jmd001

Am flying SFO-ZRH connecting to AMS on LX in biz (using UA miles; "I" class). Based on ticket type and *G status, what lounge(s) will I have access to while connecting in ZRH?

bruce80

While it is actually not a ZRH lounge question (as you'll connect in AMS): You will have access to the Swissport Aspire Lounge in AMS, which is the contract lounge for Schengen flights on *A carriers (for both Gold and business class passengers). Based on your *G status, you'll be able to bring a guest, however, the lounge is not that great (I usually say that the restrooms are the best part of the lounge, although there are no showers) and it is quite far from SWISS' usual departure gates. There is more information about it in a separate thread here on one of the forums (just search for AMS lounge, the thread might actually mention the old name of the lounge which I cannot remember at the moment).

In case you'll be landing in ZRH before 1pm, you will also have access to the arrival lounge in ZRH, based on your incoming business class flight.

jmd001

Thanks for the info, but I think you misread my post. It is a ZRH lounge question. That is, I will be connecting in ZRH (on my way to AMS).

Just updated my original post to clarify that I'm connecting in ZRH, not AMS.

bruce80

Ah, sorry.. then you'll of course have access to the entire range of ZRH Senator lounges. Depending on whether the A lounges will still be open and how long your connection time will be, you should probably spend most of your time in the E lounge (while I cannot really understand some of the enthusiasm towards that lounge, it's still slightly better than the A lounges) and, in order to factor in possible waiting times at immigration, change to the A lounge approximately half an hour before your boarding time. All access will be granted based on your *G status.

worldclubber

With all due resect, but have you ever been there? An outdoor balcony, food made to order, great showers, a well-stocked whisky-bar etc.; each of these reasons is a good one for being enthusiastic about
the E-lounges...

YuropFlyer

Personally I don't find the "food made to order" really great. It's ok, but I prefer the offer that many other non-flagship lounges have.

But, as you said, there are some other points which make the SEN E a fairly good, if not very good lounge.

bruce80

I have been there several times, yes.. and while I didn't say the E lounges (C and SEN) were a complete failure (they are still better than the ones in A), I just believe that they are not that great a leap forward from the old A/D ones, much unlike the FCL E. At least have I never bothered to take all the hassle to get there before an A/B departure, as it just didn't seem worth it to me, even with around 3 hours of connecting time.

Please allow me to elaborate this a bit further, so as to enable other readers to better understand the base of my opinion. While the design of the new lounges itself is quite nice, I never felt that design was an issue (just compare the old lounges to, for example, old LH SEN lounges or even BA lounges).

My main concern was always about the food and drink offerings, which is more or less a problem with all LH group lounges, particularly if they are located in a hub. Compare that, for example, to the average Emirates outstation lounge, or even to SQs T2 SilverKris lounge, which basically is a regional business class lounge.

And even if I compare the LX lounges to what is probably the closest relative to a SEN lounge outside the LH network, the BA Galleries First lounge at LHR, at least the drink offerings there are more suitable to my taste than those at ZRH (and while the breakfast there is quite typically british and might not be top-notch quality, the choice is much wider there). And while I cannot comment on the quality of the front cooking in E, it probably won't stand a comparison to what they, for example, do at CX The Bridge in HKG. And while they have extended the selection slightly conpared to the old lounges, they have more or less leveled the difference to the A lounges in the meantime by backporting most of the new offerings to the A lounges.

Now, they have added some additonal features as well, like the whisky bar. For sure, that's a nice idea, but will probably be of only limited use to most people arriving early morning. And every time I have visited the E lounges so far, the terrace was either closed or it was too warm outside to actually use it, so that's also something with limited value to me. I would gladly exchange both features for a wider spread of better quality catering in the lounge.

In the end, particularly if you compare the new lounges to what some (international) competitors provide at their hubs, the lounge is still "just" a LH group SEN lounge, and you can very clearly feel that. To me, it simply feels like they haven't gone as far as they could have to get their product one or two steps ahead of their competitors (while perfectly achieving this with their new FCL), and that is the reason why I just don't understand the hype that has obviously been created among some of the lounge users. It is definitely a welcome refurbishment of an existing product, but it is in no way something really new that would justify a huge enthusiasm.

it14

Hi LX experts,

I will be arriving in Zurich on SQ Suites (First Class) and connecting on LX J to Miami. I know Swiss First Class lounge is off limit to me. But can I enter Senator Lounge E on the virtue of my arrival F flight? I do not have any status on *A.

stargold

There is no entitlement based on SQ F arrival, so you are only able to access the Business lounge.

it14

Thanks stargold. Is there any chance at all the lounge attendant would practice some level of leniency in this respect? Anyone has experience arriving in F and departing in J having access to Senator lounge E? The lounge looks impressive with a whiskey bar.

stargold

Pretty much nil, I would have thought - the only opinion that matters, though, is the one of the lounge attendant when you ask on the day

callmedtop

If I am traveling:

Day 1: LIS-ZRH in LX J
Day 1: ZRH-FRA in LX J
Day 2: FRA-USA in LH F

Will I have access in ZRH to the FCL, or do I need to be traveling on a same-day LH/LX flight? Would be on the same ticket.

bruce80

According to the rules, you need to be traveling on a same day flight, but: recently, a friend was traveling from Luxembourg to Dar as Salaam on LX, with a night in ZRH. After some discussion with the agents at the FCL A, they were permitted to use it and have some dinner there after their arrival from LUX, even though the F leg was only on the next day. According to the hotline, this can be decided by the lounge staff on an individual basis. Without the intention to create too high expectations I would say that it is worth a try; however, as your F leg won't depart from ZRH the next day, I would say that your chances aren't very good.

callmedtop

Thanks!

hansepoint

Flying ZHR-SIN next week in F and connecting in ZRH arriving in the A terminal from within EU. Was wondering what current recommendations with all the new changes and construction there were regarding the F Lounges: F Lounge in T E still recommended over the one in T A?
Should we go to the F Lounge in A and ask for a transfer drive to the E Lounge or don't bother and aim to make a quick Heidi-train-ride? We have about 2 hours between arrival and boarding of the next leg. Thanks for any advice / recent experiences !