Innocent Abroad

Oh dear.... This Schmoozy Bar, which everyone can access, opened a while ago and it also serves as a PP lounge. It is mediocre at best.

Boreas

I have wondered in the past if BA might not do well by trying to pay LY for access to the King David.

It would be ideal if the new Dan+ enjoys a dramatic renovation. If on the cards, yay!

This does come at a time when, soon enough, more competition may emerge LONTLV than ever before. VS revived, W6, U2, 0B, PC, TK, AZ plus the whole LH family plus Air France-KLM.

Oh, and LY with 4 flights direct on 5 days out of every 7.

My thoughts being my own: amidst all this there is opportunity for BA to excel - especially in a premium context.

First is First, and it knocks out any competition - without a connection to suffice. I think very well personally of Club on the 777 and the ex-Bmi A321s. In my experience, cabin crew are brill - I love flying with BA to TLV.

With time, one can expect a great deal of price competition. Great stuff for anyone on the route.

Objectively, the slots are compelling, as is Heathrow (for some people, naturally) versus STN, LTN, etc. In the premium sphere, the ground experience at Heathrow for VS as opposed to BA is an old and complex debate. Neither are typical for short or mid-haul. Four hours of flight time certainly makes the full 'World' product choice seem all the better, helping to command the fares asked for.

The experience of F at LHR is particularly powerful.

Revenue-wise, not being LY helps, of course. Nonetheless, outclassing the competition in F by default and J on merit could let BA win out, maximising returns in suddenly so competitive an atmosphere. Simple things to cut through the ground experience at TLV could make a highly profitable bit of difference.

Perhaps TLV is an unlikely candidate for the leading edge of aviation competition in Europe. I am only musing - my observations may be quite incorrect. Nevertheless, a lot of different airlines and products seem in play, in every class of travel and corner of the market.

On this route, IAG's commercial decision to fly an intercontinental configuration - with F - is allied to significant prestige. With such spectacular full-year results just announced, one wonders what choices will be made to defend that position and increase it.

mikebg

Given the vicious competition between BA and LY on that route, I see absolutely NO likelihood of that ever happening. It has clearly always been a policy of EL AL never to permit any other airlines to use their lounge, which has always been by far the best available in TLV.

Boreas

That makes perfect sense, thank you.

clubman

And LAN.

clubman

It's a far better offering than the B/C Dan lounges. In the afternoon anyway as there's not much there breakfast wise.

Ldnn1

Ah yes indeed. I wonder how that flight is doing.

Shahar

This bar also gets around 100 NIS with the priority pass card, so if combined - could be a good offering IMHO.

Innocent Abroad

Fair enough, but it isn't a (proper) lounge so I don't find it a good "solution" by BA.

TheFlyingCyclist

Just in the E concourse lounge now. The usual
BA pull-up sign is outside; F, J, Gold and Silver. So it doesn’t seem to be F/J only.

A little over an hour prior to boarding, it was empty. It’s slowly gained a few passengers but lots of space. It has a tended bar with basic spirits, 2 choices of each of red/white wine, bean to cup coffee machines with proper milk (not powdered), basic salads and some warm savoury pastries that look like sausage rolls but probably aren’t... the furniture feels new; it’s a pretty minimalist style not a million miles from the latest BA lounges. There are floor to ceiling windows along one side with views of the apron. Loos inside the lounge. It’s a perfectly pleasant place to spend an hour or so, nothing to get excited about but certainly not as awful as we were expecting.

Fly_IAD

BA could easily provide a great experience departing TLV for F passengers.

BA could make it happen by flights tomorrow, simply by making arrangements for F passengers to use the Fattal Terminal on departure (or arrival for that matter). Fattal is an existing TLV airport service in the same way the DAN lounges already exist for any passenger: https://www.fattal-terminal.com/

It would make all BA's work of "trying" for better lounge experience a mute point. The issue is BA have no interest in doing this because it would mean spending money its as simple as that.

Genius1

Slightly off-topic and probably one for the IB forum, but does anybody know which lounge a J passenger travelling with IB can use at TLV?

I'm assuming just the B/C Concourse Dan lounge.

shuly

You're right.

Shuly

Innocent Abroad

Correct; it's open now under the regular BA lounge policy. Visited for the first time couple of days ago, nothing spectacular but definitely much better than the other Dan(s) including the late Dan+.

jwhite9185

I visited the lounge in TLV earlier this week. Despite the TLV airport website advertising that BA use the Dan+ lounge, I don't think this is overly accurate.

It was exclusive to BA customers as far as I could see. As such, it didn't get too busy while I was there. For a third party lounge at an outstation, I was quite impressed. The food options were a little on the basic side.

I've written a full review here: https://www.inflightwithjames.com/po...ncourse-e-tlv/

Its worth mentioning that I was handed a lounge pass at check in - whether you'd get entry without it or not, I couldn't say although it would be a little mean if they denied entry if you didn't have it. Probably a little on the weak side for a lounge if you were flying First, but it's better than nothing.