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Experience 005 Show Notes. Lounging Around. The world of airport lounges. The Seat 1A Podcast.

The Seat 1A Podcast

Release Date: 11/22/2018

Recorded 29 October 2018

Written by: Geoff Dahl & Vinod Viswalingam

Listen to this experience wherever you download your podcasts - including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play and Overcast.

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Exploring the world of airport lounges. What's in them, what lounges are available for whom, and are there ways around the restrictions? Getting a Thai massage at BKK before your flight. Comfortable beds for sleeping at FRA Lufthansa HON lounge. Accessing the lounge – there are many different ways. First and business ticket holders, flight status holders, certain credit card holders. The multitude of lounges available with both airline/alliance lounges and third-party lounges. Consider opening your wallet in some cases and paying a for single entry or for an annual membership (Virgin Australia also has a lifetime membership!) Vinny somehow got into a lounge with an expired card - and not just once or twice. The incredible Etihad Residence Lounge at AUH with a shout-out to Sam Chui for his review! And at the other end of the scale – wait until you hear about the "lounge" experience at LXR. How a simple shower will rejuvenate you between long intercontinental flights. Don't forget about sleeping cabins and pods at some airports...are they worth it? The crazy busy SilverKris T3 lounge at SIN in the later evening...and Qantas upping their first-class lounge game at SIN by late 2019. SAS Golden Lounge at CPH – a new daylight boosting zone for those long Nordic winter nights. Cathay Pacific paid lounge access promotion at three airports flying to HKG.

If you have a lounge story, question or experience that you would like to share, please email us at stories(at)seat1a.org or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Patreon. Show notes are available online at http://podcast.seat1a.org/


 SELECTED LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE EXPERIENCE



NEWS ITEMS

airwaysmag.com | Qantas Announces New First Class Lounge in Singapore (25 October 2018)
https://airwaysmag.com/airports/qantas-announces-new-first-class-lounge-in-singapore/
"…Australian carrier Qantas has announced today plans to open a brand-new first class lounge at Singapore’s Changi Airport in late 2019…"


businesstraveller.com | SAS upgrades lounges at Copenhagen airport (26 October 2018)
https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2018/10/26/sas-upgrades-lounges-at-copenhagen-airport/
"…There is also a new Daylight Booster Zone in the SAS Gold Lounge, offering light therapy to 'beat the effects of jet lag and winter depression in Scandinavia’s dark, winter months'…"


businesstraveller.com | Cathay Pacific begins paid access to its airline lounges [Promotion in Manila, Melbourne and Vancouver] (10 October 2018)
https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2018/10/10/cathay-pacific-begins-paid-access-to-its-airline-lounges/
"Cathay Pacific has joined a handful of other airlines that have begun offering travellers the ability to pay to access its airport lounges. Marco Polo Club members are now able to pay a HK$600 (US$75) fee per visit using their credit card to enter its facilities in Manila, Melbourne and Vancouver"



PODCAST CORRECTIONS, CLARIFICATIONS, CONFIRMATIONS

  • Thai Airways – any customer with lounge access at BKK also has access to a 30-minute foot massage
  • Frankfurt has an Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge
  • Lufthansa HON Circle Status level is 600,000 miles in First and Business Class, and on the BIZclass fare in two consecutive calendar years
  • Many US domestic lounges charge for premium alcohol



PEOPLE MENTIONED



SHOW NOTES

  • Lounges Introduction [00:01:20]
  • What's in a lounge? [00:02:10]
  • Get a massage with Thai Airways (TG) at BKK [00:03:55]
  • Who gets to go into the lounge? [00:04:50]
    • First or business class ticket [00:04:57]
    • Status cards [00:05:46]
    • Credit cards [00:06:59]
    • Paying airlines to access [00:07:54]
    • Lounge access in price of ticket [00:08:04]
    • Airline Lounge membership [00:09:23]
  • Vinny somehow got into a lounge with an expired status card - and not just once or twice [00:11:43]
  • Etihad (EY) Residence Lounge at AUH [00:15:13]
  • Not too much lounge luxury in LXR [00:15:59]
  • When is it worth paying for lounge access? [00:18:52]
  • Sleeping pods/cabins in airports [00:24:34]
  • When is an airport rush-hour? [00:27:07]
  • SIN Terminal 3 SilverKris Lounge later evening experience [00:28:30]
  • News Items
    • Qantas Announces New First Class Lounge in Singapore [00:34:07]
    • SAS upgrades lounges at Copenhagen airport [00:35:13]
    • Cathay Pacific begins paid access to its airline lounges [00:36:28]
  • Wrap-up [00:37:49]