Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > EL AL | Matmid
Reload this Page >

Frustrating experience at Dan lounge TLV

Community
Wiki Posts
Search

Frustrating experience at Dan lounge TLV

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Sep 20, 2022, 3:34 pm
  #46  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: San Francisco/Tel Aviv/YYZ
Programs: CO 1K-MM
Posts: 10,766
Originally Posted by nombody
https://passportnews.co.il/%D7%91%D7...%D7%9D-%D7%A2/

A United club or Polaris lounge at TLV would really shake things up and at the same time relieve some of the crowding in the Dan lounges.
this would be very exciting. Obviously, the ideal would be a Polaris and *G, so that the other *A traffic can help pay the operating cost throughout the day.
entropy is offline  
Old Apr 1, 2023, 9:37 am
  #47  
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 8,199
Just check the Priority Pass website/app and they no longer show any available lounges in TLV. Do the Dan lounges no longer accept Priority Pass? Has this helped with the crowding issues?
docbert is offline  
Old Apr 2, 2023, 1:45 am
  #48  
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: HFA
Posts: 1,723
See this thread:
Priority Pass Substitute at TLV

Shuly
shuly is offline  
Old May 25, 2023, 2:38 pm
  #49  
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: Flying Blue, Miles & Smiles
Posts: 479
I paid a visit to the B concourse Dan lounge this Thursday evening. As STE+ I had me plus the lovely Mrs ahopkins767, but unfortunately mini ahopkins767 had to pay 210shekels (45gbp).

After Mrs ahopkins767 saw the food she said “I hope you didn’t pay to get in here”….


The food offering on Thursday eve….

But as my son snoozes on the sofa before our midnight flight to OTP, having eaten two platefuls of rather bland pasta, I suppose that’s what I paid for.

Sometimes bland is good. Wouldn’t bother if traveling by myself though, unless private cushioned seating was what I wanted.
ahopkins767 is offline  
Old May 26, 2023, 4:16 am
  #50  
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: HFA
Posts: 1,723
That's the standard offering, and it has been the same since forever. The lounge operator hasn't changed since I began flying, and they have no incentive to improve.
El Al's King David lounge is (a little) better, but it's restricted to El Al's pax.

Shuly
shuly is offline  
Old Jun 14, 2023, 8:25 am
  #51  
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Zichron Yakov, Israel
Programs: SPG Gold
Posts: 813
Dan lounge is back in priority pass.
davidcamp6 likes this.
nombody is offline  
Old Jun 14, 2023, 8:43 am
  #52  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: BA Gold, AA PLT PRO, AGR, Strawberry (Nordic Choice), Marriott Bonvoy
Posts: 4,334
We’re going to see how this goes in late August for TLV-HEL on Finnair using a combination of BA status and business class tickets to enter.

Is the Dan lounge even open at the time of the TLV-HEL flight, which leaves after midnight at 0045?

If the Dan lounge isn’t open and/or the food is as revolting as the pictures make it look, are any nice cafes or restaurants in the terminal open at that time? Bonus could be if there was a nice view out some large windows to the apron but my recollection is everything is in the central rotunda. Maybe I’m wrong…
salut0 is offline  
Old Jun 14, 2023, 9:15 am
  #53  
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Zichron Yakov, Israel
Programs: SPG Gold
Posts: 813
Dan lounge is open 24 hours a day. Also with a business class ticket you should be automatically allowed in.
nombody is offline  
Old Jun 14, 2023, 9:24 am
  #54  
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: oneword Emerald
Posts: 21,196
Originally Posted by salut0
Is the Dan lounge even open at the time of the TLV-HEL flight, which leaves after midnight at 0045?

If the Dan lounge isn’t open and/or the food is as revolting as the pictures make it look, are any nice cafes or restaurants in the terminal open at that time?
There are numerous departures to North America at that time; everything at the terminal is open, including cafes, restaurants and the duty-free shops.
TWA884 is offline  
Old Jun 14, 2023, 9:37 am
  #55  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: BA Gold, AA PLT PRO, AGR, Strawberry (Nordic Choice), Marriott Bonvoy
Posts: 4,334
Originally Posted by nombody
Dan lounge is open 24 hours a day. Also with a business class ticket you should be automatically allowed in.
True, but one person on our itinerary didn't need the tier points so they have an economy ticket TLV-HEL and OneWorld Sapphire status. Cue a fight with Dan to let them in?

Last edited by salut0; Jun 14, 2023 at 9:42 am
salut0 is offline  
Old Jun 14, 2023, 10:50 am
  #56  
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 8,199
Originally Posted by salut0
True, but one person on our itinerary didn't need the tier points so they have an economy ticket TLV-HEL and OneWorld Sapphire status. Cue a fight with Dan to let them in?
Why would it need a fight? According to BA's website, Sapphire status gets access to the Dan lounge in B/C when flying Finnair (you didn't mention airline, but presumably it's AY?)

Not sure what the guest policies are for BA/OneWorld members, but a month or so back I was able to use my United Star Gold status to guest in someone who was flying on a different flight on a different airline (Delta). That's absolutely not allowed under any UA or Star Alliance guest policy, but the Dan lounge didn't care.
docbert is offline  
Old Jun 14, 2023, 11:05 am
  #57  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: BA Gold, AA PLT PRO, AGR, Strawberry (Nordic Choice), Marriott Bonvoy
Posts: 4,334
Originally Posted by docbert
Why would it need a fight? According to BA's website, Sapphire status gets access to the Dan lounge in B/C when flying Finnair (you didn't mention airline, but presumably it's AY?)
Because I had exactly that fight in 2022 (read the first post in the thread) when trying to use BA status to enter the lounge on an RJ economy ticket….
salut0 is offline  
Old Jun 21, 2023, 4:32 pm
  #58  
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: NY
Programs: AA, Hilton
Posts: 1,616
Have access to King David. Is that still better than the priority pass substitute?
the phoenix is offline  
Old Aug 28, 2023, 1:29 pm
  #59  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: BA Gold, AA PLT PRO, AGR, Strawberry (Nordic Choice), Marriott Bonvoy
Posts: 4,334
Originally Posted by docbert
Why would it need a fight? According to BA's website, Sapphire status gets access to the Dan lounge in B/C when flying Finnair (you didn't mention airline, but presumably it's AY?)
Originally Posted by salut0
Because I had exactly that fight in 2022 (read the first post in the thread) when trying to use BA status to enter the lounge on an RJ economy ticket….
Well — here we are in the Dan lounge and I just had the same fight I was expecting to have!

Tried to get in — showed one business class boarding pass and the lounge bouncer asked “are you all flying business class?” I answered: two are and one isn’t, but she has a BA silver card. She then said, “silver isn’t enough to enter the lounge: you need business class”. I said: “That’s not true. I had this discussion before, contacted British Airways and they said you were wrong.” She said: “Yes but we’re a third party lounge and we have different rules.” I said, “That’s not the case and British Airways clarified that. But if you insist on following the wrong policy I’ll take the extra passenger in as a guest on my BA Gold card.”

Result: she let us all in, but I shouldn’t have had to do that.

Now we’re in, it feels barely better than the terminal. It’s noisy, crowded, the food is awful, and the staff seem surly.

So tiresome to have this stupid discussion again, as I was expecting…
salut0 is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.