Airport Lounges

[Ray Scully]

Has anyone noticed the rapid fall of in the standard of service and cut backs in airport lounges. It has reached a stage where we are no longer feel they offer value for money. Our feelings are very much reflected on comments in review sites.

Ray

[GillD46]

The only lounges we have used have been part of the ticket price, so we don't pay extra. The standards are very different we find, but the VA Clubhouse at LHR and the Qatar Lounge, also at LHR are both really excellent and no others have come up to their standards.

[Mervyn and Trish]

We've only used two, the BA offerings at Manchester and Heathrow Terminal 5, when we were travelling Premium Economy which qualifies for admission on domestic flights. The one at Manchester was lovely, an oasis of calm. The one at Heathrow was bedlam. It was quieter with the riff raff on the concourse!

[Manoverboard]

We are honorary Members of the ' Angel Club ' and as we frequent such esteemed places ' foc ' I would prefer not to look the gift horse in the mouth / kick the gift horse in the teeth / kick the gift horse up the a*se etc.

The answer is therefore " No ".

[Raybosailor]

I won't use airport lounges now I have to pay for them myself but that isn't the only reason, for one the food in the lounges is never suitable for my gluten free diet, complimentary drinks are no incentive to me either as I think alcohol and flying do not mix.

We don't tend to do long haul flights these days so an hour in the departure lounge with Mervyn's friends is no big deal either as you usually have to sit with them on the flight anyway.

[CaroleF]

A couple of years ago we booked the No. 1 Lounge at the North Terminal at Gatwick and we were very impressed with what was on offer and the price charged. The next cruise we went from the South Terminal and again booked into the No 1 Lounge there. It was dreadful - they ran out of cereal, no croissant and the place wasn't very clean. So next year we go again from the North Terminal and we will probably book the lounge again, unless we hear of a better one. It is lovely not to be in the hustle bustle of things in the Departure Lounge and the food in the North Terminal Lounge was very good - as was the coffee.

[Silver_Shiney]

I won't use airport lounges now I have to pay for them myself but that isn't the only reason, for one the food in the lounges is never suitable for my gluten free diet, complimentary drinks are no incentive to me either as I think alcohol and flying do not mix.

We don't tend to do long haul flights these days so an hour in the departure lounge with Mervyn's friends is no big deal either as you usually have to sit with them on the flight anyway.

The "8 hours from bottle to throttle" law doesn't apply to passengers....

[daib GC]

I won't use airport lounges now I have to pay for them myself but that isn't the only reason, for one the food in the lounges is never suitable for my gluten free diet, complimentary drinks are no incentive to me either as I think alcohol and flying do not mix.

We don't tend to do long haul flights these days so an hour in the departure lounge with Mervyn's friends is no big deal either as you usually have to sit with them on the flight anyway.

The "8 hours from bottle to throttle" law doesn't apply to passengers....

Can we have a Like button.

The First Class Lounge at Kings Cross is very nice. No booze though. Or there is and you have to pay for it.

[Suekersh]

We always book them and still think they are value for money. I am not too bothered about the food. Coffee and biscuits and a comfy chair away from the busy airport suits me fine. It is just nice to relax and read in peace.

[June1969]

We still use the lounges especially if flying at peak times. I do find that some have reduced the ages of children allowed in so that can sometimes make them noisy. A change of seats will solve that though if necessary. The ones we have used lately have been worth the cost.

[Raybosailor]

I won't use airport lounges now I have to pay for them myself but that isn't the only reason, for one the food in the lounges is never suitable for my gluten free diet, complimentary drinks are no incentive to me either as I think alcohol and flying do not mix.

We don't tend to do long haul flights these days so an hour in the departure lounge with Mervyn's friends is no big deal either as you usually have to sit with them on the flight anyway.

The "8 hours from bottle to throttle" law doesn't apply to passengers....

I wasn't suggesting that I would be piloting the plane Shiney but it is a well known fact that alcohol affects the body differently at altitude and in pressurised cabins, apart from that I usually have a car to drive the other end.

I remember the first time I flew it was from Luton to Malaga about fourty five years ago, we had a delay of eight hours so we had a few drinks in the airport. Half hour into the flight an announcement came over the P.A. asking for me to make myself known to the cabin crew, I summoned one of the crew wondering what was wrong and she appeared with a full bottle of Moet and two glasses. It was then I remembered that I had pre ordered the bubbly as a surprise for our wedding anniversary, with half a bottle of champers each on top of the drinks in the airport we were well merry when we touched down in Malaga and I vowed never again.

[Silver_Shiney]

Err. ...You do realise I was being tic, Ray?

[Happydays]

We like to use the lounges and fast track at security and find that they do vary depending on the airport.