AY Schengen lounge at HEL
Jun 28, 2022, 5:30 am
#1066
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,758
Wouldn't the right thing to do be to open up a separate Plat/Lumo/OWE lounge on the Schengen side, too? Perhaps no à la carte dining, but a peaceful place with something decent to eat. Would there be room for such an addition in the expanded T2?
Leave the kindergarten to Golds and those who pay for entry.
Leave the kindergarten to Golds and those who pay for entry.
Jun 28, 2022, 5:37 am
#1067
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 2,685
So it's more important to serve non-Schengen flying OWE for whom HEL is just an outstation, than AY's very own Schengen-flying Plats/Lumos at their very own hub and base of operations... Instead these Plats/Lumos can queue 20 min to the kindergarten.
So much more important in fact that there are extra measures, bordering on the unconstitutional if not being outright so, being taken to prevent these Schengen Plats/Lumos even accidentally gaining access to the Plat Wing.
So much more important in fact that there are extra measures, bordering on the unconstitutional if not being outright so, being taken to prevent these Schengen Plats/Lumos even accidentally gaining access to the Plat Wing.
As much as I would like AY to have a larger Schengen lounge, going down the "who is a more valuable customer"-route can very quickly lead to some quite uncomfortable conclusions for FlyerTalkers who "game" the system (segment runners, people leveling up on 3x points promos etc.). I'm not going to DYKWIA myself ahead of some Gold person flying with his family, especially because it is very likely that the fare paid by that family is many times what I am paying on that particular flight.
Jun 28, 2022, 6:27 am
#1068
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,183
Finnair is (used to be) a national airline operating far more flights than it could ever have done without the connecting passengers.
There would not be much of a schengen network for "AY's very own Schengen-flying Plats/Lumos" if it wasn't for connecting passengers using HEL as a hub. (an outstation is the outer endpoint, like ChongQing et.al.)
What the future holds, who knows. Perhaps AY will scale down and you'll get the sustainable sized airline without those pesky longhaul connecting passengers, and a route network focused on the one daily to FRA that domestic demand can sustain...
Jun 28, 2022, 6:39 am
#1069
Join Date: May 2017
Programs: AY Plat (OWE), TK Elite (*G), BT VIP, HH D, BW DS
Posts: 484
Stopped by the schengen lounge, what a zoo. No queue per se, but the prior group of 3 got turned away with ”we are completely full” ä. I got in with ”may I at least use the toilet?” which was granted.
As I’m feeling a little moody, the next question might have been ”so Lumo not even allowed to come take a .... nowadays?” Luckily didn’t have to go there
As I’m feeling a little moody, the next question might have been ”so Lumo not even allowed to come take a .... nowadays?” Luckily didn’t have to go there
Jun 28, 2022, 7:04 am
#1070
Join Date: Aug 2019
Programs: AY+ Lumo, HH Diamond
Posts: 503
Jun 28, 2022, 11:32 am
#1072
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,758
Probably a combination of many things.
- AY is even more wave-oriented than pre-covid, midday flights have been scaled back so "all flights" now leave either 8 am or 4 pm
- Asian transfer pax missing, so more and more pax originate at HEL and have time to use the lounge as opposed to a quick change of planes with no time for lounge
- everyone and their mother suddenly decided that it's time to stop being afraid of covid and start flying
- add to this the extended status periods and different kind of campaigns to buy status one way or the other...
- AY is even more wave-oriented than pre-covid, midday flights have been scaled back so "all flights" now leave either 8 am or 4 pm
- Asian transfer pax missing, so more and more pax originate at HEL and have time to use the lounge as opposed to a quick change of planes with no time for lounge
- everyone and their mother suddenly decided that it's time to stop being afraid of covid and start flying
- add to this the extended status periods and different kind of campaigns to buy status one way or the other...
Jun 28, 2022, 12:57 pm
#1073
Join Date: Jun 2015
Programs: AY+, SK EB
Posts: 2,962
Jun 28, 2022, 2:12 pm
#1074
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: try to stay home
Programs: AY, M&M, BAEC ...and don t care of status anymore
Posts: 2,043
can very quickly lead to some quite uncomfortable conclusions for FlyerTalkers who "game" the system (segment runners, people leveling up on 3x points promos etc.). I'm not going to DYKWIA myself ahead of some Gold person flying with his family, especially because it is very likely that the fare paid by that family is many times what I am paying on that particular flight.
On my last two flights ex HEL J class had 4 seats, two of them occupied by my partner and me, but I easily could see 10 - 15 people on board of that plane who where in the lounge as well.
And really if AY won t give me no lounge access anymore because they think I m not spending enough money with them, fair enough there are other options.
But in reality I would say, skip the guests for anyone who is entitled to come to the lounge. Let only people in who are holding Gold or Platinum/Lumo status or a J ticket. Guest should always pay a fee, is it money or points - and all of the sudden there will be room in the lounge, I guarantee.
Jun 28, 2022, 2:48 pm
#1076
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 2,685
Sorry you really believe that a family of five all bought J tickets? I just have my own experience, I rarely see people I see in the lounge in J class later on board, even if they are on my flight. And if you take the late night flight to BKK it is easy to see who was in the lounge.
On my last two flights ex HEL J class had 4 seats, two of them occupied by my partner and me, but I easily could see 10 - 15 people on board of that plane who where in the lounge as well.
And really if AY won t give me no lounge access anymore because they think I m not spending enough money with them, fair enough there are other options.
But in reality I would say, skip the guests for anyone who is entitled to come to the lounge. Let only people in who are holding Gold or Platinum/Lumo status or a J ticket. Guest should always pay a fee, is it money or points - and all of the sudden there will be room in the lounge, I guarantee.
On my last two flights ex HEL J class had 4 seats, two of them occupied by my partner and me, but I easily could see 10 - 15 people on board of that plane who where in the lounge as well.
And really if AY won t give me no lounge access anymore because they think I m not spending enough money with them, fair enough there are other options.
But in reality I would say, skip the guests for anyone who is entitled to come to the lounge. Let only people in who are holding Gold or Platinum/Lumo status or a J ticket. Guest should always pay a fee, is it money or points - and all of the sudden there will be room in the lounge, I guarantee.
If you want a pure "paid J" lounge, fly with QR. I'm talking about the people here (which includes myself) who are looking to access the lounge as OWE / Plat / Lumo flying in Y or on an upgraded ticket. I'm a familyless flyer who is relatively price sensitive and I will hit Lumo this year because of 3x points, and I'd really like a less crowded lounge, but I also understand that I am worth a lot less to Finnair as a middle-manager at Kone flying his family of 5 out.
edit: I can offer an alternative to anyone who does not want to go to lounge. When arriving at the airport, buy yourself a nice boneless box from the new chicken wings place, buy yourself an IPA from Alepa (these can go through security now), enter the gate area via the priority line 10 minutes before announced boarding instead of 40.
Last edited by NewbieRunner; Jun 29, 2022 at 3:42 am Reason: Merged consecutive posts by same member
Jun 28, 2022, 3:10 pm
#1077
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: C2
Programs: AY ex-Lumo, TK Elite, BT VIP, ITA Executive
Posts: 1,157
I am a bit confused about how angry the people who think the lounge has turned to .... are about having to line up for the lounge. Kind of like people segment running for status complaining about ATR seats.
edit: I can offer an alternative to anyone who does not want to go to lounge. When arriving at the airport, buy yourself a nice boneless box from the new chicken wings place, buy yourself an IPA from Alepa (these can go through security now), enter the gate area via the priority line 10 minutes before announced boarding instead of 40.
edit: I can offer an alternative to anyone who does not want to go to lounge. When arriving at the airport, buy yourself a nice boneless box from the new chicken wings place, buy yourself an IPA from Alepa (these can go through security now), enter the gate area via the priority line 10 minutes before announced boarding instead of 40.
Jun 28, 2022, 3:10 pm
#1078
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,758
Jun 28, 2022, 3:23 pm
#1079
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 2,685
In HEL the security guys confirmed it and I've been bringing stuff from Alepa the past few flights.
Jun 28, 2022, 11:43 pm
#1080
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY+ plat / SK EBG
Posts: 36
Had an unusual layover at HEL yesterday evening. Lounge was actually closed due to exceptional circumstances since 21:30. Was directed to get a 17€ voucher at the transfer desk. Maybe they should use the same excuse and close the zoo in the mornings as well...