Airports in which you don't bother to use BA lounges
Sep 3, 2018, 7:46 am
#76
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: ANR, BELGIUM
Programs: DIAMANTAIRE EXTRAORDINAIRE
Posts: 453
DXB and SIN. DXB because the one time I used it, there were no seats available it was so full. What made it worse was I had guested a friend in for her first ever experience of a lounge! So next time i was there i just gave it a miss. SIN because I love the airport, and whilst I do lounge if I have a lot of time to kill, I'd rather go for a walk through the terminal or go an explore a different terminal given the chance. Of course, none of that compares to the KAL lounge at NGO which was perhaps the most depressing lounge I've ever experienced!!
Sep 3, 2018, 8:17 am
#77
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: LHR, JFK, FRA
Programs: BAEC, HHonours, IHG, Bonvoy, KFC Colonel's club
Posts: 36
I’m in TXL lounge now and whilst it is retro and has no toilets grrrrr, it’s ok. It’s light an airy and for me right next to my gate not the wrong end of the airport.
it beats MUC in my eyes especially as there is knowhere to go at TXL apart from stand in the way in the narrow corridor they call an airport.
Sep 3, 2018, 8:28 am
#78
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Seattle
Programs: BA GGL & LTG, EK Silver, HHonors Lifetime Diamond; Proudly Mucci Free - total nonsense
Posts: 862
Anywhere with AA Admiral's as the lounge option is normally pretty horrible. PHX being the worst - in those instances I skip lounge and head to a bar.
UVF lounge is grotty too.
UVF lounge is grotty too.
Sep 3, 2018, 8:48 am
#79
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: NUE
Programs: BAEC Silver, FB Gold, HHonors Gold, IHG Platinum, SK Diamond, ITA Volare Club Executive, TK Elite
Posts: 365
Thanks for the warning.
Sep 3, 2018, 8:56 am
#80
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: Some
Posts: 5,231
Basically all of mainland China - PVG gets a shout out for being terrible, it's off the direct BA network but CAN is also poor enough that I'd rather just turn up late and go for a walk around the (also very underwhelming given how big it is) terminal.
If we're talking just BA-branded lounges I'm not sure any of them are poor enough to sit in the terminal instead.
If we're talking just BA-branded lounges I'm not sure any of them are poor enough to sit in the terminal instead.
Sep 3, 2018, 8:59 am
#81
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold, TKM&S Elite
Posts: 27
It was the D concourse one, 18months ago so maybe everyone who avoided the old one decided to give the refreshed one a look that night. It was absolutely heaving.
Last edited by batteryboy_uk; Sep 3, 2018 at 10:23 am
Sep 3, 2018, 9:03 am
#82
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Lincoln, UK
Programs: BA Gold, TK, DL, IHG Diamond, HHonours Gold, Hertz Presidents Club
Posts: 497
Interesting question, I tend to find that lounges reflect the airport they are situated in. There are exceptions to that of course, but I find it usually works that way.
I find some of CPH's lounges mediocre, compared to the vast range of restaurants on offer.
Lounges landside I would always avoid, for reasons that are obvious.
Before security check lounges are trickier I will often stop for JL's in FRA for example but I have to factor sometimes queue for security at FRA can be pretty long at times, if it's close to time I'll reluctantly skip it.
However 99/100 if I have time I will visit an airside lounge, just for a coffee. Even if it is dire, reason being, whilst I might not match the level of some of the assembled company my travels do take me to smaller rural airports of the world, when you've spent a couple of hours in an airport with no wifi, one kiosk selling a rubber cheese and ham croissant, sludge called coffee which you've paid too much for, you do appreciate the chance for a better seat to sit in, more often than not free wifi and if its the same coffee you haven't paid for it anyway.
I find some of CPH's lounges mediocre, compared to the vast range of restaurants on offer.
Lounges landside I would always avoid, for reasons that are obvious.
Before security check lounges are trickier I will often stop for JL's in FRA for example but I have to factor sometimes queue for security at FRA can be pretty long at times, if it's close to time I'll reluctantly skip it.
However 99/100 if I have time I will visit an airside lounge, just for a coffee. Even if it is dire, reason being, whilst I might not match the level of some of the assembled company my travels do take me to smaller rural airports of the world, when you've spent a couple of hours in an airport with no wifi, one kiosk selling a rubber cheese and ham croissant, sludge called coffee which you've paid too much for, you do appreciate the chance for a better seat to sit in, more often than not free wifi and if its the same coffee you haven't paid for it anyway.
Sep 3, 2018, 10:18 am
#83
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 574
The so-called 'First Class Lounge' I used throughout the last several years was shared by Oneworld member airlines. It is on level one. Saudi have much nicer, comfortable lounge above. It looks like there are some changes at Terminal 2 with Emirates opening a lounge on the second level recently. I'd like to see some reviews. What was the food like in the Pearl Lounge when you were there?
Last edited by AnaTravel; Sep 3, 2018 at 10:47 am
Sep 3, 2018, 11:06 am
#84
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: USA & UK -- AA EXP 3.5MM, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, Avis President's Club
Posts: 6,411
At ORD, if I'm flying BA then I came in Domestic on AA. I prefer to stay in the AA Flagship Lounge as long as possible, and minimize my time in the BA lounge in T5.
Sep 3, 2018, 1:48 pm
#85
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: London
Programs: KLM, BA Silver, Etihad
Posts: 916
as you were
Sep 3, 2018, 2:15 pm
#86
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 1,162
Vienna - both OneWorld lounges are utterly depressing and I would rather just sit at a bar in the terminal.
Marrakech - horrendous airport all round but the lounge is not worth even attempting.
Some other outstations are not brilliant and I would certainly not get to the airport with much spare time for the lounge - but these two I would probably sit in the terminal rather than the lounge even if I had a good amount of time to kill!
Not BA related - but the same goes for the Avianca lounge at Miami which is where Star Alliance (LH, Swiss, Austrian etc) send their passengers. Dreadful. I’d rather stay in the main terminal, which for Miami is saying something...
Marrakech - horrendous airport all round but the lounge is not worth even attempting.
Some other outstations are not brilliant and I would certainly not get to the airport with much spare time for the lounge - but these two I would probably sit in the terminal rather than the lounge even if I had a good amount of time to kill!
Not BA related - but the same goes for the Avianca lounge at Miami which is where Star Alliance (LH, Swiss, Austrian etc) send their passengers. Dreadful. I’d rather stay in the main terminal, which for Miami is saying something...
Sep 3, 2018, 2:17 pm
#87
Join Date: Aug 2006
Programs: BAEC Gold/GGL, IHG Diamond AMB
Posts: 1,074
Basically all of mainland China - PVG gets a shout out for being terrible, it's off the direct BA network but CAN is also poor enough that I'd rather just turn up late and go for a walk around the (also very underwhelming given how big it is) terminal.
If we're talking just BA-branded lounges I'm not sure any of them are poor enough to sit in the terminal instead.
If we're talking just BA-branded lounges I'm not sure any of them are poor enough to sit in the terminal instead.
YMMV as ever
Sep 4, 2018, 1:40 am
#88
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: Some
Posts: 5,231
Unfortunately I’m talking about the CX lounge too, which is basically an airport departures area decorated to look like the old CX lounge style with some free pot noodles and terrible coffee thrown in. Toilets were also unacceptably messy for a CX lounge the last couple of times I’ve been there. Sounds like you were in one of the MU lounges rather than the dire 'Premium' Lounge everyone else is sent to at CAN.
Sep 4, 2018, 2:45 am
#89
Join Date: May 2014
Location: BRU
Programs: BA GGL, TK E (*G), ITA exec
Posts: 4,072
Unfortunately I’m talking about the CX lounge too, which is basically an airport departures area decorated to look like the old CX lounge style with some free pot noodles and terrible coffee thrown in. Toilets were also unacceptably messy for a CX lounge the last couple of times I’ve been there. Sounds like you were in one of the MU lounges rather than the dire 'Premium' Lounge everyone else is sent to at CAN.
Ok, now I can make comparison between CX at HKG, Flagship AA at JFK, GF at LHR etc. but for me, when looking just for a comfortable seat (as in padded armchair), maybe a power port and something to drink, almost any lounge is still better than be seated at a gate. Apart from ZNZ, lounge toilets seems to be always better too.
