerings and there’s no downward spiral in offerings however the staff and welcome to me beats that and I’m not a frequent visitor to ABZ I’d imagine the regulars are like family.
Apr 18, 2018, 2:58 pm
#157
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 11,582
Contract lounges are improving all the time and you're quite right to point out how BA's lounges haven't kept up with that. With a Priority Pass and Amex Plat the situation is chalk and cheese to what it was a few years ago. While BA still carry on with cheese and veggie soup and those lovely crispy sandwiches you can get yourself into some very decent places. I remember the Coronet butter (BA still use that...) and Jacobs crackers in most UK contract lounges. It's become a distant memory.
Apr 18, 2018, 4:59 pm
#158
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: London Stratford, E7
Programs: BAEC Gold! Thanks to FT
Posts: 3,378
Contract lounges are improving all the time and you're quite right to point out how BA's lounges haven't kept up with that. With a Priority Pass and Amex Plat the situation is chalk and cheese to what it was a few years ago. While BA still carry on with cheese and veggie soup and those lovely crispy sandwiches you can get yourself into some very decent places. I remember the Coronet butter (BA still use that...) and Jacobs crackers in most UK contract lounges. It's become a distant memory.
In winter warming soup soup is perfect. Supplement that with a few sandwiches and some cheese and bobs your uncle.
The staff at MAN are also great and will look after passengers in delays and the BS staff too also work hard and it’s clear to see the rapport that they have with regular passengers.
Ive only been to GLA, EDI and BHD a couple of times and I’ve not wanted for anything. I think the fact that BA are opening new lounges and granting lounge access in places like KRK is a positive sign. Yes it wasn’t great that Silvers only got a voucher in ABZ during the closure but as I say I wasn’t too enamoured by The Northern Lights. Having to pay for virtually all premium gins and whiskeys along with stale dry burgers and curry that’s been out for 2hrs don’t make a great third party lounge in my opinion.
Apr 18, 2018, 5:20 pm
#159
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 11,582
You're talking about the staff and I'm talking about what F&B is on offer. It's not only BA that have good crew, or staff willing to go the extra mile...and yes, I agree the staff outside of LHR are much nicer, and that includes LGW.
I don't think you should post on a public forum that staff brought in their own food to distribute to pax. I am sure that is prohibited.
As I'm sure you're aware, BA have specialised in stale dry burgers long before the Contract Lounges ever offered them and many here seem to think they're glorious and would love their to be a BA Burger outside of LON... maybe they would be allowed to fry a chip in NCL. The EDI Aspire Lounge that I use in for LH flights has a £70 malt which is comped, it definitely breaks up the monotony of the Diageo stuff.
I don't think you should post on a public forum that staff brought in their own food to distribute to pax. I am sure that is prohibited.
As I'm sure you're aware, BA have specialised in stale dry burgers long before the Contract Lounges ever offered them and many here seem to think they're glorious and would love their to be a BA Burger outside of LON... maybe they would be allowed to fry a chip in NCL. The EDI Aspire Lounge that I use in for LH flights has a £70 malt which is comped, it definitely breaks up the monotony of the Diageo stuff.
Apr 19, 2018, 3:28 am
#160
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK/Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)
Posts: 15,926
Which whiskey is that? When I've been in that lounge they offer run of the mill low end spirits, save for the SpeyTenné single malt (if they still serve it) but that is in the £35/40 bracket. They do charge for champagne, prosecco and some cocktails.
Apr 19, 2018, 12:10 pm
#161
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 11,582
The Tenné whisky is there indeed but so is the Chairman's Choice which retails at about £60-70. Seems to be £65 online.
Apr 19, 2018, 5:41 pm
#162
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: Seniors Bus Pass
Posts: 5,529
I went past on Thursday morning and took these snaps though the windows from the corridor
Apr 20, 2018, 1:44 am
#163
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Madrid
Programs: BA GfL
Posts: 157
Unfortunately BA are suspending this promotion, as apparently some members flying ex-EU (Existential Usurpers) have not flown on the last sector and now BA have a bunch of members looking for hotels while they wait for the families to catch up with them.
Tempus fugit!
Apr 20, 2018, 1:52 am
#164
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: BA Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 326
Love the new functional furniture, though they are almost out of Coke, I hope they top it up soon.
Apr 20, 2018, 2:02 am
#165
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges and Environmentally Friendly Travel
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, UK
Posts: 22,212
With any Scottish building site, it’s the half empty Irn Bru bottles you need to be very wary of. The ‘ginger’ is a wee bit paler than normal. Bottles are commonly found hiding near stacks of building supplies or inside wall cavities.