Bad news - BA's NCL lounge reportedly to close permanently
#211
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: London, Babylon-on-Thames
Programs: BAEC Blue (back to Earth)
Posts: 1,480
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.
#212
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,606
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.
#213
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: The North
Posts: 1,824
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.
#214
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold; Hilton Honors Diamond
Posts: 3,214
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.
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.
#215
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: MME (midway between NCL and LBA)
Programs: BA Gold, AF/KL Gold, Hilton Gold, Nordic Choice Gold
Posts: 739
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.
#216
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: LON
Programs: Mucci, BAEC, Eurostar
Posts: 3,249
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.
#217
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: The North
Posts: 1,824
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
#219
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: NCL
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 275
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.
#220
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,606
Yes so you can just see through between the frosting, but its not easy.
#221
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: The North
Posts: 1,824
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?
#222
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, SQ Gold, KQ Platinum, IHG Diamond Ambassador, Hilton Gold, Marriott Silver, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,302
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?
#223
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Ayrshire/Edinburgh
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 167
I’ve a 1655 flight next Friday from Newcastle, does the Aspire lounge at Newcastle still close at midday?
#224
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Mostly UK
Programs: Mucci Extraordinaire, Hilton Diamond, BA Gold (ex BD)
Posts: 11,203
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.
#225
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: At home
Programs: BA
Posts: 283
Does BA use Aspire or Aspire plus for Club ticketed pax?
Emirates were using the plus side the last time I used them.
Emirates were using the plus side the last time I used them.