Sep 15, 2016, 3:24 am
Last edit by: NewbieRunner
This lounge is now closed and replaced by the Finnair Premium Wing.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/finnair-finnair-plus/1973050-ay-platinum-wing-now-open.html
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/finnair-finnair-plus/1973050-ay-platinum-wing-now-open.html
Finnair Premium Lounge in non-Schengen area [now closed]
Apr 5, 2019, 10:41 am
#721
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: HEL
Programs: SPG LTP, hotels, OWE, STE+, *G, Octopus
Posts: 5,789
Here in Canada, if you don't at least try to speak French when visiting Quebec some people get offended. So, wherever I visit amywhere I try to know at least a few phrases like 'thank you', 'a beer please', 'how much', and most importantly, 'do you speak english' in the native language. Since I was just in transit through Helsinki, I didn't think to do this and only just realized now that I could have just googled it in the lounge (sigh...).
But kudos to learning to order beer and saying thanks - I think that's a great way of showing respect. People here enjoy speaking English (a bit too much??) so no worries next time!
Apr 5, 2019, 11:51 am
#722
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: 14,182
Here in Canada, if you don't at least try to speak French when visiting Quebec some people get offended. So, wherever I visit amywhere I try to know at least a few phrases like 'thank you', 'a beer please', 'how much', and most importantly, 'do you speak english' in the native language. Since I was just in transit through Helsinki, I didn't think to do this and only just realized now that I could have just googled it in the lounge (sigh...).
Apr 5, 2019, 12:18 pm
#723
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: HEL
Programs: SPG LTP, hotels, OWE, STE+, *G, Octopus
Posts: 5,789
Apr 5, 2019, 8:43 pm
#724
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NCL
Programs: UA 1MM/*G. DL Gold for one more year.
Posts: 5,305
Just don't try addressing the lounge staff in Swedish (works fine with GAs and FAs, though).
Apr 6, 2019, 12:17 am
#725
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,545
Here in Canada, if you don't at least try to speak French when visiting Quebec some people get offended. So, wherever I visit amywhere I try to know at least a few phrases like 'thank you', 'a beer please', 'how much', and most importantly, 'do you speak english' in the native language. Since I was just in transit through Helsinki, I didn't think to do this and only just realized now that I could have just googled it in the lounge (sigh...).
That said completely agree with you that trying or at least acknowledging it’s not an automatic entitlement for locals to help you in English but nice of them to do so is very important everywhere indeed.
Apr 8, 2019, 10:52 pm
#726
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum (OWE), SK G(*G), BW Diamond
Posts: 810
Well, I asked about the topic in the Schengen lounge and helpful lounge attendant mentioned "May, maybe even delayed from that". Hopefully just fake news, or then exactly the info AY tries to hush as my scenario1 has occcured.
But given that no official info is out, I'm tempted to believe this source but at the same time more than happy to see it was all wrong.
edited. Remembered wrong my own scenario numbering..
But given that no official info is out, I'm tempted to believe this source but at the same time more than happy to see it was all wrong.
edited. Remembered wrong my own scenario numbering..
Last edited by Post Scriptum; Apr 8, 2019 at 11:25 pm
Apr 8, 2019, 11:21 pm
#727
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Switzerland
Programs: AY+ Platinum, SK Gold, BAEC Silver, airbaltic VIP, Radisson VIP
Posts: 6,532
Well, I asked about the topic in the Schengen lounge and helpful lounge attendant mentioned "May, maybe even delayed from that". Hopefully just fake news, or then exactly the info AY tries to hush as my scenario2 has occcured.
But given that no official info is out, I'm tempted to believe this source but Im more than happy to see it was al wrong.
But given that no official info is out, I'm tempted to believe this source but Im more than happy to see it was al wrong.
Apr 9, 2019, 9:16 am
#728
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, GC Jade
Posts: 102
I asked yesterday in the zoo that is the non-Schengen lounge at 4pm, and the answer was “hopefully during the summer”. Should we start betting? My money is on October.
Apr 9, 2019, 10:51 am
#729
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum (OWE), SK G(*G), BW Diamond
Posts: 810
I still feel the worst thing is AY's inability to communicate if some type of information is already publicly available, either actively stone the hearsayers (after all, this all can be fake news) or come out and take initiative 
I guess they printed out too many "Platinum Wing open on 26.3"- billboards they are too busy thinking which date to forge them so that inconvenient truth could be hidden.
Maybe time to do some LI-stalking to see is anyone from Länsimetro working for AY.
I guess they printed out too many "Platinum Wing open on 26.3"- billboards they are too busy thinking which date to forge them so that inconvenient truth could be hidden.Maybe time to do some LI-stalking to see is anyone from Länsimetro working for AY.
Apr 9, 2019, 12:13 pm
#730
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: C2
Programs: AY ex-Lumo, TK Elite, BT VIP, ITA Executive
Posts: 1,157
26.3. can easily be changed to 26.8. Or keep the date for 2020 and test the strength of loyalty.
Apr 10, 2019, 12:26 am
#731
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: HEL
Programs: AY+ Gold (OWS)
Posts: 528
It's great how Mr. Manner as the CEO of the company has during his tenure of a bit over three months already found time to cut the budget of an already ongoing lounge construction project. It's also great that his predecessor apparently was smart enough to negotiate a contract that allows Finnair to completely change plans / reduce the scope of the works while the work is ongoing. And it's even better that bdsm is here to share all this with us.
Apr 10, 2019, 12:30 am
#732
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: 14,182
Upon meeting Mr Vauramo he never struck me as lavish.
I should have asked him to saber a bottle of champers if I knew
I should have asked him to saber a bottle of champers if I knew
Apr 10, 2019, 1:48 am
#733
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: HEL
Programs: lots of shiny metal cards
Posts: 14,107
I had to think about the "sabre a bottle", but now I got it. Difficult to do it on board, with all the pesky security and their view on sabres (in some cases even light-sabre!)
Apr 10, 2019, 2:18 am
#734
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: HEL
Programs: AY+ Plat and several other cards
Posts: 645
Having lunch at non-Scengen lounge right now. One of the very nice staff members previously working at Premium side is now on duty herehere we chichatted for a while. She told the renovationr will probably still take quite alot of time due to some unforseen problems (moisture in the structures or something like that) and we are prob talking of months.
Apr 10, 2019, 2:51 am
#735
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: 14,182