HEL Premium Lounge [now closed]
Sep 18, 2018, 4:02 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: try to stay home
Programs: AY, M&M, BAEC ...and don t care of status anymore
Posts: 2,042
HEL Premium Lounge [now closed]
Hey I just got the message that the Premium lounge will be closed from Oct. to Feb.
"We are renovating the non-Schengen area lounge from October 2018. The food and beverage selection will be limited during the renovations. You can enjoy improved lounge services from May 2019. The Premium lounge will be closed from October 2018 and is estimated to be re-opened in February 2019."
The normal Non Schengen lounge will be renovated as well, since the lounge was already to small, is there an alternative to kill time at HEL. I have two longhaul flights coming up till 31. Dec. just wonder if there is anything AY do to compensate this.
https://www.finnair.com/DE/gb/information-services/at-the-airport/lounges?utm_medium=email&utm_source=membership&utm _campaign=fplus+Statement+G+y2018+m9+wk38+d18+DE+G B&utm_content=m35+finnair+is+improving+helsinki+ai rports+lounges&utm_term=2018-38-de-statement&ETj=5661376&ETl=396_HTML&sfmc_sub=299347 28&ETu=404238419&ETjb=562&ETmid=6230918
"We are renovating the non-Schengen area lounge from October 2018. The food and beverage selection will be limited during the renovations. You can enjoy improved lounge services from May 2019. The Premium lounge will be closed from October 2018 and is estimated to be re-opened in February 2019."
The normal Non Schengen lounge will be renovated as well, since the lounge was already to small, is there an alternative to kill time at HEL. I have two longhaul flights coming up till 31. Dec. just wonder if there is anything AY do to compensate this.
https://www.finnair.com/DE/gb/information-services/at-the-airport/lounges?utm_medium=email&utm_source=membership&utm _campaign=fplus+Statement+G+y2018+m9+wk38+d18+DE+G B&utm_content=m35+finnair+is+improving+helsinki+ai rports+lounges&utm_term=2018-38-de-statement&ETj=5661376&ETl=396_HTML&sfmc_sub=299347 28&ETu=404238419&ETjb=562&ETmid=6230918
Last edited by Ed Size; Sep 18, 2018 at 4:10 am
Sep 18, 2018, 5:03 am
#3
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Switzerland
Programs: AY+ Platinum, SK Gold, BAEC Silver, airbaltic VIP, Radisson VIP
Posts: 6,531
As noted elsewhere I am very annoyed by this. Unfortunately, it is during the time when I have most flights on AY via HEL. The 2 showers at the Schengen lounge simply won't be enough for all AY flights (+QR, BA and JL).
Sep 18, 2018, 7:25 am
#5
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: 14,174
IIUC, they are expanding the lounge area to the "south". Meaning, new premium lounge will have a slightly new location.
I also do hope they are doing something about the number of toilets. Rebuilding toilet / kitchen areas and moving the wall to the south is probably an encroachment enough to force a close entirely.
I also do hope they are doing something about the number of toilets. Rebuilding toilet / kitchen areas and moving the wall to the south is probably an encroachment enough to force a close entirely.
Sep 18, 2018, 11:15 pm
#7
Ambassador: Finnair
Join Date: May 2003
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Lumo, BA Silver, HHonors Gold
Posts: 4,268
How is the drink selection / policy in the non-schengen lounge now as premium is closed? Havent been there in years and before it was a paid bar and then they comped the drink against showing your card?
Oct 2, 2018, 7:58 am
#9
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum (oneworld Emerald), Bonvoy/Radisson/Hilton Gold
Posts: 149
Did Premium already close on Oct 1st? They stated that showers and sauna will close on Oct 1st and Premium "from Oct to Feb"... If yes, has any Plat/Emerald already tried the Biz Lounge offering drink-wise?
Oct 3, 2018, 2:09 pm
#10
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: EWR
Programs: CX Green | UA Silver | Marriott Lifetime Platinum | Hyatt Globalist | Hilton Gold | AA EXP
Posts: 813
"We are renovating the Non-Schengen area lounge starting in October 2018. The renovation will go on until May 2019 and then we can give you an even better lounge experience."
Maybe I'm reading it the wrong way but Finnair's english website describes AY lounges as 'Finnair lounge in the Non-Schengen area' and 'premium lounge'. Since AY is renovating the Non-Schengen area lounge (i.e. not lounges), it implies premium lounge is open? Well ... that's my hope anyway
because I have several flights to/from Asia in the next couple of months. In the summer I usually go to the city when I have long transit but not in the winter.
Maybe I'm reading it the wrong way but Finnair's english website describes AY lounges as 'Finnair lounge in the Non-Schengen area' and 'premium lounge'. Since AY is renovating the Non-Schengen area lounge (i.e. not lounges), it implies premium lounge is open? Well ... that's my hope anyway
because I have several flights to/from Asia in the next couple of months. In the summer I usually go to the city when I have long transit but not in the winter.
Oct 4, 2018, 8:56 am
#11
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: TMP
Programs: AY+ Plat, SK Gold, BT VIP, Radisson Premium, Accor Platinum
Posts: 794
The premium lounge is closed and the other one was extremely crowded today (they were turning some pax away when I arrived). Extra charge for Napue at least (the only one I asked). Beefeater was free...
Salmon soup was the only warm dish, wraps, some salads, etc on offer
Salmon soup was the only warm dish, wraps, some salads, etc on offer
Oct 4, 2018, 9:05 am
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: try to stay home
Programs: AY, M&M, BAEC ...and don t care of status anymore
Posts: 2,042
Oct 4, 2018, 10:48 am
#14
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum (OWE), SK G(*G), BW Diamond
Posts: 810
Asking for premium price on something that would be free of charge otherwise (i.e. Napue in Premium lounge) is not really good for customer experience, could be naturally just lack of communication. For crows, status cant really help but if AY does not compensate in any way for the decreased service when in fact it would be trivial, that is just weak.
Will travel to LHR on 4pm flight in few weeks, is that the peak hours at non-schengen i.e. expect nothing but huge crowds?
Will travel to LHR on 4pm flight in few weeks, is that the peak hours at non-schengen i.e. expect nothing but huge crowds?
Oct 4, 2018, 11:19 am
#15
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: C2
Programs: AY ex-Lumo, TK Elite, BT VIP, ITA Executive
Posts: 1,157
The food selection sounds like the same stuff we could "enjoy" during the Schengen lounge renovation. I'd better be handed a restaurant voucher, but I assume AY will rather prefer me (us) limiting lounge time to an absolute minimum (read even less than some people usually aim for spending there).
Not much of food on offer, no premium drinks, no reason to visit. This is how they want it, right?