xenole

Well, I'm doing an economy Transatlantic to an economy transcon as a GGL on Friday, so I'll provide another data point then.

ISTFlyer

You shouldn't have issues accessing since you are on an international itinerary but awaiting your datapoint on how the lounge is.
Enjoy your flights

Komodromou

I was sorting some upgrades with GGL about an hour ago and I asked the very kind women what the situation was for access with Chelsea. She went away for a few minutes come back she said ‘you’ll have access on ANY route, long haul, short haul, AA or BA’. She added if you have any issues with entry to give GGL line a call and they assist with the matter. She said it’s been a nightmare the last few weeks with this but it should all be sorted now!

my conclusion is the message is not being passed down if you’re getting denied as a GGL.

jjLDNY

This is useful, though we heard this a few days ago before 2 people here weren't able to enter.

It does seem to now be the common language (from a small dataset), so I'm sure it will be back to the default all-access in the coming weeks but it was just yesterday the GGL team emailed me saying they weren't sure. I'd be slightly worried calling a random GGL agent who may be outside of the London office, to have them speak to the lounge agent - not sure if that would work, and certainly not sure if it would work within a reasonable somewhat immediate time-frame.

If anyone happens to be visiting today, could you ask again on the above, and ask for the date, email, subject line or something tangible for this update those of us can reference if we encounter issues. Or like the above a few pages back, get a picture of the entry allowances from that friendly agent who lets you in.

Komodromou

It sounds like the message is just not being passed on or AA are blocking it in someway. When I’m there next week on a domestic JFK-MIA AA ticketed. I’ll do what the women told me just call in (hope it’s a UK agent) and make the point. Hopefully it won’t come to that when the ground agents learn the correct access rules. Not some scribbles on a paper sheet…

I also a agree with the sentiment that it’s all going to get sorted in the next couple of weeks knock on wood

CappuccinoAddict

I’ll be flying IAD-LHR in F in just over a month. At first I was wondering whether to try to route through JFK to see what Chelsea is like but now it seems pretty clear that Concorde Dining at IAD will actually be a better experience.

jjLDNY

Unless they announce a new menu I’d agree.

RichieMc

Yes. I was in a similar quandry when flying EWR-LHR in F on Boxing Day. Never got round to calling to change to leave from JFK and quite glad I didn't.

ExpatExp

This seems entirely plausible, unfortunately 🤦‍♂️

msm2000uk

Menu items will change every 2 weeks, although certain things will always stay (the burger for example).

The menus will also soon be in leather-backed holders, but this is very much seen as a Soft Launch until the AA staff are brought up to the level the CCR staff were taught.

Talking to one of the old-guard, she was very honest about her new 'home', and alluded to changes coming within the next month or so.

To those who haven't visited, don't just read the complaints in this thread. This is now my 3rd visit, and while ultimately its just an airport waiting room, its perfectly pleasant and everything works. It might be more sterile than the old CCR, but the complaints of the CCR are certainly now gone.

M

jjLDNY

When will the menu start rotating every 2 weeks? It's approaching 6 now.

What part of this is a 'soft launch'? Soft launches are usually a good thing as it means they are holding back the good stuff, are they holding back the windows and F&B on this one?

Not to be too critical, as I have tried to give credit where it's due on this one but have also a much longer list of complaints mostly around the drop in F&B from their opening menu and lack of privacy. This is a First class lounge, it shouldn't just be an "airport waiting room". Imagine having that on the brochure to get people excited.

msm2000uk

Your posts throughout this thread seem to be of a remarkably negative opinion - and you're entitled to that. However, unless you're going to be using the lounge very regularly, what difference exactly how often the menu changes? I had the lamb this evening and it was tender, while the squash curry was far better than the fish I had in the MIA FFD a few days ago.

I'll probably be through Chelsea 6-8 times a month for the next 10 months at least, and so far I have no real complaints. Both Chelsea & Soho have different strengths, but being able to flick between the two means the best of both worlds.

In terms of an airport waiting room, the majority of the lounges people consider 'the best' have few windows or any view (LH FCT, QF LAX, QR DOH, SQ PPS, CDG FCT etc), and when you live in the air, you accept it's a fancy waiting room. That being said, I know I am in a minority on FT - and given the chance, I'd happily pay more to not use the lounges anywhere and simply stroll into the airport 30mins before departure.

M

jjLDNY

I first entered on day 3 of the lounge, I said the lounge was too bright, but 'ok'. I said that there is little privacy - there is none. I said that service needs better management, which was widely reported and I said that F&B was 'great' assuming they have everything in stock. Shortly after I wrote that, the F&B went drastically downhill, it lost the steak, the chicken dish and the fish dish. And the champagne menu, well we all know what happened there.

With that in mind, other than the Chelsea being a place of warmth that serves food, it is inferior to the FFD and CCR in every way in my opinion so yes, I have been overly negative.

I have at least 1 flight out of NYC every week of Feb including an international so I'm fairly regular. As such, I'd prefer not to eat fish & chips and lamb on a bed of rice every time; if that's the case I'll eat before I get to the airport which again is a silly thought when you're heading to a first class lounge.

Saying that having the Chelsea and the Soho to flick between to me seems an insane comment. Surely you don't bounce between the GF and the CCR when in London? This tells me that you acknowledge that it is a failed lounge.

And what did they mean by soft launch?

aks120

jjLDNY You seem incapable of acknowledging that there are other views out there of the Chelsea lounge. I agree with everything MSM2000UK says. I fear your expectations are such that you will always be disappointed with the offerings - and yes I do flick between GF and CCR in London as I am rarely enamoured by the LHR CCR menu so will grab something in the GF. Doing so between Chelsea and Soho is no different.

Same with access rules - I have been denied access to CCR before - but a polite request to check again came up with the correct answer in the end. At the old JFK CCR, I was spoken to like a child and scolded by the front desk before they realised they were wrong, shrugged and pointed to indicate I can enter - so perhaps a little acceptance that the CCR in JFK was no perfect - in fact far from it but my personal opinion is that the Chelsea is quite nice!

I realise I am in the minority, but that minority are still allowed to have an opinion without their posts being dissected because they do not agree with your view. I am back again in Apr so will contribute more to this thread after that visit.

aks120

HFHFFlyer

I am afraid this is one of the worst F lounges (I don't mean status lounges, tbc) I've ever used, if not THE worst. In almost every regard it promised so much and delivered so little. I really don't know how anyone can begin to excuse what BA and AA have delivered. The chaos over admission rights (not something that has bothered me, since I have stopped using it) is just a total embarrassment that has compounded the sense of incompetence and disinterest that this "waiting room" projects.