GSBEWR

Sorry, but I have to disagree with you completely. While I will agree with you about the C120 club at times, I will always take the A2 club over that gate area any day of the week. It doesn't take much for that concourse to become so overcrowded in a short amount of time. And there are the times when I am in the C74 club looking down at some of the gates and the masses of people there and I am sitting in my nice comfortable chair.

Are the EWR clubs often the most crowded of all the UCs. Probably. But I will still take them over the gate areas any day of the week.

blueman2

Well, I did not try the A terminal UC, so you might be right there. But I did find the gate area MUCH more quiet, calm and relaxing than the crazy crowded situation in the UCs. Maybe I was there on a bad day, but that is my experience.

megalab

I've done the IAD LH Sen Lounge trek when I was *Gold (which I recall was less hassle than getting to the EWR LH Lounge) but I'm not *Gold anymore. My UC Club membership gives access to *A business lounges, which is all the SAS Lounge professes to be, but LH has two tiers in most places. The EWR LH Senator Lounge is in the same place and looked bigger and "fancier" but I was not entitled.

megalab

You're both right. The A UC Club will probably always be better than the A gates, but the C Terminal UC Clubs were both worse (more crowded so less comfortable seats available, noisier, dirtier) than the new C108/110 gate I experienced, even though C110 had a 767 worth of people waiting. My only complaint with C110 was the overhead music was not to my taste, but it was still quieter than the zoo in the C120 Club, and I was glad I left C120 UC early.

Even if not at C108/110, the new, upscale C Terminal bars and restaurants looked like a much more appealing alternative to the tired, run down UC's and their lower quality food and beverage. A UC Membership/Pass may be better than paying, but for a quiet place to eat and drink in EWR there will be few times the new C terminal amenities will be a less appealing place than the old C Terminal UC Clubs.

PsiFighter37

I've generally managed to find space in the C3 UC. What genuinely surprised me was finding a boatload of free room the C1 UC on a Friday afternoon a couple weeks ago. Very pleasantly surprised by that...and they even had salami!

8MiHi

I have been going to the EWR lounges in C since they were opened C1 in the 80s and C3 in the 90s. They have never been this crowded and need to be rethought.
Multiple factors are likely to blame, but I actually think that the TSA may be a primary culprit as travelers are told to arrive extra early. As this is worked through (I am ever the optimist), there may be improvement.
I am most interested in knowing where the "new" Polaris lounge will be and when it will open. It is even possible that the new EWR Polaris Lounge will reduce some of the overcrowding.

Flying Machine

Thanks for the clarification.. with all the crowding issues of late I will try the LH Senator lounge at EWR on my next extended layover.. Safe Travels

megalab

I got a paper BP before heading to B. However, Once there I first tried my electronic BP and it worked just like anywhere else. The TSA agent did question me about why I was there but accepted my explanation about going to the lounge.

OTH, he also handed me one of the yellow Pre-check cards, saying I wouldn't have to remove shoes or jacket. TSA agent at the screening machines told me it was only for people 75 and over (she first asked to see my ID even though I'm nowhere near 75!) so obviously some confusion there.

GSBEWR

An off-topic for sure, but whatever happened to the old RCC space used by pUA in A1? Is it being used at all? Just curious.

Eadward

Yes, same here

One of our FTers who seemed to know what he was talking about said it would likely be in a space adjacent to the C3 lounge, but this was under study.

8MiHi

If they expand into the area behind the stores and services directly in front of C3 security, that could work. I hope they can find enough space without disrupting the existing UC. I don't think they'll go back to the old PC sites by gates 102 or 110.

kwflyer

The senator side of the lounge has better food and drink, including champagne.

Antonio8069

Returning to the subject of the thread, I am currently in the C Term lounge and - have to say - it is fine:
- I arrived at 05:15 am and the only crowd was to get breakfast;
- the brekkie spread is better than ever - hot oatmeal, ingredients to make muesli, dried cherries & raisins, bananas, apples, sliced pineapple and cantaloupe, toast, bagels, preserves (incl. peanut butter!), banana bread and specialty coffees;
- the quiet room was empty (by 6;30 there was 1 and capacity is 100);
- floor to ceiling windows with great views of the tarmac (match that, IAD0;
- ample supply of NYT, WSJ and Jersey papers.
The wait time for the shower was 20 minutes - long enough to eat!

I have said it before and repeat again - the crowds in this lounge come and go with large flights. This time, I have a 5 h layover and the "worst' was from 06;00 - 06;30 EST.

Also, the staff in this lounge are hands down nicer than those in IAH and IAD. The problem with the A Term lounge is there is often no TSA Pre, long lines, so by the time I get there I have maybe 15 mn to calm down after the frazzle of security at Term A.

tarheelnj

With PreCheck at that time of the morning, you're much better off using the PreCheck line in Terminal C, then taking the bus over to A. I've tried both ways, and Terminal C/Bus is usually faster. If you're coming off an international arrival (made an assumption based on your comment about the shower), it's a straight shot up the escalators after you exit Customs.

gold23

Not only this, but with the renovation of the men's room in the A gate area, in order to use the restroom you've had to walk down the stairs and almost leave the building altogether to go. If you have bags, it's a huge pain.

A UC is passable. Competent and generally likable agents, food sparse but enough for a brief snack. Bartenders generally lazy, but I've had some interesting conversations at the bar.