Fast track at the usual pleasant speediness level today.

Pointed to the plus side in the lounge. Plus side not too busy and plenty of free seats. Busy on the other side. Long queue for food and drink. For someone who just wants a cold drink or something it is ridiculous to make you queue. Why don’t they open the fridges on the plus side so I can just get one and not have to join a long queue?

Amen, couldn’t agree more! It’s even worse because they keep the Plus fridges stocked and lit up, so you can see the drinks but not access them.

When I just want a Pepsi max, I walk around the bar queue and pour my own. Unsure if this breaches some unwritten code but it’s pragmatic.

Thanks very much. It's a Saturday, there is an Emirates flight afterwards, but it's still closed according to the Aspire website. Will check on the day. Sounds like I wouldn't be missing out anyway!

The tweet is trolling - and misrepresents the sentiment in this thread which is overwhelmingly about quality of provision - related to the physical aspects of the lounge and the fact that it is far too full - rather than who one shares the lounge with.

This was one of the niggling things that annoyed me when I visited a while back. It's very clear the lounge is over-capacity at peak times (I am sure it's much more pleasant at other times, though the dingyness of the non-Plus section remains rather depressing), so I don't know why the fridges in the Plus section aren't self-pour.

One other aspect in which the lounge being over-capacity is noticeable, which I don't think I've seen mentioned in the thread so far, is the limited toilet provision. Aside from not being large enough for the number of people in a full lounge, on the couple of occasions I've used the gents it hasn't been particularly clean/pleasant.

It would be lovely if Newcastle Airport would a) go ahead with the "Luxury Lounge" and b) BA would use it, but given recent financial constraints on the aviation industry I would be surprised (though pleasantly so) if either happened soon. Perhaps corporate-wage-slave has any hints?

They have a luxury lounge at LBA aka the hen and stag piss up lounge. the 1432 runway club. Best avoided

Just to add to the recent comments, when I visited just over a week ago I was directed to the Plus section. Plus what? Hmmm, actually plus nothing, in fact more like minus. It was totally embarrassing yet a little entertaining watching every single person trying to open lit up yet locked fridges. The bar is lit up too. What topped it off for me was that when a passenger asked a staff member for water, the staff member said "Isn't there any you can take from the fridge" I was seated near the bar and it was embarrassing to have one person after another doing the same thing. On a personal level, I only wanted a packet of crisps. I took my own drink with me as I suspected it would be this bad. Turns out I had to go through to the other side for these and was expected to join the very long bar queue. Just ridiculous. I caught a staff member clearing tables and asked her. She was lovely, rolled her eyes when I explained and said she'd drop some off at my table, which she did. I know BA monitor this forum. BA, you REALLY need to do something about this sham of an offering.
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Anything if lounge is closed
 

As the Aspire lounge closes around 5:30 on Tuesday and Thursday’s does BA offer any vouchers for use in the main terminal?

Apparently yes, but I've not claimed it personally. This would be at the check-in desk.

Tbh, having flown from Newcastle over the decades and an awful lot more lately, I’m not sure the old BA lounge is much of a loss - aside the lovely staff that inhabited it, but it was hardly the most exciting space and a bit of a relic. It felt very 90s IKEA meets MFI in its design and comfort.

NCL being so small it’s far easier to just turn up and go, I get a special holiday experience you might want time in the lounge but at a small UK regional airport for a regular traveller, I honestly don’t get the need. Turn up and go. Stop pretending it’s an experience anymore, it’s not.

Id much rather BA focused on running a reliable schedule from NCL (and connections) than sorting out a bit of status willy waving

Many may suggest that until BA focus on a reliable schedule without delays or cancellations, some lounge offering is better than none to pass the time.

I used the old BA lounge which was maybe not the best, but was generally quiet and getting a drink was certainly never an issue.

As for ‘Willy Waving’, sadly the only examples I have ever seen are the groups in the Aspire lounge wearing headbands adorned with plastic male genitalia or carrying inflatable dicks!

The lovely staff were one of the main reasons people miss the lounge. You can’t just ‘turn up and go’ security (although usually very quick) is an uncertain as to whether there will be any delays on your way to the airport (Metro or traffic issues). The lounge meant you didn’t mind turning up a little early in case of unexpected issues. It was also a competitive advantage to BA as they had something better to offer at NCL than the other airlines BA is competing with for connections (KLM, AF, LH, EK).

As a regional lounge, despite the cast off furniture, it had everything you could want. Easy access to food and drink and a close proximity to the gate so you could see exactly when boarding. Waiting in the corridor to board isn’t very pleasant and with the BA lounge you never had to do that.

Even the thing that you could say Aspire does better, the food, is disappointing. Ok they have hot options but there’s usually queues for the buffet and when the food is put out the good stuff quickly disappears. I found it easier just to get a few sandwiches in the old BA lounge.

It’s also sad that because of covid we could not have ‘one last visit’ to the lounge before it closed (just like the 747s and CWLCY) and say thank you and goodbye to the excellent staff who worked there. I’m sure the regulars would have done a collection for some nice leaving gifts.

I think the current situation would be vastly improved if they made the Plus section the official BA section and opened up the fridges and had a separate food offering in the Plus area so we didn’t have to queue for food. The problem is the Plus section is only used as an overspill for BA and KLM when it’s not being used by Emirates and the Plus facilities are all closed off.

Have you really seen this in the NCL Aspire lounge? :rolleyes: It's been pretty much normal when I've travelled, just way too busy

One issue I have noticed though is because you have to queue at the bar many people order multiple drinks for themselves. The table next to me had a bunch of open but undrank bottles which would have to be thrown away (presumably flight showed gate closing before they could finish them). Something needs to be done, the lounge can't cope with the demand which lessens the experience for everyone. Whether you're a stag do downing endless shots or someone who just wants a glass of lemonade while they work, nobody wants to have to wait ages to be served.

Updating on my experience this evening, flying Y with emirates. Lounge has a few people in, but not busy compared to our morning flight a few weeks ago. Food offerings are not bad at all, Greek salad with ham, Plenty of pasta options. Wine is drinkable and there are a selection of beers including Asahi and Tiger. Apparently in a month or so plus should be opening for business and status passengers.

Where did you get this information from? I really hope so. It's currently truly disgusting service.

I used to use NCL a lot when I lived in Durham. The drive and the unpredictability of the traffic at the Metro Centre meant it was not simply a turn up/take off experience. Pre-bypass days it was a tedious drive through Gateshead. In fact I used to prefer using BMA in the old days from Tees-side. The dwell areas at NCL, most especially the gate areas were horrible. Back when BA had 757s they offered only a tea and coffee service despite the Shuttles offering lavish (for the block time) hot breakfasts (I flew MAN-LHR/LGW almost weekly). I always thought NCL did well to have a lounge (I recall it had a landside, windowless room once) but put it down to the route having a lot of corporate clients that were important to BA.
With fares currently being charged (GBP600 one-way in Club to dampen demand), those who do fly deserve better.