Cara200

Been to Soho lounge twice in last month. First time was excellent at about 0800 (and better than F at T5 at that time of the morning). Then 2 days ago at about 1600 when understandably much busier it was not good - lots of loud people on phones (had to remonstrate with one individual who had been shouting into his phone for 40 mins in my ear and the lounge was so full I could not move), only 2 staff at the bar so queues, QR codes for service not working, not enough staff generally etc, can’t order champagne (“you have to order at the bar”) etc. So not good. Food v good though and check in was excellent with good access to TSA pre-check as compared with the old T7 confusion in contrast to earlier post. All in all atm I much prefer the old T7 but I guess it’s just teething problems - or at least I hope so.

crptravel

Does anyone have experience with an agent bending the rules with the number of guests? I'm flying through JFK next month and have Soho Lounge eligibility (I'm Exec Plat with my 2 other family members... all 3 of us flying transatlantic business)... but ideally would like to bring 2 guests (but rules say only 1 guest). Thanks for any feedback...

BerksFlyer

I’m sure plenty of people have experience of being turned away following such a request. If the lounge is quiet and you get a very rare agent who is willing to bend the rules you might be lucky but the chance is very low IMO.

Personally I wouldn’t waste my time asking, or want to put an agent in an awkward position, but YMMV.

c1223

Thursday is the new Friday. Relatively busy last night.

- Wi-Fi not working for a number of users
- QR code menu loading as if it’s run on a dial-up connection (on 4G as Wi-Fi wouldn’t work…)
- kitchen orders being missed
- large queue at the bar
- buffet was bare and not replenished frequently enough

Having spent a fair amount of time in Flagship lounges at LAX and MIA over the last week, I can’t understand how this has gone so wrong. After all it’s meant to be a premium lounge for essentially just gold card holders.

MIA flagship lounge on Tuesday night was just as busy, if not busier, and they didn’t seem to have an issue keeping the food fresh and plentiful. The self-serve bar was stocked and replenished frequently. Also Piper Heidsieck isn’t too shabby, especially given it’s essentially the same access as a Galleries Club.

scubadu

Agreed. I continue to be impressed with the MIA Flagship Lounge. I rank it higher than T5 Galleries First on most all counts (at least the counts that matter to me) even though in "theory" the T5 GF should be nicer given it's OWE (vs. OWS @ MIA FL)

Regards

inthemix

Quick access scenario
AA EP flying paid business MAD-CMH via JFK. AA ticket, IB leg for MAD-JFK. I'll be with my daughter also on paid Business.

Which lounge(s) can I access at JFK during my connection to CMH? Things seem more complicated now...

chistery

The still water cans with a screw top have been replaced with cans with a ring pull, so be careful when they accidentally fall into your carry on.

HFHFFlyer

The bar problem is easily fixed by setting up some self pour drink stations like in GF. I really don’t know why they can’t do that, There is plenty of space.

ijgordon

You and one guest can use the Soho (first class) lounge by virtue of your EP status and same-day international connection. Of course you can check out the Greenwich (business class) lounge as well if you’d like.

Smid

The self-pour champagne was pretty much THE good thing about the old flagship lounge and pretty much all I required from that lounge. They had it before,in BA T7 and their T8 Flagship, it baffles me as to why they seem to want to withdraw facilities off the back of this especially when it gives them so much hassle.

The Chelsea GGL complaints seem to be about not getting something they never used to have, yet the oiks like us seem uncaring when something we used to have disappears, and the lounge ends up simply being in a big queue all the time to get your next drink.

ghsbass0406

Haven't flown through JFK in a while, so first time in the Soho lounge today. Unfortunately, people aren't exaggerating- the food is pretty bad. And I'm not a picky eater. But like everything just wasn't good. The fish and chips had this weird breadcrumb that wasn't crispy and wasn't anything like a crispy beer battered fish I'm used to when I'm in the UK. Everything was just bleh. No seasoning. Nothing flavorful.

The lounge itself is beautiful. Great tarmac views, natural light, and the seating and furnishings are very nice.

But, and I kid you not, there literally is a person shaving his beard in public at a table by the long communal table near the beverage fridges. WTAF. Trimming his beard hairs with an electric beard trimmer. The lounge is deserted, maybe 10 people in here total right now. But still. I though I'd seen it all but apparently, I haven't.

I'm glad I'm DFW based, I'll just stick with the Flagship Lounge and the self pour champagne.

mileshound

Sad, I wanted to try it. Maybe you can order it crispy. I'm there in a few weeks and I also will have access to Chelsea. Any idea if you can order of the Soho menu while in Chelsea since it is the same kitchen and a server takes the order. I was thinking Fish and Chips and ice cream cookie sandwich. Like always, I won't get my hopes up as to being able to do it and it actually being good.

GaryK84

I spent a couple of hours in Soho last night. The food order took almost an hour to come through. They did come and apologise - they said it had to do with having to cook a new batch of rice. When the butternut squash curry did come, the rice was undercooked. Other than that, it wasn't too busy and the drinks were nice. The toilets were strange as many others have said here.

Mits10

The unthinkable…no tonic in a co-branded BA lounge 1 poor lady at the bar to tend to a full lounge on a Friday night.

BA/AA when are you going to start listening to and taking action on the appalling feedback on the Chelsea & Soho lounges?!

dwugson

No tonic???? Won't be able to survive tomorrow unless they replenish it quickly.....