[JNB] anyone familiar with SQ partner lounge here?

[jammed]

as above

[sudsoz]

as above

I was there are few weeks ago and it was undergoing renovation and was very cramped. They had coffee sandwiches etc across a bar service with stewards (alcohol available) but wireless internet was a pay for.

[barbene]

I was also there a few weeks ago. The present temporary SAA lounge is quite grim. The very limited food and drink is kept behind a bar staffed by fairly ferocious ladies. Seating areas are cramped and very untidy. No clean up staff were seen and tables were strewn with empty cups, plates, litter, abandoned newspapers.

We didn't stay long. JNB airport has some very interesting shops and it is quite a long walk to the airplane (with no trollies provided).

We will have to wait and see what the new lounge delivers, but there previous lounge was also quite poor.

Cheers

[jammed]

oh dear, doesnt sound exciting, thanks guys for the info. Any chance you guys may know condition of Emirates lounge? I have option of flying by EK

[jjpb3]

Are you choosing based on the ground experience? The current UK edition of Business Traveller magazine had a letter that didn't paint a very nice picture of the ex-JNB EK (premium pax) experience.

[jammed]

dear me, sounds like JNB/South Africa not a place to linger.

jjpb you have url of letter?

No, my criteria is based on connecting to land in Botswana (Gaborone GBE) by a Monday pm, departing on Thu pm, and shortest flight and transit times in between.

SQ has the most direct/shortest flight SIN-JNB but ex-JNB is at 13:30pm, no way i cld make it from a GBE connection. Hence choice is between wasting one night waiting for following day's SQ or multiple connections by other carriers: SAA via HKG or PER, EK via DXB, CX via HKG, QF via SYD. any suggestions for J anyone?

[jjpb3]

Sorry jammed, I only have the print version.

I'll try to summarise. This one (mind you, just one) passenger experienced the following, which he says isn't atypical:

• Free-for-all access to premium checkin counters
• Long queues at boarding because there was no fast-track boarding point for premium-class pax
• No overhead stowage space over his seat due to catering equipment and crew bags
• No headsets in his seat pocket
• FA from first class taking most of magazines from business class rack
• Under-catering despite the cabin not being full, leading person next to him to resort to third choice
• Inedible food (for the pax next to him)

The pax did say that this is not at all what EK offer, e.g., ex-LGW pax.

To be fair, EK did respond and say that they are reviewing their procedures at JNB.

[jammed]

thanks so much jjpb

looks like the least i shd do is ensure i'll have a comfy flight if ground is going to be a pain; SQ it will be.