Worst Biz Class Lounge in the World?

[FairlieFlyer]

Mumbai

Ambience of a large police holding cell, glaring fluorescent lights, hundreds of small chairs, lounge overfull with pax clockwatching for the 01:50 to get out of there.

Catering non existent except for coffee in paper cups & cans of warm beer

Getting the bird from the airlines on this one (LH/AF/NW/9W)

Other contenders?

[Momo]

Clearly the worst are where there is no lounge. That's a very long list. San Diego has none for Continental and that is the same for a lot of US airports. LCY has none for anybody.

[Final 3 Greens]

Fairlie Flyer

.... and mosquitos in the monsoon :\

My candidate - Tunis (Carthage)

[manintheback]

Milan Linate and its BA dungeon or BMI shared dump upstairs

[WHBM]

Those US lounges where the bar attendant has no interest in you other than how much you are going to tip, especially if you are on an international flight and have a voucher for a drink there as this terrifies them that they won't get a full tip (US domestic passengers have to pay, even in the lounge, there being no such thing as self-serve drinks as in the rest of the world). The tip dish is slammed down in front of you with such force that the adjacent peanuts jump out of their bowl.

If you do tip in a manner they judge adequate, when your drink is 85% gone it is suddenly snatched away from under your nose with a "Wannanotherone ?". Which of course means "I wannanothertip".

American Admiral's Club at Miami without a doubt the worst offender.

[wub]

The lounge at Antigua VC Bird is pretty lousy.

[Gulfstreamaviator]

the previous post is 100% correct.

Even the AA in LHR is similar attitude.

As to worst, Cairo, is / was bad, as is SVO, Moscow.

Kenshasa is interesting, too.

glf

[The Real Slim Shady]

PIA lounge in ISB and NW lounge in MSP.

Former because there is nothing in it and latter because of the dragons who sit behind the reception desk!

[galanjal]

Tehran Mehrabad airport, hands down!!

[denis555]

For rudeness and couldn't-give-a-monkeyness then BA lounge at Frankfurt wins hands down.

[Skintman]

Agree with WUB - Antigua VC Bird is pretty awful. Such a shame to remember a fab holiday and great island with a tiny and miles out of the way lounge.:(

[traymat]

There are so many lousy lounges out there, however have stumbled on quite good ones too.

If you made a top ten list of the most important parts in a lounge, what would they be?

[WHBM]

What makes a bad lounge ?

Bad type A is one with poor seating, cramped, few facilities, bad maintenance, and just provided with insufficient amenities.

Bad type B is one where the airline invests a substantial amount, puts lots of thought from head office into the design, lays down nice service standards, etc, and then the whole thing is spoilt by staff who are surly and just inappropriate for the role being done.

[traymat]

1 Staff friendliness
2 Comfortable seating
3 Quite
4 Minimum snacks and beverages (coffee, water, snacks such as pretzels, nuts etc)
5 Monitors for departing flights
6 Electric sockets
7 WiFi, preferably free
8 Newspapers and magazines
9 Airside
10 Separate kids area

Some of the top 10 which I think should be the minimum.

[strake]

It's hard to name just one but probably any "away" business lounge where you have been offered the facility but when you arrive:

1. Nowhere to sit because the lounge has the same space/people ratio as the public waiting areas in the airport
2. No food other than "snacks"
3. Disinterested staff
4. Internet/phones/fax "temporarily" not working (VS in Boston for about 18 months)
5. No national papers
6. Strange location 20 minutes away from the gate..or
7. Landside location so the gauntlet of security must still be run (VS at Newark or JFK..can't remember)

[dubh12000]

Yeah, VS at Newark.

I have to say, the bacon rolls in BA T5 lounge after you get in on a red eye are the best thing ever...:}

[strake]

I have to say, the bacon rolls in BA T5 lounge after you get in on a red eye are the best thing ever

dubh12000,

I see your BA T5 bacon roll and raise it with VS arrival breakfast, followed by shower, neck and back massage and chauffeur home....

Your move...:8

[traymat]

Agree that the VS arrival lounge is superior. Should be the bench mark for all lounges. New BA arrival lounge at T5 is not bad either bit sterile but good showers.

[yarpos]

I would like to nominate Calcutta/Kolkata International....the lounge, the airport, the whole experience....not in keeping with Indian national pride and superiority. A real relief to step on Singapore Airlines flight, felt like a rescue flight rather than a transit to Singapore.

[BAOREY]

The Al Ghazal lounge at AUH is the pits late in the day when there are no seats and the downstairs smoking area pollutes the whole place with smoke. its only made bearable by the fact the terminal itself is even worse with no seating either

[11Fan]

I can't say it was the worst by what I have read, but certainly the least favorable experience for me. It was 13 years ago as well so perhaps conditions have changed. I was in Jeddah Saudi Arabia on my way home from a Business Trip flying Saudi as it was part of the contract conditions that you had to fly them in and out of the Kingdom.

The Lounge was upstairs but the restrooms were downstairs and back then, a lot of the Haj Pilgrims traveled in the main terminal. I understand that there is a separate one for the Haj traffic now. Nevertheless, needed to use the facilities so off I went downstairs to join the gang.

Problem was that it was right before afternoon prayers and all of the "visitors" heading home from Mecca were washing up before prayer. Well, there I was, waiting to drain the lizard and all of the urinals were being used for wash basins. A little awkward doing my business just after someone washed their hands with a line behind me about to wash up as well.

Never so glad to leave somewhere as I was then.

[yarpos]

just your opinion oldtora, people chose to spend their money on where they see value. I see great value in C class on very long haul when I expected to do business soon after arrival. People seem to be sharing experiences for the benefit of others rather than complaining. Why complain about it if you dont like it, oh stoic master? and better luck with the peanuts in the future ......