British Airways and American Airlines Soho Lounge - JFK Terminal 8
#16
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 1,336
So maybe teething problems but I’d give the lounge a 5/10.
By 5pm they’d run out of Chardonnay. The bar was pretty chaotic (no lack of staff but just too many people untrained / doing nowt. The only hot food was pasta, potatoes, chicken, overdone salmon plus a soup. Lots of salad options if that’s your thing. The a la carte menu was poor IMO. The lounge was far too busy for the 4 cubicles in the mens & half the taps weren’t working.
It’s a nice space with a great range of drinks and lovely views but the old flagship lounge was miles better.
By 5pm they’d run out of Chardonnay. The bar was pretty chaotic (no lack of staff but just too many people untrained / doing nowt. The only hot food was pasta, potatoes, chicken, overdone salmon plus a soup. Lots of salad options if that’s your thing. The a la carte menu was poor IMO. The lounge was far too busy for the 4 cubicles in the mens & half the taps weren’t working.
It’s a nice space with a great range of drinks and lovely views but the old flagship lounge was miles better.
#18
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: LDN / NY
Programs: BA GGL, Marriott Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 534
So maybe teething problems but I’d give the lounge a 5/10.
By 5pm they’d run out of Chardonnay. The bar was pretty chaotic (no lack of staff but just too many people untrained / doing nowt. The only hot food was pasta, potatoes, chicken, overdone salmon plus a soup. Lots of salad options if that’s your thing. The a la carte menu was poor IMO. The lounge was far too busy for the 4 cubicles in the mens & half the taps weren’t working.
It’s a nice space with a great range of drinks and lovely views but the old flagship lounge was miles better.
By 5pm they’d run out of Chardonnay. The bar was pretty chaotic (no lack of staff but just too many people untrained / doing nowt. The only hot food was pasta, potatoes, chicken, overdone salmon plus a soup. Lots of salad options if that’s your thing. The a la carte menu was poor IMO. The lounge was far too busy for the 4 cubicles in the mens & half the taps weren’t working.
It’s a nice space with a great range of drinks and lovely views but the old flagship lounge was miles better.
And I wonder what the staff situation is. Presumably they kept on the same people that were in the FL before? Perhaps they had to hire lots of new members given it sounds like the lounge is much busier than it was which makes sense.
How's the beverage situation? I couldn't make out if the liquors were still along the back wall and still self-serve? And is the central wine bar still self-serve? Where are the cocktails coming from, the FFD bar?
#19
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Boston, MA
Programs: AA EXP, DL Diamond, Hilton Diamond, Bonvoy Ambassador (RIP SPG), Aeroplan 75K
Posts: 1,136
So maybe teething problems but I’d give the lounge a 5/10.
By 5pm they’d run out of Chardonnay. The bar was pretty chaotic (no lack of staff but just too many people untrained / doing nowt. The only hot food was pasta, potatoes, chicken, overdone salmon plus a soup. Lots of salad options if that’s your thing. The a la carte menu was poor IMO. The lounge was far too busy for the 4 cubicles in the mens & half the taps weren’t working.
It’s a nice space with a great range of drinks and lovely views but the old flagship lounge was miles better.
By 5pm they’d run out of Chardonnay. The bar was pretty chaotic (no lack of staff but just too many people untrained / doing nowt. The only hot food was pasta, potatoes, chicken, overdone salmon plus a soup. Lots of salad options if that’s your thing. The a la carte menu was poor IMO. The lounge was far too busy for the 4 cubicles in the mens & half the taps weren’t working.
It’s a nice space with a great range of drinks and lovely views but the old flagship lounge was miles better.
#20
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Brooklyn, NYC
Programs: QR PC Platinum, TK M&S elite, UA silver, ITA Voltaire Executive (lol), Marriott Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 1,131
So maybe teething problems but I’d give the lounge a 5/10.
By 5pm they’d run out of Chardonnay. The bar was pretty chaotic (no lack of staff but just too many people untrained / doing nowt. The only hot food was pasta, potatoes, chicken, overdone salmon plus a soup. Lots of salad options if that’s your thing. The a la carte menu was poor IMO. The lounge was far too busy for the 4 cubicles in the mens & half the taps weren’t working.
It’s a nice space with a great range of drinks and lovely views but the old flagship lounge was miles better.
By 5pm they’d run out of Chardonnay. The bar was pretty chaotic (no lack of staff but just too many people untrained / doing nowt. The only hot food was pasta, potatoes, chicken, overdone salmon plus a soup. Lots of salad options if that’s your thing. The a la carte menu was poor IMO. The lounge was far too busy for the 4 cubicles in the mens & half the taps weren’t working.
It’s a nice space with a great range of drinks and lovely views but the old flagship lounge was miles better.
#22
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: 16,306
Looking at the food that was out, it looks like there's less variety than there was before, as well as it only being on 1 side vs accessible from both in longer trays. That seems an odd change.
And I wonder what the staff situation is. Presumably they kept on the same people that were in the FL before? Perhaps they had to hire lots of new members given it sounds like the lounge is much busier than it was which makes sense.
How's the beverage situation? I couldn't make out if the liquors were still along the back wall and still self-serve? And is the central wine bar still self-serve? Where are the cocktails coming from, the FFD bar?
And I wonder what the staff situation is. Presumably they kept on the same people that were in the FL before? Perhaps they had to hire lots of new members given it sounds like the lounge is much busier than it was which makes sense.
How's the beverage situation? I couldn't make out if the liquors were still along the back wall and still self-serve? And is the central wine bar still self-serve? Where are the cocktails coming from, the FFD bar?
#23
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK/Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)
Posts: 15,882
#24
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: LHR / LAS
Programs: BA GfL, GGL/CCR
Posts: 2,409
I thought the old jfk flagship lounge , (well not the old old one) the food was mediocre and most often luke-warm to cold.
So am hoping better things at the Soho lounge.
Be a shame if the food (Soho lounge) is the same, but is early days folks. It's just opened.
So am hoping better things at the Soho lounge.
Be a shame if the food (Soho lounge) is the same, but is early days folks. It's just opened.
#25
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 1,336
The a la carte was all fast food - 2 burgers, a hot dog, a sandwich etc.
#26
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: LDN / NY
Programs: BA GGL, Marriott Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 534
But on that note this looks much better than I was expecting.. Ready-made food aside, I didn't think they'd have fresh food for order.
#27
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold, Mucci: Classe de la Luxe Eternelle
Posts: 815
Sorry but I don't think this is good enough for two multibillion pound airlines who have run hundreds of lounges in cities and airports across the globe for many decades?
There is no possible excuse here for a soft launch on the brand new lounges and service for two airline industry giants on what is essentially the most prestigious route on the planet (not to mention the others of course..)? Get the people in who have the experience to run it to tip top capability from day one. The ones who foresee the snags and logistical issues before they happen. Who see the kitchen and the bar and the service area and say: 'Ah. So let's avoid this..' or 'we can do this to ensure that..'
Unfortunately they are expensive. Pay for them. It is that simple.
Not sure why you are giving a free pass here crazyarmadillo. BA and AA are not new entrants to the market.
Last edited by noFODplease; Dec 2, 2022 at 5:00 pm
#28
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: LHR / LAS
Programs: BA GfL, GGL/CCR
Posts: 2,409
I get it.
I suppose I don't expect too much anymore. BA and AA are never going to be the superstars in aviation hospitality.
I'm not giving them (BA AA ) a few pass really. It's just that I didn't like the AA flagship lounge at all at Y8 ( The relatively new one ).
So anything , I think will be better. Plus I was not a fan of T7 in the slightest, despite the CCR.
It's just doesn't suprise me that they are problems at this stage.
I suppose I don't expect too much anymore. BA and AA are never going to be the superstars in aviation hospitality.
I'm not giving them (BA AA ) a few pass really. It's just that I didn't like the AA flagship lounge at all at Y8 ( The relatively new one ).
So anything , I think will be better. Plus I was not a fan of T7 in the slightest, despite the CCR.
It's just doesn't suprise me that they are problems at this stage.
#30
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: UK - Hampshire & London
Programs: Mucci de Guardian des Celliers des Grands Crus 1e Classé, plus BAEC.
Posts: 2,717
The initial experiences don’t sound great; however, I’m willing to give BA/AA a week or 2 to resolve the teething problems and then look again