Tilto007

from arrival at ARN airport to sit down in the lounge. We were in business class but the economy lines were not too bad.

Tilto007

We were inside the lounge around 45 mins after arrival at ARN plus they were enforcing the 3 hour
limit to enter the departure area so we just waited at the checkpoint for 30 minutes till we were allowed in.

EuroFlash

Later this year flying from LHR to ARN (BA), and then transferring ARN to BKK (AY)

Assuming BA dumps me at non Schengen T5, same area where ARN-BKK departs from, with no need for any transfer security?

ffay005

Thanks for the link! Looks like Fast Track is pretty bearable in the mornings, at least midweek.

However, on the SK forum, there has now been discussion about the queue having moved to outside the terminal. The goons who check pax BPs/tickets at the entrances ara really slow so it takes a long time to enter the building. And there is supposedly no Fast Track for that. ARN really has turned into a 3rd world airport.

LHSEN

Is it really that bad??!! I am contemplating if I want to take this flight next month …

bd777

Hi all, hoping to get some clarity on transferring in ARN. Doing LAX-ARN-HEL-LHR (in J) next month with a 1h 20m connection in ARN. To make sure I have this correct, checked bags will automatically be transferred, but even staying within T5 will require going through immigration/passport control?

Thanks for any help.

OH-LGG

T5 is not helping. You are entering to Schengen area so You go thru immigration.

nordic

I wonder if the flights were already full or if the SAS strike has helped to fill the flights in the next few days.

ffay005

I flew ARN-LAX on AY in J on Tuesday.

The ground experience at ARN came across as extremely amateurish. As if they were operating for the first time... Firstly, I got a predeparture email recommending that I go to the airport 3.5 hours before departure. For an 8 am flight? Yeah, right. I entered T5 at 6:11 am. I had a mobile BP, so no need to go to the check-in desk. Fast track worked fine, I was through security at 6:22. Passport control took 7 minutes.

My boarding pass claimed a boarding time of 6:45. Yeah, right. I entered the queue for the gate holding pen at 7:14, but it took ten minutes to get processed. They collected the attestation form, but did no other checks.

At 7:33, they made an announcement that boarding would start in 10–15 minutes, as soon as fueling is completed. The plane had arrived 20 hours earlier so one would imagine they would have had time to refuel... Then at 7:40, boarding started.

One J pax was bumped to Y as the flight was overbooked in J. Y had perhaps 20–30 empty seats.

Boarding was completed at 8:09, we pushed back at 8:22 and were in the air at 8:37. It got better from here. The cabin crew consisted of HKG based AY crew (who were so happy to be there, and not in HKG...), a few Swedes and at least one Finn. I had my doubts, but they turned out to be both professional and friendly.

The Tuesday flight has inverted service, ie a smallish breakfast tray after departure and main meal service about 2 hours before landing. I slept through the breakfast service, but as soon as I woke up, I was asked if I wanted to have breakfast.

The main meal came with one fork and one knife (for both the salmon starter as well as the veal main course), and only on request did I get salt and pepper in Y style paper pouches. Everything was of course served on one tray, as the 10 h 50 min flight time is surely not enough to serve a proper J meal. The salmon starter was good, the main course (I chose veal) okay and the dessert (white chocolate mousse) very good.

J class was, as seems to be customary nowadays, kindergarten class with some screaming and some loud ipads, and we also had a visit from a Y class toddler that ran through the aisle screaming. The FAs did nothing to intervene unless requested.

The captain made his announcements in Finnish and English, which was nice. We landed more or less on time. I was at passport control at 10:13, and it took a whopping 1 h 37 min to get through. In the queue, I talked to a Swedish pax who was very happy that AY is flying this route as SK has abandoned the route. He felt that AY has better service and is more reliable.

miamiflyer8

I don't know how I used to put up with this 😂 My last entry at ATL with Global Entry took 8 minutes from TK0031 door open to curbside. I do hope Finns can get GE one day.

NoWindowSeat

I don’t want to turn myself into constant whining about AY services but I must say their lounge arrangement at ARN T5 is just pathetic at best. They operate intercontinental 3 class of service flights from their 2nd hub…is that Norsken s*** really the best they were able to get at ARN? Even the former T2 Menzies was miles above the current lounge.

kauppias

The cheapest they could get more likely, they are in savings mode now

NoWindowSeat

Yeah. Well, it really is a joke on all fronts. Much
more pleasant in the public terminal.

Jainzar

I read on the Swedish side that you can talk yourself into the Aurora lounge if you have a good amount of time (due to terminal change). They will first send you to Norsken.

Norsken and Aurora are both Menzies lounges and it looks like they can charge AY for the lounge visit also at Aurora.

NoWindowSeat

My view about the AY LH ground handling at ARN is so negative that for future I’ll happily pay much more for ex-HEL. The gate is a complete zoo and absolutely no priority/status/J lanes whatsoever. The covid form collection is slower than US immigration on a bad day, shouting final call 10mins before anyone has been allowed to board the flight and ca. 100 people queueing for covid checks, absolutely everything is lacking quality and competence. Just overall feels like a 3rd world country operation how AY is running the long haul show at ARN. I strongly advise against booking with them ex-ARN at present.