Request for Turkish Lounge Access for CC
Jul 6, 2011, 11:52 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2011
Location: BKK
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Request for Turkish Lounge Access for CC
Is there anyway that we could request for TK Lounge access in Istanbul for that really long layover for HKG-IST-LAX (5+ Hours)?
Jul 8, 2011, 10:53 am
#4
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Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Buy a Priority Pass membership, or get yourself STARGold status. Otherwise there are several lounges on the second floor of the terminal that will sell you a day entry for about $25.
Jul 8, 2011, 11:37 am
#5
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Victoria BC
Programs: AC *50K MM; WS Platinum; Marriott Lifetime Titanium Elite
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According to the StarAlliance website, we should have been permitted access to the CIP Lounge at International Departures. But there was no point in trying to even discuss it with the "gatekeeper" at the door -- she ran the show and there was no discussion permitted!
Last edited by catgirl; Jul 8, 2011 at 11:42 am Reason: Additional info
Jul 8, 2011, 12:02 pm
#6
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Was just there on July 4 flying economy IST-FRA, and they wouldn't recognize my StarGold status; they only let you in if you're flying Business Class. Hubby is also StarGold and he was flying business class, so they were okay with letting him in, but they wouldn't even let me in as a guest.
According to the StarAlliance website, we should have been permitted access to the CIP Lounge at International Departures. But there was no point in trying to even discuss it with the "gatekeeper" at the door -- she ran the show and there was no discussion permitted!
According to the StarAlliance website, we should have been permitted access to the CIP Lounge at International Departures. But there was no point in trying to even discuss it with the "gatekeeper" at the door -- she ran the show and there was no discussion permitted!
Which lounge did you use? I was under the impression the TK lounge was still under construction (see http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/turki...l-22nd-14.html ) and that TK had made arrangements with several of the private CIP lounges to accept its C and F customers only. This is why STARGold do not have access at the moment. As I posted in another thread about my trip, I was in the Prime Class CIP lounge (a PP lounge) and although it had a large "TK First" sign at the door (TK has been sending its F passengers there) the receptionist kept sending STARGolds away. Every so often a TK agent would accompany some swanky looking person or persons into the lounge.
Once the TK lounge is reopened, under STAR rules they must let STARGolds into the lounge no matter what member airline they're flying as long as they have a same day outbound boarding pass.
Jul 9, 2011, 8:53 am
#7
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Victoria BC
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That explains it then. The business class check-in counter folks (who checked my hubby in Business and me in Economy) sent us both to the CIP Lounge in International Departures and the gate dragon there would only let my husband in but would not let me in as a guest. She provided no explanation other than to repeat that I was not permitted in. No worries though, we wandered down the concourse (our gate was at the opposite end) and enjoyed window-shopping along the way.
Jul 9, 2011, 10:27 am
#9
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That said, I do think it is disgraceful -- and in breach of STAR rules -- that TK did not make alternative arrangements for these lounges to accommodate STARGolds. I know LH made arrangements with a contract lounge to accommodate its non-Business Class STARGolds at IST because I flew with them in early April and was given a card at check-in showing me where to go.
Jul 9, 2011, 11:24 am
#10
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Victoria BC
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But were you flying TK in Business or First? While not defending TK, unless you held those TK same day boarding passes, you would not be permitted into any of the lounges they contracted with to handle their premium customers until the rennos were completed.
That said, I do think it is disgraceful -- and in breach of STAR rules -- that TK did not make alternative arrangements for these lounges to accommodate STARGolds. I know LH made arrangements with a contract lounge to accommodate its non-Business Class STARGolds at IST because I flew with them in early April and was given a card at check-in showing me where to go.
That said, I do think it is disgraceful -- and in breach of STAR rules -- that TK did not make alternative arrangements for these lounges to accommodate STARGolds. I know LH made arrangements with a contract lounge to accommodate its non-Business Class STARGolds at IST because I flew with them in early April and was given a card at check-in showing me where to go.
Jul 9, 2011, 1:46 pm
#11
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Pampanga, Philippines
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The StarAlliance website clearly shows (through their Lounge Finder utility) that all STARGolds should be let into the CIP International Departures lounge EVEN IF they are flying economy. Either someone forgot to let the CIP Lounge gatekeepers know or forgot to let Star Alliance know!
Jul 9, 2011, 3:53 pm
#12
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Jul 9, 2011, 4:33 pm
#13
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"I know LH made arrangements with a contract lounge to accommodate its non-Business Class STARGolds at IST because I flew with them in early April and was given a card at check-in showing me where to go."
LH made no such special "arrangements", LH has sent their people to the Millenium lounge continuously since 2000, with the only break being 3 years ago for a few months when they sent them to the "Divan Pub" while the Millenium lounge was being renovated. While other Star pax could use the TK lounge pretty much all of them have always sent their Biz and elite pax to OTHER LOUNGES.
LH made no such special "arrangements", LH has sent their people to the Millenium lounge continuously since 2000, with the only break being 3 years ago for a few months when they sent them to the "Divan Pub" while the Millenium lounge was being renovated. While other Star pax could use the TK lounge pretty much all of them have always sent their Biz and elite pax to OTHER LOUNGES.
Jul 10, 2011, 11:13 am
#14
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what are the names of the lounges that cost $25 and what do they include? I heard that the lounges in IST (ex CIP Lounge) are terrible.
Jul 10, 2011, 11:41 am
#15
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Until the new TK lounge opens with Do&Co catering, the catering in every single lounge at IST is exactly the same (okay, there has been a difference or two, the TK lounge often had soup, the BA lounge Snickers bars and Nestle wafer bars, the zone a slightly different crappy brownie square, and the HSBC lounge often an extra type of beer.....otherwise exactly equal), regarding the actual ambiance of lounges, to date the best (when not crowded) have been the downstairs prime class lounge and the BA lounge, the TK lounge was always terrible for a number of reasons.