AY Schengen lounge at HEL
Oct 18, 2022, 11:31 am
#1201
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Helsinki
Programs: AY+ Plat basic
Posts: 430
It seems that some pax actually like the stuff they offer at the lounge. A lady in her fifties asked the dragon if the lasagne is vegetarian and said that the vegetarian food in the lounge is so good that the chefs should open a vegetarian restaurant. There was no irony in her voice. I would have liked to intervene, but kept quiet…
Oct 23, 2022, 4:56 pm
#1203
Ambassador: Finnair
Join Date: May 2003
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Lumo, BA Silver, HHonors Gold
Posts: 4,270
Oh well. On my recent visit to the current schengen kindergarden packed to capacity and more dirty dishes and vegeschaisse allaround than normal person can take in one go, I traveled down the memory lane to the days of the Silver Wings and the Golden Gate lounges. There were times when flying AY from HEL to Europe was a pleasant experience..hard to believe for those newer to the game when looking this pathetic situation we have today. Left after 5mins and just found a quiet place to sit at the public terminal for 20-25mins before boarding.
Finnair, you need to do SOMETHING. This is not fun anymore. No more pay lounge by money/points or something, it’s not worth a penny to get in anyway..
Finnair, you need to do SOMETHING. This is not fun anymore. No more pay lounge by money/points or something, it’s not worth a penny to get in anyway..
Oct 23, 2022, 5:50 pm
#1204
Join Date: May 2015
Location: ATL/MCO
Programs: Costco Executive, RaceTrac Sultan of Soda, Chick-fil-A Red
Posts: 5,665
Oh well. On my recent visit to the current schengen kindergarden packed to capacity and more dirty dishes and vegeschaisse allaround than normal person can take in one go, I traveled down the memory lane to the days of the Silver Wings and the Golden Gate lounges. There were times when flying AY from HEL to Europe was a pleasant experience..hard to believe for those newer to the game when looking this pathetic situation we have today. Left after 5mins and just found a quiet place to sit at the public terminal for 20-25mins before boarding.
Finnair, you need to do SOMETHING. This is not fun anymore. No more pay lounge by money/points or something, it’s not worth a penny to get in anyway..
Finnair, you need to do SOMETHING. This is not fun anymore. No more pay lounge by money/points or something, it’s not worth a penny to get in anyway..
My last visit a few weeks ago at 6:30AM was a crowded as you described and the breakfast selection was abysmal with the powdered egg dishes, I left after consuming a cup of coffee and some yogurt. The crowding was never this bad pre-pandemic.
Oct 23, 2022, 11:51 pm
#1205
Join Date: Jun 2015
Programs: AY+, SK EB
Posts: 2,962
I assume we all know the reasons that currently add up, more status holders, the fixed lounge space and the two big waves.
The two latter ones existed before Covid, the first one creates now the spillover.
Oct 24, 2022, 1:35 am
#1206
Ambassador: Finnair
Join Date: May 2003
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Lumo, BA Silver, HHonors Gold
Posts: 4,270
If this is the reason, then AY would make tons of money from the lounge. A visit costs a whopping 48€ compared with 39€ for the Aspire lounge. Also the 6k points access for Silvers vs a 10k J upgrade is not really appealing, only the last resort if you are desperate.
I assume we all know the reasons that currently add up, more status holders, the fixed lounge space and the two big waves.
The two latter ones existed before Covid, the first one creates now the spillover.
I assume we all know the reasons that currently add up, more status holders, the fixed lounge space and the two big waves.
The two latter ones existed before Covid, the first one creates now the spillover.
It could well be it’s mainly the covid extended statuses and all the promos/point sales but reducing the numbers by killing status access would be more difficult as they would need to be looking at Golds/Sapphires where also OW rules kick in..
Maybe as an interim solution due to capacity issues they should take away all guest access, during peak hours anyway..
Oct 24, 2022, 2:12 am
#1208
Join Date: May 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Plat (OWE), SK EBG (*A Gold), KQ Plat (STE+), Accor Plat
Posts: 3,157
QR has gotten away with it at DOH for many years…
Oct 31, 2022, 5:00 am
#1210
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum (OWE), HHonors Gold
Posts: 203
I'm new to this Schengen lounge game. What time are the morning and afternoon waves at?
Flying later this week and contemplating presenting at a a telco between 3-3:30PM from the Schengen lounge. Will I have to fight for a phone booth?
Also I have a 3 hour layover in HEL coming up on a Sunday in the near future. Is it a viable plan to leave my bags at the lounge, exit airside, go run for an hour and come back to take a shower?
Flying later this week and contemplating presenting at a a telco between 3-3:30PM from the Schengen lounge. Will I have to fight for a phone booth?
Also I have a 3 hour layover in HEL coming up on a Sunday in the near future. Is it a viable plan to leave my bags at the lounge, exit airside, go run for an hour and come back to take a shower?
Oct 31, 2022, 9:57 am
#1211
Join Date: Jun 2015
Programs: AY+, SK EB
Posts: 2,962
Pretty bad timing. But I don‘t know about the occupancy rate of the phone booths.
Nov 1, 2022, 8:58 am
#1213
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Programs: AY+ Platinum
Posts: 14
I'm new to this Schengen lounge game. What time are the morning and afternoon waves at?
Flying later this week and contemplating presenting at a a telco between 3-3:30PM from the Schengen lounge. Will I have to fight for a phone booth?
Also I have a 3 hour layover in HEL coming up on a Sunday in the near future. Is it a viable plan to leave my bags at the lounge, exit airside, go run for an hour and come back to take a shower?
Flying later this week and contemplating presenting at a a telco between 3-3:30PM from the Schengen lounge. Will I have to fight for a phone booth?
Also I have a 3 hour layover in HEL coming up on a Sunday in the near future. Is it a viable plan to leave my bags at the lounge, exit airside, go run for an hour and come back to take a shower?
Nov 1, 2022, 2:01 pm
#1214
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 2,685
I'd check that the showers are working, but if they are, sure.. priority security is normally a breeze. It's just a bit annoying getting off airport grounds by foot (but not impossible like at some airports where you have to walk on a highway)
Nov 1, 2022, 9:34 pm
#1215
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Keskellä metsää
Programs: Onko teillä S-etukorttia?
Posts: 919
At HEL its fairly easy, just head to Hilton/Scandic/bus terminal/AY crew garage and there are walkways along roads everywhere. Then towards Aviapolis on Tietotie.