ATH Lounge Access?
 

Hi all,

I'm flying Washington DC - Zurich - Athens later this year, coming in to Athens on Swiss at 1:30pm. My friend is arriving into Athens later that day at 4pm. I'm hoping to wait for her in a lounge. Is there one available/will I be able to use it, particularly if I'm also planning to pick up luggage that I've checked?

Additionally, I'm flying out of Athens on AC and she's flying out on Iberia a few hours later. Is there a lounge I'll be able to get both of us in to?

Many thanks for your help - haven't traveled internationally as a *G yet, so I'm still unfamiliar with the details of lounge access :)

You will have no lounge access on arrival.
*A lounges are departure lounges only, unless specifically stated as an arrivals facility.
So, arriving on LX with no onward BP means no access.
As to departure, if you looked at the AC website you'd see that Air Canada uses the Aegean Club CIP lounge on the first floor in T1.
As a *G in a contract lounge (in your case here) you can bring one guest - if he/she is on the same flight. So afraid you're out of luck.

If the AC flight is a code share (say, with LH or A3) the info is correct (although I'm certain the A3 ladies would let her in, they're always very nice). Otherwise, AC would be leaving from the non-Schengen area and I'm afraid that your partner will be on the other side of the airport. Again, no good news for you.

I don't think that AC operates any direct flights to Athens, but since the lounges are located before the security check (still need a boarding pass to access the area), it is quite easy to visit and then head to the other side of the airport, in case the flight is direct. Just allow about 10-15 extra minutes.

I do it all the time in summer, when US has direct flights!! ;)

The Lufthansa Lounge is reasonable - its a Star Gold lounge and right next door to the Aegean Lounge - try both - personally i find the aegean lounge better for food drinks and a smoking room (like the arrrivals lounge at frankfurt but much bigger and much nicer) but the lufthansa lounge is better for magazines and papers to read

AC does fly Montreal-Athens during the summer. And if the person standing at the obsolete BC check is very stupid (unfortunately, this does happen often), (s)he may not let one through to the A3 or LH lounge if the passenger is supposed to fly from the A (non-Schengen) gates. Certainly worth a try, but one never knows.

in my regular experience, never a problem entering the Shengen B gate area to use the A3, LH pr Onassis lounge with a boarding pass for A gates - the one time I was asked I told the security staff member I wanted to use the lounge - no problems whatsoever

I believe the Aegean lounge is operated by A3 so that it wouldn't be considered a contract lounge.