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Bad news - BA's NCL lounge reportedly to close permanently

Bad news - BA's NCL lounge reportedly to close permanently

Old Sep 24, 2021, 3:00 am
  #211  
 
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Why does NCL have all those one way doors when EDI and GLA do not? Both have Intl/CTA/Domestic departures mixing with domestic arrivals but NCL segerates them. GLA *used* to but stopped for reasons unknown.
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Old Sep 24, 2021, 4:22 am
  #212  
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It's not a strict one way door as such since (like the one in JER) you can goal hang and go through when someone activates it from the other side.
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Old Sep 24, 2021, 11:02 am
  #213  
 
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Originally Posted by skipness1E
Why does NCL have all those one way doors when EDI and GLA do not? Both have Intl/CTA/Domestic departures mixing with domestic arrivals but NCL segerates them. GLA *used* to but stopped for reasons unknown.
Even at Newcastle those departures leaving from Gates 1-14 (typically, but as my Lufthansa experience showed, not solely 'domestic'/CTA) are not actually segregated from domestic arrivals. To access the usual BA gate (to say nothing of Gates 1/2, which I've used for FlyBe and EasyJet previously) you are in the same corridor as those arrivals. Indeed to get into the former BA lounge, you followed the same route even further around the corner and along the corridor - before doubling back against the flow of arrival traffic to get back to BA Gate 3.

Originally Posted by KARFA
It's not a strict one way door as such since (like the one in JER) you can goal hang and go through when someone activates it from the other side.
There is also this aspect to it! The doors to the 'international' section (Gates 15-30) have been propped open the last two times I visited, so if you hang around on that side you don't need to wait for someone to go through to get back to the mini WH Smith at the corridor junction - see image below.



Below is an image taken from the furthest corner of the Aspire lounge, looking towards the bar and beyond it the source of natural light.



Despite the lacklustre lounge, one thing that Newcastle still beats the socks off most other airports for is the speed with which you can be airside from the city centre. Below are the timings from my trip yesterday.

10:01 - leave central Newcastle by car
10:14 - arrive Short Stay 2 car park (the drop off/pick up point is now a frankly obscene 4 for up to 10 minutes; Short Stay 2 is free for up to 15 mins, though rapidly escalates)
10:18 - leave Short Stay 2 car park (time is driving around it to a spot near the footpath, unloading luggage, saying goodbyes)
10:22 - luggage drop/check in with 2 people in front of me (2 counters operating)
10:27 - checked in
10:29 - at security queue, 4 lanes operating, and 2-4 people in each
10:32 - through security, no secondary.
10:35 - entrance to Aspire lounge (or if you prefer and add 1 minute, the gates)

With the exception of Barra, I've never been anywhere else where you can get from the centre of the main settlement in the region to the gate in 34 minutes.

It isn't even much slower by Metro - I think it is 27 minutes from Monument to the Airport, so allow another 5-10 for getting to and from the platform at each end, and allowing for a bit of padding, you're still looking at 40-45 minutes. I personally wouldn't cut it that fine due to the unreliability of the old Metro trains, but even making it 1hr15 (which would give you two preceding Airport trains on the 15 minute headway) is still very good indeed.
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Old Sep 24, 2021, 11:42 am
  #214  
 
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The biggest challenge at NCL security tends to be other passengers not knowing what they are doing, trying to take carrier bags full of various gels, liquids and other potions through security, not disposing of drinks etc. That was my experience on Wednesday. Even with those challenges it was still speedy.

Metro takes 35 minutes from Pelaw (my local station) and I had planned on catching the 09:19 service which would have got me to NCL at 09:54 for the 11:25 departure. Plenty of time, but my parents are old-school and always want me to leave far earlier than I would usually do. I ended up getting one of the peak Pelaw - South Gosforth metros and then what would have been the 09:07 service had I waited at Pelaw. Hence I was at the airport at 09:42 and was probably in the Aspire lounge by 09:50 even allowing for a manual check-in at the desk, aforementioned faffing at security, and a slalom around the Duty Free shop!

As for the 4 charge for the drop-off / pick-up point in front of the terminal that is daylight robbery at its finest.
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Old Sep 24, 2021, 12:16 pm
  #215  
 
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Originally Posted by squawk
With the exception of Barra, I've never been anywhere else where you can get from the centre of the main settlement in the region to the gate in 34 minutes.
I was at NCL on Tuesday and it was super quick for me too. But Teesside these days is even quicker: 10 mins from Darlington/15 minutes from Middlesbrough, 1 minute from the car park to the terminal, 5 minute max check in, 2 minutes through security (they have super modern scanners which means you can leave electronics/liquids in your bag) and the furthest gate is probably 30 seconds away. 3 daily BA coded flights to LHR versus 2 at NCL make it an interesting option for NE residents right now.
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Old Sep 30, 2021, 3:48 am
  #216  
 
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Originally Posted by squawk
With the exception of Barra, I've never been anywhere else where you can get from the centre of the main settlement in the region to the gate in 34 minutes.
Canary Wharf to LCY can be done in about the same time if you get lucky with the DLR and your gate isn't half the way back to the Tate Lyle factory.
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Old Sep 30, 2021, 4:32 am
  #217  
 
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Originally Posted by tigertanaka
But Teesside these days is even quicker: 10 mins from Darlington/15 minutes from Middlesbrough... 3 daily BA coded flights to LHR versus 2 at NCL make it an interesting option for NE residents right now.
But that would mean having to visit Teesside You make a fair point, especially if you are driving from anywhere south of Gateshead (I don't think it's quite so convenient for public transport as NCL). Though I guess if you're connecting the BA-codeshares involve a change from T2-T5 so not quite as convenient as being in the same terminal which the NCL flights are.

Originally Posted by alex67500
Canary Wharf to LCY can be done in about the same time if you get lucky with the DLR and your gate isn't half the way back to the Tate Lyle factory.
But that would mean having to visit Canary Wharf If that's where you need to get to then yes, I take your point. But I personally wouldn't regard Docklands as the centre of London ​​​​​​​
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Old Oct 21, 2021, 2:00 pm
  #218  
 
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Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
Ah, but did you ever get invited into the very exclusive fridge?
I hear the fridge at EDI is fully stocked and 3 times as spacious for those who are able to partake, along with the same generous measures and hospitality to boot.
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Old Oct 22, 2021, 3:21 am
  #219  
 
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The former BA lounge windows have had a frosting applied when I went through last week. I suspect it's just to prevent arriving passengers looking into an empty room, rather than anything being done to the space.
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Old Oct 22, 2021, 3:37 am
  #220  
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Yes so you can just see through between the frosting, but its not easy.


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Old Oct 22, 2021, 4:45 am
  #221  
 
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I guess I hadn't noticed it before, but the rug in KARFA's photo looks like it shares at least a passing resemblance to the 'Animals and trees' World tail fin. Does anyone know if was directly linked (I definitely remember patterned in flight amenity kits), or just happened to be very similar in style?
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Old Oct 22, 2021, 4:48 am
  #222  
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Originally Posted by squawk
I guess I hadn't noticed it before, but the rug in KARFA's photo looks like it shares at least a passing resemblance to the 'Animals and trees' World tail fin. Does anyone know if was directly linked (I definitely remember patterned in flight amenity kits), or just happened to be very similar in style?
This is actually a carpet inlay rather than a rug. I'm not sure on the direct link, but the design was introduced when the Terraces lounge concept was unveiled in 1998 (at MAN), just a few months after BA's World Tails rebranding - so it seems relatable.
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Old Oct 27, 2021, 4:28 pm
  #223  
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I’ve a 1655 flight next Friday from Newcastle, does the Aspire lounge at Newcastle still close at midday?
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Old Oct 27, 2021, 8:08 pm
  #224  
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Originally Posted by K&C
Ive a 1655 flight next Friday from Newcastle, does the Aspire lounge at Newcastle still close at midday?
It does. If that hasn't changed before you fly please feed back to BA. https://ba.com/complaints

As BA chose to close their own lounge it's important to get feedback to them, as a client of Aspire they can hopefully show there'll be demand for later opening.
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Old Oct 28, 2021, 12:41 am
  #225  
 
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Does BA use Aspire or Aspire plus for Club ticketed pax?

Emirates were using the plus side the last time I used them.
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