akalra1187

I find it pretty pathetic trying to sleep in an airport lounge. Get a hotel for God's sake.

stargold

Perhaps consider before criticising others that there are plenty of connections through AUH which are too short to go landside and get a hotel, but long enough that you still want to get a nap if you can.

sabdhabi

Slightly off topic I know but... Travelling F from ZRH to AUH. A year ago, I flew F also on this route and was invited to use the F Class Aspire lounge. Not today, I was politely shown to the very mediocre J Class Aspire Lounge. Cathay Pacific F pax can use the F lounge, but not EY F pax. More cost cutting! EK has their own lounge. I wonder how long that will last. Overall, a poor experience especially when the website says that Platinum guests have "access to the First Class Lounge in Abu Dhabi International Airport and access to the luxury lounges exclusive for First Class Guests at all other airports."

akalra1187

My assumption is that you mean connections of 3 hours. Anything more than that is long enough to get a room. Anything less than that, well you could have slept on the inbound and it won't be that long till the outbound, so take a seat and have a coffee if you really can't stay up.
It's one thing when lounges like QR offer bedrooms, but people sleeping on sofas and comunial lounge areas is unsightly.

HMPS

So if you have a four hour connection you would go thru Customs/ Immigration schlepping your hand baggage(s), get transport back & forth, spend time checking in and out and go thru all security etc for maybe a at best two hours of sleep if you can sleep ? Not for me thank you. More power to you if you can.

stargold

Exactly. Even at the Premier Inn AUH, you will struggle to get 2 hours' sleep on a four-hour connection.

And I certainly don't care that some people might think "people sleeping on sofas and comunial lounge areas is unsightly", if I'm having to sleep on a sofa because EY failed to remember that - as an airline almost entirely dependent on transit passengers - it might actually be a good idea to put in some facilities for their transit F pax in the lounge.

akalra1187

I guess we have to agree to disagree. Transit security takes considerable longer than getting out of AUH, and I don't think people who are trying to have a fine meal and cigar in a First class lounge (it's a lounge not a bedroom) should have to endure people sleeping on sofas. If you think it's the airlines job to provide you with a bedroom, why don't you fly an airline that does?

akalra1187

I'm wondering if you've actually exited AUH? It's not the USA, 'customs/immigration' is as simple as scanning your passport and walking out of the airport. Similarly if you're in J/F checking back in is in the premium terminal and the queues are non-existent. If you have hold baggage then check it to the final destination. If your layover is not long enough to do this then it's seriously unlikely that it's long enough to go through transit security (which has far longer queues compared to departures) and take a nap on a sofa that will have any rejuvatiive value, and really I think you'd be better of waiting to get on your connecting flight and falling asleep. With a four hour connection it will take you an hour to deplane and get through transit security and the subsequent flight will start boarding an hour before departure. That leaves you with two hours in the lounge. You can be out of AUH in half an hour or less and get back to the airport an hour before your ongoing flight. In my book that leave the same if not more 'sleep' time by exiting AUH than staying in a lounge inside it.

Personally I wouldn't be able to fall asleep straight away so in the best case you would get an hour and a half sleep, and that's without considering waking back up and having to freshen up. Best case an hours's sleep. I struggle to see a situation wherein you have come off a flight and have a connection and an hour's nap is still a total necessity. If your connection is longer than this you certainly have time for a hotel. The fact of the matter is Etihad provide hotel rooms for stopovers of length and I tend to agree with them, shorter connection don't really warrant a sleeping room because your onward flight is soon enough and going to give you more time to sleep than during the layover.

ft101

Perhaps it's you that should exit the airport for your drink, smoke, work, chat or whatever if the sight of others doing something so trivial upsets you.

akalra1187

How do I leave if I'm not transiting? I come to the lounge before my flight...

johndoes

I've award travel booked from AUH-JFK in F Class, followed by 6 hours connecting time from JFK to DFW.

Question : Will I able access Etihad Lounge at JFK Airport - considering JFK is my destination with EY.

HMPS

[QUOTE=akalra1187;28117425] I'm wondering if you've actually exited AUH? It's not the USA, 'customs/immigration' is as simple as scanning your passport and walking out of the airport. Similarly if you're in J/F checking back in is in the premium terminal and the queues are non-existent.

SNIPPED, BOLDING MONE.

No I have not exited AUH just connect a few times a year. I see you did not address the Security and Pre Clearance times and pathetic lounge after passing US ICE.
The sleeping on the sofa I referred to was in the two private rooms. Re sleeping in the Relaxing Lounge is "unhygienic" in your opinion. How are the seats you fly on or the bedding ?
To each his own, I agree.

omaralt

I completely agree that not having sleeping rooms is an oversight. But maybe they did it on purpose to encourage people with longer connections to use a hotel. Other than the lack of sleeping quarters I find the lounge to be a top 5 lounge to spend a few hours. But to each their own. You can never please everybody

akalra1187

Makes me all the more glad I don't have to go to the USA for any reason.
I didn't mention 'unhygienic' anywhere?
I'll still agree, other's opinions may vary, mine is clear, a bedroom is for sleeping, a lounge isn't.

HMPS

Lounges are for relaxation....if one dozes off while relaxing more power to them I don't even sleep on a 15 hour flight in F.
BTW Funny you should be happy that you do not have to come to USA for any reason. I happen to have a greater (?) dislike for UK , in particular LHR and BA !