HEL Premium Lounge [now closed]

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Oct 21, 2018, 1:05 am

#76

niksal

Join Date: Aug 2008

Location: Helsinki

Programs: AY Platinum, IHG Gold, Diners

Posts: 1,276

If the end result is anything like presented at the event last winter, the premium lounge will be very, very good.

Oct 21, 2018, 2:26 am

#77

ffay005

Join Date: Sep 2005

Location: HEL

Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels

Posts: 8,745

Quote:

Originally Posted by on22cz

You'd be very lucky to receive a 105-starting "case number" just for submitting a feedback (105 is AY's ticket number identification)

It's been a while since my last "case", and I think I know where the confusion comes from. Mixed it up with those EMD receipts for meals, seats etc that have 105-numbers, looking just like a ticket number!

I resubmitted, this time it worked and I got a case number staring 1-7xxx... There must have been some IT problems earlier on, since I wasn't able to log in, either.

Oct 21, 2018, 2:28 am

#78

ffay005

Join Date: Sep 2005

Location: HEL

Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels

Posts: 8,745

Quote:

Originally Posted by r2d2

About a week ago they had chicken pizza, which was also completely subpar. Every local pizzeria in Finland makes better pizza than what was served. With that quality of food they make people look for other alternatives. Perhaps that's what they want to do in order to ease congestion...

Please send them some feedback, too. They did listen to us on our frequent Euro-J meal complaints, maybe they'll listen here, too, at least if there are many of us voicing our concerns.

Oct 21, 2018, 9:30 am

#79

RobertClouse

Join Date: Apr 2008

Location: MSP

Programs: AA Exec Plat MM, Marriott LT Titanium, Hertz President, Hilton Diamond

Posts: 93

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve_Hun

I was in KUL about a year ago. MH was renovating its lounge and they had a temporary "pop-up" lounge. They fenced down a section of the corridor in airside and put there tables and brought food and drinks there. There was not even a toilet anywhere close by, let alone a shower. So instead of using a supposedly great F lounge, we had something that we are actually still laughing about. (before you ask, yes, we also went to CX's lounge, but that doesn't have showers in KUL) Take it the same way as we did. You got unlucky with your travel plans coinciding with the lounge renovations.

I had the same thing last year in KUL. It's... interesting sometimes. My luck was that I was originating in KL on my flight, so I showered before, heh. Well, I read there are allowances for the showers to be had, and the comments, people saying many lounges around the world don't have them? I haven't come across a situation where I couldn't in any of the hub cities. Especially non USA.

Last edited by RobertClouse; Oct 21, 2018 at 9:36 am

Oct 22, 2018, 12:40 am

#80

Oaxaca

Join Date: Dec 2014

Location: UK

Programs: BA, U2+, SK, AF/KL, IHG, Hilton, others gathering dust...

Posts: 2,552

Have read through the thread, but not 100% certain. As a OW Emerald (BA) flying BA HEL-LHR, will I have access to both the AY business lounge and Almost@home, or just one of them? If both, which is better? Would be an afternoon visit before the BA flight around 17:00, though probably not a lengthy visit anyway. Not a frequent visitor to HEL and have only used the Premium lounge previously in non-Schengen zone.

Am I correct that AY business Lounge is adjacent to the closed Premium lounge? That’s my recollection.

Many thanks in advance.

Oct 22, 2018, 12:42 am

#81

ffay005

Join Date: Sep 2005

Location: HEL

Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels

Posts: 8,745

With the remodeling going on, you will only have access to Almost@Home right now.

Oaxaca likes this.

Oct 22, 2018, 1:36 am

#82

Guillou

Join Date: May 2012

Location: HEL

Programs: AY+ Platinum (OWE), HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum, AX

Posts: 190

Based on the current status of the non-schengen AY lounge, Almost@Home is way better anyway and I would opt for that until the remodeling is finished.

Oaxaca likes this.

Oct 24, 2018, 9:23 am

#83

BA235

Join Date: Feb 2009

Location: Chelsea

Programs: BA Gold

Posts: 1,227

I am on a BA codeshare but AY operated flight back to Heathrow late afternoon. Any ideas where I should head?

Oct 24, 2018, 1:51 pm

#84

florens

Join Date: Oct 2010

Location: Switzerland

Programs: AY+ Platinum, SK Gold, BAEC Silver, airbaltic VIP, Radisson VIP

Posts: 6,529

Quote:

Originally Posted by BA235

I am on a BA codeshare but AY operated flight back to Heathrow late afternoon. Any ideas where I should head?

Codeshares are irrelevant for lounge access. The operating carrier is relevant for lounge access.

BA235 likes this.

Oct 24, 2018, 1:57 pm

#85

lkrt

Join Date: May 2013

Location: HEL

Programs: AY Plat (OWE), SK EBG (*A Gold), KQ Plat (STE+), Accor Plat

Posts: 3,157

Quote:

Originally Posted by florens

Codeshares are irrelevant for lounge access. The operating carrier is relevant for lounge access.

Not true always. As in this case both are oneworld, it doesn't matter (but it did two years ago when Silvers were allowed lounge access only on AY code).
Anyway in this case AY non-Schengen (and reportedly Schengen lounge too) lounge is/are your only option(s).

BA235 and florens like this.

Oct 25, 2018, 6:02 pm

#86

ffay005

Join Date: Sep 2005

Location: HEL

Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels

Posts: 8,745

Quote:

Originally Posted by ffay005

I resubmitted, this time it worked and I got a case number staring 1-7xxx... There must have been some IT problems earlier on, since I wasn't able to log in, either.

It took AY 39 minutes to send me a copy-pasted standard reply and 5000 points. However, they promised to send my feedback to the person in charge for lounge services. I do hope they really do that.

Oct 25, 2018, 10:02 pm

#87

riku2

Join Date: Jun 2007

Location: Helsinki, Finland

Programs: TK *G, BA Gold

Posts: 592

Quote:

Originally Posted by florens

Codeshares are irrelevant for lounge access. The operating carrier is relevant for lounge access.

The codeshare is important. If you are flying on the AY operated flight HEL-CDG with an AF flight number then you do not get access to Finnair lounges (with or without a one world emerald card). The flight is operated by AY but sold as code share AF also. I've flown this route with an AF ticket. Not allowed into the lounge!

florens likes this.

Oct 25, 2018, 10:50 pm

#88

florens

Join Date: Oct 2010

Location: Switzerland

Programs: AY+ Platinum, SK Gold, BAEC Silver, airbaltic VIP, Radisson VIP

Posts: 6,529

Quote:

Originally Posted by riku2

I stand corrected. Indeed I didn't think as far as the only codeshares I have experienced myself were within the same alliance. Thanks for clarifying this.

Oct 26, 2018, 4:31 am

#89

timol

Join Date: Jan 2001

Location: Switzerland

Programs: BA Gold, LH Sen, Bonvoy Plat

Posts: 843

Estimating HEL non-Schengen lounge usage

A number play with daily HEL flight data and AY fleet configs illustrates the wild daily fluctuations in how crowded the non-Schengen lounges can get:

r2d2, ffay005 and jmmi like this.

Oct 26, 2018, 4:38 am

#90

ffay005

Join Date: Sep 2005

Location: HEL

Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels

Posts: 8,745

Very interesting! Of course, during the afternoon peak, there's also a JL flight. BA and QR mostly operate outside the peak, right?

How many seats will there be after the renovation?