Golden Gate Lounge and Gateway Lounge closed 31. March 2010 for renovation.
Mar 3, 2010, 12:34 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Posts: 2,395
Golden Gate Lounge and Gateway Lounge closed 31. March 2010 for renovation.
Golden Gate Lounge and Gateway Lounge will be closed for renovation on 31.3.2010. Schengen-are lounges Silver Wings and Tower will stay open.
Mar 3, 2010, 1:02 pm
#2
Ambassador: Finnair
Join Date: May 2003
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Lumo, BA Silver, HHonors Gold
Posts: 4,270
This means that during peak hours "the hospital" will be totally packed....also makes me wonder how the current lounge capacity can handle the 50% lower Silver qualification limit within the next year or so...it must be thousands more Silver cards printed by Feb/11 compared to current "run rate"..
Mar 3, 2010, 4:13 pm
#4
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: BA/OW Sapphire, TK/* Gold
Posts: 130
Mar 3, 2010, 11:49 pm
#5
Join Date: Aug 2009
Programs: OW Sapphire, EBS
Posts: 14
As we lowly Silvers are no longer allowed to bring in guests in to the lounge, that should free up a little space at least. From what i understand Golden Gate is closing down permanently, not just for renovation. It will surely make the two other lounges unbearable during the afternoon.
Mar 4, 2010, 1:04 am
#6
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Vantaa, Finland
Programs: AY Lumo, FB Gold
Posts: 1,667
A few weeks ago on a peak afternoon time on Friday the SW lounge was standing room only and I got the last seat in Tower lounge. Felt like a ghetto, and with the generic wine on tap they are offering I guess I would have been better off at the wine bar with a glass of some better quality stuff.
Mar 4, 2010, 5:15 am
#7
Ambassador: Finnair
Join Date: May 2003
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Lumo, BA Silver, HHonors Gold
Posts: 4,270
Anyway, Silver is so easy to get now that even those new benefits are enough, I guess..one will get silver with basically one J return with a European connection thrown in..
Mar 4, 2010, 6:55 am
#8
Join Date: Aug 2009
Programs: OW Sapphire, EBS
Posts: 14
I don't personally mind the change, as i mostly travel alone anyway or with my husband, who has BA silver himself. I think the rule was changed because of the ''masses'' of new silvers that will be invading the lounges now, there just isn't room or money to cater for all guests as well..Finnair seems to let the family in with the cardholder as well, or so it seemed, especially during the ''skiing-holidays'' recently. I witnessed familys with up to 5 children enter the lounge with one card. That is a bit too much in my opinion, given the current space-issues..
Mar 4, 2010, 10:04 am
#9
Join Date: Oct 2008
Programs: AY Plat Lumo+LTG, FI Gold, DL Silver, BA, SK, AX Plat, Priority Pass, Marriott Ambassador & others
Posts: 634
Some time in the past the Golden Gate Lounge used to be reserved for golds and platinums. The service there was slightly better than in other lounges back then, but clearly by no significant margin.
I've used Golden Gate only occasionally.
I've used Golden Gate only occasionally.
Mar 4, 2010, 2:39 pm
#10
Ambassador: Finnair
Join Date: May 2003
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Lumo, BA Silver, HHonors Gold
Posts: 4,270
I always thought that lounge was (is) very strangely positioned...been there maybe 5 times since they opened it to the masses..