Bangkok - First Lounge

[ajw373]

I believe Qantas was the driver of the lounge design and operation at Suvarnabhumi, even down to the furniture and PC workstations.

I think Qantas have simply surrendered their (part?) of the lease on the lounge that was designated "First".

I think you will find it was the other way around, with BA being the lead partner in BKK, hence why it was so coughpy and unlike any other Qantas club. Even the wifi identifier was 'BA lounge'. QF was the 'lead' in Singapore though.

 

[simongr]

As the Emirates Partnership has kicked off QF has ceased their partnership with BA which means QF WP no longer have access to the BA/QF First Lounge in BKK.

Its just the Qantas Business Lounge now.

Qantas's presence in Bangkok is getting ever smaller.... piece by piece

This is highly misleading - it is just that the lounge isnt open when QF fly. A QF WP flying any OW airline ex-BKK can enter (when open) any of the OW lounges in BKK - that includes CX, BA and QF lounges.

 

[Kangol]

Any updates to this? Which is the best lounge in BKK for a WP?

OW website lists the following:
Bangkok Airport Business lounge

Location details: Departure area
Opening hours: Open 2 hours before flight departures
Notes: Check-in at the main check-in area

British Airways Lounge

Location details: Departures Level, Level 3, concourse G, near Gates 1-5
Opening hours: Daily: 16:00-last departure
Notes: Access to First Class Lounges is restricted to Emerald members or those travelling in First Class

• Business Centre
• Free Wifi
• Food and Beverages
• Showers
• TV

Cathay Pacific First and Business Class Lounge

Location details: Concourse G, 3rd floor
Opening hours: Mon/Wed: 05:30 - 19:30; Thu/Sun: 05:30 - 22:00; Tue/Fri/Sat: 05:30 - 00:30
Notes: Access to First Class Lounges is restricted to Emerald members or those travelling in First Class

Cathay Pacific First and Business Class Lounge

Location details: Concourse D, 3rd floor
Opening hours: Daily: 05:30 - 18:30 (closed between 12:00 - 13:00)
Notes: Access to First Class Lounges is restricted to Emerald members or those travelling in First Class

Louis Tavern First /Business Lounge

Location details: Concourse G, 3rd floor
Opening hours: Daily: 24 hrs

• Food and Beverages
• Showers
• TV

Qantas Business Lounge

Location details: Departures Level, Level 3, concourse G, near Gates 1-5
Opening hours: Daily: 16:00-last departure

• Business Centre
• Free Wifi
• Food and Beverages
• Showers
• TV

Sakura Lounge

Location details: Concourse D, 3rd floor
Opening hours: Daily: 05:45-08:30,18:00-23:30

• Business Centre
• Free Wifi
• Food and Beverages
• Wheelchair Access

Thai Royal Orchid

Location details: Departures Level, Level 3,
Opening hours: Daily: 05:00-01:00

Looks like CX has the only F lounge now?

Also now with the EK partnership, looks like the EK option would be worth checking out.
This is the most recent review I can find:
MD Travel Blog – Review: The Emirates Lounge Bangkok

 

[ajw373]

Think you will find that the BA lounge is just First Class with BA non first/Emeralds using the Qantas business lounge. This may have changed though.

Also keep in mind that the lounge RJ, AY, S7 and MH (who you have left of your list but are now OneWorld) use are third party lounges so are not part of OneWorld privileges unless you are flying the respective airline. As for CX with that I think you will find it is one lounge for all classes, despite the name but two locations.

 

[PLC]

Yes it is true the BA lounge is just not open before the QF flight - simple as that. Think about the EK lounge if you can get in. I tried it a few weeks ago and liked it. The QF business lounge is a bit more stylish and modern, but the EK lounge was bigger much and quieter, and probably had the better food / drink selection. The massage chair in the EK lounge was a bit of fun after a couple of drinks!!

 

[Hvr]

Sounds like something to look forward to when I'm there in a couple of weeks.

 

[JohnK]

Any updates to this? Which is the best lounge in BKK for WP?

The Qantas lounge.

 

[timster]

Old BA/QF Business Lounge = QF Lounge. Open 4.30pm-?? -- Larger lounge, but with limited views

Re closing time of the Qantas lounge - the sign said it closed at 10pm, when I was there a month or two back. Presumably for JQ30 to MEL.

In the past it used to stay open until BA10 leaves for LHR just after midnight.

 

[Kangol]

The Qantas lounge.

How does it compare to the EK one?
Looks like EK has Moet & Chandon, what does the QF one have (not that I'm basing my choice solely on champagne availability!)

 

[crum]

Last time I used the CX lounge on concourse G you had to go outside and use the public toilets. The rest of it was nothing special too.

 

[sydflyer]

Last time I used the CX lounge on concourse G you had to go outside and use the public toilets. The rest of it was nothing special too.

Agree. Was there in May/June. CX lounges very ordinary. No MH lounge. JL Sakura lounge ok, but not great.

 

[JohnK]

How does it compare to the EK one?
Looks like EK has Moet & Chandon, what does the QF one have (not that I'm basing my choice solely on champagne availability!)

Good question. I dont fly out on QF/EK so cannot use the EK lounge.

 

[JohnK]

Looks like EK has Moet & Chandon, what does the QF one have (not that I'm basing my choice solely on champagne availability!)

Jacobs Creek Trilogy! Does that help?

I have been in the CX lounge at Concourse G today and it was boring and I am now in the Qantas lounge. Nice and quiet until the hoardes arrive for QF024.

I think it would be worth trying out the EK lounge if you have access.

I am about to head over to the 2 TG lounges so I can make it another day of lounge crawls in 4 lounges drinking Coke lights! :shock:

 

[Kangol]

Jacobs Creek Trilogy! Does that help?

I have been in the CX lounge at Concourse G today and it was boring and I am now in the Qantas lounge. Nice and quiet until the hoardes arrive for QF024.

I think it would be worth trying out the EK lounge if you have access.

I am about to head over to the 2 TG lounges so I can make it another day of lounge crawls in 4 lounges drinking Coke lights! :shock:

Awesome, thanks.
What is the food offering in the QF lounge like?

I'm flying in Y on QF24 so I'd need to have something substantial to eat.. will get too hungry otherwise.
Might be worth getting there early-ish and checking out the QF lounge before going to EK - sounds like EK may have a wider and more substantial variety.

 

[JohnK]

Awesome, thanks.
What is the food offering in the QF lounge like?

The Qantas lounge has creamy mushroom soup, penang chicken curry and rice (looks nice but I think too hot for me), baron quiche (?), pork money bags, make your own ceasar salad (I have had 2 servings), and assortment of sandwiches/hors d'oeuvres style creations, asparagus, cheeses, sweets etc.

 

[Kangol]

The Qantas lounge has creamy mushroom soup, penang chicken curry and rice (looks nice but I think too hot for me), baron quiche (?), pork money bags, make your own ceasar salad (I have had 2 servings), and assortment of sandwiches/hors d'oeuvres style creations, asparagus, cheeses, sweets etc.

Wow. A lot more than I expected for an int J lounge - haven't been to one in a while due to WP status but from what I remember of the QF MEL one, it didn't have as much of a variety than what you're describing of that in BKK.

 

[JohnK]

Wow. A lot more than I expected for an int J lounge - haven't been to one in a while due to WP status but from what I remember of the QF MEL one, it didn't have as much of a variety than what you're describing of that in BKK.

That is fairly standard food offering for the Qantas Lounge in BKK from memory.

 

[Kangol]

An update to this: I was on QF24 a few days ago. The BA F/OWE lounge is only open from 8.20pm - midnight as per the sign.
The QF J lounge was OK, but the food and drink offering was limited.
The EK lounge was great! Moet, a wider range of spirits, nicer food (mains and dessert), quieter (even when it was close to QF24 boarding) and slightly closer to the gate (well on that day it was). I did get some attitude from the dragon but when I asked if I was allowed in as a QF WP, the attitude stopped. I then brought over my friends from the QF J Lounge (2x SG and 1x PS) and we got in with no problem. One of the drawbacks was that the shower in the EK lounge was tiny! Literally the size of two shower cubicles in total. My guess is that most QF WP/SG/J pax on QF24 would not be aware that they could use the EK lounge. When we arrived at ~3.30pm there were about 10-15 people in the QF Lounge which would likely get a lot busier closer to departure.

Pics to come.

 

[Kangol]

Here are some pics of row 23 on the A330 (front row Y):

BA F lounge sign:

EK lounge offering:
There was a dessert "station" that I didn't take pics of and a wider range of soft drink in the fridges below the counter compared to the QF one.

I didn't take any pics of the QF lounge (but it was on par with the standard of all of the QF int J lounges I've been in - MEL, HKG, NRT, LAX, AKL, SIN - the old SIN that is), nor did I go into any of the CX lounges but I think it's safe to say that the EK one is better, except for the small showers. Wifi was the same speed at both EK/QF from what I could tell with browsing for a few minutes.
Certainly not the kind of speed difference you find with say LAX T4 (very good) vs TBIT (snail-like).

 

[ms1]

What are lounge offerings like in BKK flying Thai as a Star Alliance Gold (TK) compared to flying QF as a OWE on QF24. Based on this thread it looks like I can access the QF Business lounge or EK lounge fling the latter option. What about the former? Which would be the better option based just on the lounge?