Does this mean that if I arrive in TPE on BR J and have an onward flight in BR Y, I cannot use the BR Infinity lounge?

Don't believe bocastephen stuttered....

Not unless you have *G status.

Your lounge access eligibility depends on your departing flight at TPE, and has nothing to do with your J class arrival flight at TPE. There is no arrival lounge at TPE with any airlines.

Really? I thought Infinity lounge access was (departing) class of service based only.

I know this has been asked, but has the lounge situation has changed? Flying to TPE on BR17, catching a 7am transfer and going straight to the office. Given the ~2 hour layover, where is my best chance of grabbing a shower? I will be in J, *G, and have PP.

Is this the right thread to get some free therapy by having a moan about how poor my lounge experience has been both times I've transited TPE ? Did VIE-TPE-BNE a couple of years ago, then last week I did OKA-TPE-VIE. Both times I was in Laurel Premium, both were late evening and I had about an hour spare for a lounge after allowing for walking to and from gates etc. Both times I was directed to the Infinity lounge and both times (i) I couldn't get a shower as the queue was over an hour long (ii) the lounge was crowded and the food was mediocre.

Compared to the other airlines I normally use for similar long haul, CX and SQ, this was shockingly poor for a "home" airport. I actually said something - politely - to the receptionist at the end of my most recent visit to the effect that I'd only been denied a shower 2x in 10 years of flying airlines of EVA's calibre in J, and both were at this lounge. She really couldn't have appeared to care less

Onboard experience, on the long haul flights at least, seems as good as ever. But the transit lounge experience is enough to steer me to look at other airlines and routes.

Was I just unlucky ? I see now there is also an SQ lounge at TPE. Should/could I have used that ? Thanks.

The SQ Lounge at TPE has been there for a long time. It has limited hours and I think only 1 shower.

The problem comes down to the delayed T3. They are just out of space in T1 and T2. It will really be interesting to see what lounges the TW3 (China Airlines, EVA and Starlux) end up building in T3.

No matter how big, I doubt they will be at the CX or SQ level - both size and comfort.

Thanks for the reply. Some comfort that I didn't miss a trick with the SQ lounge.

Taiwanese airlines (BR/CI/JX) aren't in the same league as CX or SQ in the airport lounge business. In that regard, they're more similar to the Japanese airlines. NH/JL lounges for business class passengers (without status) aren't any better.

Also possibly unlucky with your timing. Peak hours for EVA lounges are early morning (5AM-7AM) when all the NA arrivals come in and late night (8PM-10:30PM) before they all go out. There's a lot of transit traffic coming through to/from SEA so the lounges get packed and everyone wants a shower. Not that I agree 3 showers per lounge is in any way sufficienct.

I think the issue is the on-board product is really good, so the lounge is a disappointment, especially since its BR's home airport. The comp would be a decent Priority Pass lounge in Asia, which is not great when Airline lounges are generally a step above the PP lounge. Maybe T3 will rectify it, though I doubt it as I am not sure they care about the lounge experience

I must be the only person here happy to see BR TPE lounges after visiting AC YYZ Maple Leaf Lounge during the same trip

No you're definitely not - hygiene differences aside (use of dirty hands to take food, re-use of dirty dishes, both in the MLL), the food options in the BR lounge run circles around any MLL.

The SQ lounge isn't too bad either - although it's been a long time since they've had laksa, which was a tasty mainstay of the old SFO SQ lounge years ago.

Well Cathay also has the shower problem during the peak hours too. For J lounges during those holidays, it is near impossible to grab a shower at in the peak morning and evening hours. First Class lounges are a bit better but CX has many transit passengers. However I agree that EVA AIr lounges are remarkably poor in terms of food and decor. They did some cosmetic work, which made it a bit less like a cheap Chinese night club. However, the food selection is like a 7/11 and Family Mart, than a premium lounge. China Airlines actually has better food and a real noodle bar. Starlux is of course league ahead but has a small operation. Their lounge at T2 only has two shower booths at their lounge and their lounge at terminal one does not even have bathrooms inside the lounge. Once they have more flights. They will have the same shower queue issues too. For my just JX transit in the morning, it was an one-hour wait but then I had a long layover so it was okay.

I honestly lost faith on EVA Air now. My recent flights show more cutbacks than real improvement. Unless there is a cultural change, I don't expect any improvement in EVA Air Lounge. Even if they have the spaces for a new lounge, I doubt EVA Air will suddenly improve their lounge experience. Terminal Three looks nice but not sure about what kind of real lounge spaces will they offer! Also who will get to move there? CI and EVA both have a huge operation and they need more than ten gates. There are rumors that the major full service airlines will move to T2 and T3, while LCC will move to T1. I presume CX will stay at T1 given their lounge location. I have a feeling that everyone wants to move to the new terminal but let wait and see!

Carfield