Kleffen

thanks for mentioning this. Going through tomorrow and expected it to be less crowded

schley

Landed at 515 this morning and couldn’t get to Senator A lounge as I arrived non-Shenzhen and depart non-Shengen. Immigration wouldn’t allow me to enter since I don’t have a non Shengen flight. Not sure what other documentation is needed as an American ahead of me was showing papers in addition to her COVID test.

Hauled over to Senator B adn showers were open! I’m happy. Of course food is as restricted to take away only. Also got the last flight out of KSA 1240 am with a lockdown for at least 1-2 weeks on all KSA international flights started at midnight this morning so we already were boarding so allowed to leave. Thank goodness. Worry about getting back when I get back.

ISTFlyer

As a US citizen, unless you have a residency permit in the EU or some other countries, there is no way for you to get into the Schengen area even just only for the lounge. If you were thinking to use the SEN Lounge at Terminal 1A at the first point, you were completely wrong.

Comatose.Captain

Welcome lounge is closed for sure. I believe in addition to the SEN in A, the C lounge in the root of a should be open, too, as should the SEN lounge near the mid-forty B gates.

Not sure about the showers. With 5 1/2 hours on my hand, I would probably go landside (if allowed), to get something more decent to eat than what they've got in the lounge (at least when flying economy).

schley

I didn’t know any restrictions and the A lounge opens at 6, so completely wrong is something you learn through doing with dynamic restrictions. I tried to enter and go to the A Senator lounge as I know that was open, I couldn’t get through so I walked down to the B lounge and waited until 7 am when it opens. No arrest was made.

sophialite

hate to break it to you but the restriction existed from the start. Hardly dynamic.

schley

Dude you are saying travel during the time of COVID isn’t dynamic? I’ll give youu an example. My flight from Dmm-Fra was taking off at 12:40 am on the 21st. Government of KSA shut down all international flights for at least a week with another week optional effective midnight of the 21st, so we were delayed from departing but we were allowed to take off as everyone was through immigration and on the plane by midnight.

Things happen and it isn’t a plan, it is a reaction to what is taking place, with little to no warning and understandably so. Keeping track of whether the A lounge has been open for Americans in transit hasn’t been on the forefront of travelers minds. If isn’t open great, if not we are safe and traveling so we are already ahead of the game.

nufnuf77

I am currently scheduled through FRA in F 4 times in Jan/feb and tried to minimise times due to F lounge closure. In march I am just buying a trip with wifey and wondering, should I optimise for F lounge time or unlikely to be opened by mid-march?

sophialite

nobody knows

nufnuf77

I went for the shortest connection, just sent it to my TA. i foresee things are so fluid i dont wanna optimise that yet. besides who knows if GRU will have the 74H, or move back to 359 and I end up flying through ZRH anyway...

sophialite

Just take AF P. Better onboard product, far better ground service including the only indoor dining in all of Paris, car transport, and PA support the entire journey. And it's all still happening right. now. Loyalty to airlines means nothing during the pandemic. If you want to enjoy the travel, pick the best overall product. If you want to get there as quickly as possible, fly direct. If you want to save money, fly coach.

nufnuf77

I do think thats interesting but AF dont offer P fares or fly P to BOG and with my offices in GRU and BOG, I find LH fares allowing stopovers in GRU perfect for my needs!

sophialite

That’s fair. I suppose if you’re based in some place like MAN the decision to pin your loyalty to LH/LX is a bit more questionable in these times

NYC1

Let alone London .

NYC1

Agreed. I would add though that there is some / a lot of correlation, at least for me, between "enjoy the travel" and "get there as quickly as possible" and even more so under the current circumstances.