Etihad lounge access

[wyvern]

Not very impressed that Etihad have restricted gold Velocity members travelling in Y to an inferior contract lounge at AUH. Wifi does not let you use an email client and lounge is 15-20mins walk from where the VA/EY codeshares depart from, less space, nowhere to plug in a laptop, too bright and very full. Apparently this was communicated to Etihad guest members via email and VA were to pass it on to Velocity members - however I only found out after a walk through the terminal to the other lounge so had to walk all the way back again! I do think we could have been told about this either by email or at checkin or a notice as we were leaving the plane.

 

[notzac]

Hrm .. I wonder if this applies to travel in whY+ :?:

 

[The Rok]

When did this happen? I was in the Etihad J Lounge in AUH in April travelling VA/EY in Y and just used by Velocity Gold Card, no questions.

Only complaint I had was that the EY lounge was PACKED on both legs. Really struggled to find an inch of seating space. If they are removing VA guests from their J Lounge it might be a temporary measure to allow for it to be increased in size.

 

[777]

When did this happen? I was in the Etihad J Lounge in AUH in April travelling VA/EY in Y and just used by Velocity Gold Card, no questions.

Only complaint I had was that the EY lounge was PACKED on both legs. Really struggled to find an inch of seating space. If they are removing VA guests from their J Lounge it might be a temporary measure to allow for it to be increased in size.

It's not specific to Velocity Gold - same situation applies to their own Gold members. I think it's to ease the capacity problems in the J lounge until the J lounge is expanded /upgraded -- hopefully that will be soon.

It has been noted on the VA web site but no email has been sent out.

 

[notzac]

It has been noted on the VA web site but no email has been sent out.

^ When travelling in Coral Economy Class Velocity Gold members must access the Etihad Airways Al Reem Lounge in terminal one until further notice.

So .. does this apply to folk travelling on VA metal (seeing as there's no such thing as "Coral Economy Class" on VA)?

 

[777]

So .. does this apply to folk travelling on VA metal (seeing as there's no such thing as "Coral Economy Class" on VA)?

I'd assume so but it's poorly worded.

 

[wyvern]

It came in on 1 July and I hope it is temporary. It applied to me travelling on VA metal. From the leaflet they gave me it applies to golds in Y+ too.

I would not mind using a different lounge like you do at Singapore as a *G in Y, but the lounge they are using is 15-20 mins from the international departures terminal and you need to go through security en route, which makes it a poor lounge for connecting international pax. The lack of proper Internet is bad (especially when there is a locked decent wifi signal from the EY premium lounge next door you can't use, and there are no calls for flights. Though there is a shower.

What annoyed me most was that nobody told me until I has gone through security to the old lounge (so had to do the walk 3 times!).

One thing to note is that EY longe access applies to their silvers in Y too and there can't be that many DJ golds flying through AUH in Y/Y+. So maybe a more sensible approach would be to restrict access to EY silvers but not EY/VA golds. Which is kind of what most other airlines do, where golds have access to 'better' lounges than silver.

For me this is just another symptom of the VA/EY codeshare not being fully joined up (unlike a One World or *A codeshare which generally is pretty seamless). So another reason to think twice before booking VA/EY Europe-Australia or vice versa).

 

[notzac]

It came in on 1 July and i hope it is temporary. It applied to me travelling on VA metal. From the leaflet they gave me it applies to golds in Y+ too.

Thanks for the heads up..!

 

[777]

For me this is just another symptom of the VA/EY codeshare not being fully joined up ( unlike a One World or *A codeshare which generally is pretty seamless). So another reason to think twice before booking VA/EY Europe-Australia or vice versa).

I don't follow. If it's the same a for EY gold how is it an example of being poorly joined up?


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