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Old Mar 14, 2023, 10:38 am
  #106  
 
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Originally Posted by irishguy28
Just to note, in case it hasn't been posted elsewhere (I did look, this seemed the most likely place)

The Aspire Lounge 41 at Schiphol closed yesterday for renovation works. It's scheduled to be closed for at least 3 months (though on their website it's not available to book for ANY future date).

I guess this will involve expansion into the abandoned BA space.

In the meantime, BA customers can head to the "Café Flor" near Gate D7.

Intriguingly, the Schiphol website says Café Flor is closed
As the screenshot you posted said it includes snacks, coffees, buffet etc. my guess is that the cafe IS closed and is being turned into a lounge. In other words, not for the general public.

Despite the fact it would be frowned upon to find a watering can and attempt a shower, this sounds like an improvement to me!
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Old Mar 14, 2023, 10:45 am
  #107  
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Originally Posted by adrianlondon
As the screenshot you posted said it includes snacks, coffees, buffet etc. my guess is that the cafe IS closed and is being turned into a lounge. In other words, not for the general public.
I'd be far more inclined to think that you'll get a voucher with your boarding pass for a regular spend at a regular cafe....but very interested to hear the reports!!!!
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Old Mar 15, 2023, 7:59 pm
  #108  
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Yes please do post here. Was hoping to stop in for wine at Aspire lounge before a flight. Guess I can’t now. Or perhaps one can enter into the Schengen one and then walk over from there, right? I would’ve hoped BA partners w KL for lounge access in the interim.
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Old Mar 16, 2023, 12:23 am
  #109  
 
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Originally Posted by SkyTeam777
Yes please do post here. Was hoping to stop in for wine at Aspire lounge before a flight. Guess I can’t now. Or perhaps one can enter into the Schengen one and then walk over from there, right? I would’ve hoped BA partners w KL for lounge access in the interim.
I think KL lounges are rammed at certain times of day, so I doubt they think they have any feasible capacity to sell access to BA. Crown Lounge 52 is also even further from the gates BA use than the former lounge/Aspire, so the location of this temporary provision makes much more sense.
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Old Mar 16, 2023, 3:15 am
  #110  
 
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Originally Posted by adrianlondon
As the screenshot you posted said it includes snacks, coffees, buffet etc. my guess is that the cafe IS closed and is being turned into a lounge. In other words, not for the general public.

Despite the fact it would be frowned upon to find a watering can and attempt a shower, this sounds like an improvement to me!
It would also be my guess that it is closed for non lounge guests. Otherwise there would be no way at all of guaranteeing access for the not insignificant numbers of displaced lounge guests. A voucher to use in lieu of a lounge would only make sense it it could be used anywhere.
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Old Mar 16, 2023, 2:46 pm
  #111  
 
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Visited the “lounge” this evening. Seems to be the aspire lounge but in the cafe. Slightly more limited selection of food and drinks compared with what was available before but actually a lot quieter, though could be due to the time of my visit.

from the signage it appeared they were admitting the same range of passengers as before so not sure what this would be like during the day!!
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Old Mar 17, 2023, 4:20 am
  #112  
 
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Originally Posted by statsman
Visited the “lounge” this evening. Seems to be the aspire lounge but in the cafe. Slightly more limited selection of food and drinks compared with what was available before but actually a lot quieter, though could be due to the time of my visit.

from the signage it appeared they were admitting the same range of passengers as before so not sure what this would be like during the day!!
Last time through AMS, I noticed that Aspire appeared to have taken a cafe pretty much below their current lounge & seemed to be using it as an overflow. So maybe they have just expanded their operation to yet another cafe
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Old Mar 17, 2023, 7:47 am
  #113  
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Originally Posted by DorsetKnob
Last time through AMS, I noticed that Aspire appeared to have taken a cafe pretty much below their current lounge & seemed to be using it as an overflow. So maybe they have just expanded their operation to yet another cafe
No; it's not an overflow, but a temporary solution for the mentioned airlines and card programmes for the duration of the closure of Aspire Lounge 41.
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Old Mar 17, 2023, 8:10 am
  #114  
 
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I was in there yesterday. Most of the staff were cleaning & not actually serving. Had to ask three different people for bread, cheese & coleslaw just so I could make a simple sandwich. Then another wait for a coffee. All the cutlery on the counter was dirty & unwashed. Certainly not a great experience !!

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Old Mar 17, 2023, 8:37 am
  #115  
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Originally Posted by etiene
I think KL lounges are rammed at certain times of day, so I doubt they think they have any feasible capacity to sell access to BA. Crown Lounge 52 is also even further from the gates BA use than the former lounge/Aspire, so the location of this temporary provision makes much more sense.
While I was entering Lounge 52, an unhappy Emirates customer arrived and enquired whether he could buy lounge access given that Lounge 41 was closed.

He was told it wasn't possible as he wasn't travelling on a Skyteam airline.
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Old Mar 17, 2023, 2:57 pm
  #116  
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Are the food and drinks (including wine/beer) self-serve or do you have to wait endlessly for staff? The latter is such a pain point for travelers who are in a hurry or need to catch up on email instead of wasting time waiting for staff. Hoping it's all self-serve.
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Old Mar 18, 2023, 9:10 pm
  #117  
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Originally Posted by SkyTeam777
Hoping it's all self-serve.
No, it doesn't appear to be self-service.

And there was a queue to get in when I passed and took those photos (so at least that part of the Aspire Lounge 41 experience has been replicated)
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Old Mar 19, 2023, 1:37 am
  #118  
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Originally Posted by irishguy28
While I was entering Lounge 52, an unhappy Emirates customer arrived and enquired whether he could buy lounge access given that Lounge 41 was closed.

He was told it wasn't possible as he wasn't travelling on a Skyteam airline.
Interesting that the picture above doesn't show access for Emirates or Singapore. I wonder if they are catered for elsewhere?
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Old Mar 20, 2023, 2:46 am
  #119  
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The KLM forum regulars mention that Singapore Airlines sends its premium passengers to the Privium West Lounge,
They managed to negotiate access because the Aspire Lounge was just sad & embarressing,
even though at certain times they carved/rented out at the back a bit of private space for only SQ-customers with improved catering..,.,

Now that the Aspire lounge is being redone,
The choice for the Privium West Lounge seems logical because it is really the only other lounge left as option at AMS- NON/Schengen besides KLM's lounge 52 Skyteam
Last summer SQ had already sent in certain months their premium passengers there....
[or Otherwise Lee Kuan Yew would return back from the grave to take proper action & leadership]
(Privium lounges normally only accesible if one has a paid premium privium membership : https://news.schiphol.com/schiphol-r...r-renovation/? )

Last edited by HadesNL; Mar 20, 2023 at 2:56 am
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Old Mar 20, 2023, 2:55 am
  #120  
 
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Originally Posted by irishguy28
No; it's not an overflow, but a temporary solution for the mentioned airlines and card programmes for the duration of the closure of Aspire Lounge 41.
Ok. was confused as there wasn't a 100m queue coming out of it like there normally is at the Aspire lounge!
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