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[SGN] Rose Lounge, previously known as the *A Lounge

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  • [SGN] Rose Lounge, previously known as the *A Lounge

    I am in the HCMC Star Alliance lounge now and can advise that the facilities have been drastically cut back.

    At the old terminal Star Alliance airlines shared with other airlines in a SASCO lounge and it was a bit tight but they had a good range of food and beverage including about 4 hot choices and a proper Vietnamese noodle soup. The bar was self serve and quite extensive.

    When the new terminal opened Star Alliance was allocated one of the four (I believe) lounges which are all managed by SASCO. Much more space with less customers and a wide choice of F & B. Up to 8 hot dishes plus proper vietnamese soup and an extensive bar.

    I have not been in the lounge for about 6 weeks and the facilities have now been cut back enormously. Only one hot dish, one cold cut instead of 5 or 6, no baquettes only plastic sliced bread and instant noodles with water not a soup stock. They still have the seafood sauce although the seafood is gone!

    And the bar has been cut right back - tiger or heineken, only spirit is red label JW and the only white wine I could see was the Da Lat special. There was a guy asking for peanuts and was told that they don't have!

    I told the staff what I thought of it and there was not much point because they are all SASCO and hide behind 'Star Alliance Management". When I asked for a business card from the manager they all ran away to hide. Told me to write to SQ.

    Now I will write to SQ but I will not hold my breath for a response. Any other suggestion on how to bring this travesty to the notice of management?

  • #2
    A bit surprised to hear they seem to have cut back. It can't cost much for the food they have in there, and it gets well used. The lounge costs are not just down to SQ as all the *A carriers serving SGN share it ; UA, TG, NH, OZ, SQ, LH..

    I was there about 4 weeks ago and they still had a lot of food options, although like the old terminal the hot stuff did have a tendency to get cold due to lying around so I rarely bothered. I am back in a couple of weeks and will see for if it's still the case, if I'm flying *A.

    Be interested to see if you get a comment from SQ other than 'it's not an SKL etc...'

    Comment


    • #3
      I eventually got to speak to an SQ person at the gate and they told me that the cut-backs were implemented unilaterally by SASCO in all of the lounges in the terminal and that all of the user carriers were receiving complaints. They encouraged me to write as it adds to their argument.

      It seems that this is part of a campaign by SASCO to increase the user fees. They will probably win since it is not their customers that are complaining. Welcome to the wonderful world of Vietnam where nothing is fixed and everything is negotiable.

      Comment


      • #4
        Just checked in at SGN for my MH flight to KUL. Got lounge invitation to 'Common Lounge'. Asked where it was and was told near gate 16. I said, oh near the *A lounge then, and she said it IS the *A lounge. It's no longer called *A lounge, it's now 'Common Lounge'. They must have been up all night coming up with that name....

        No idea what has happened here. The fixed *A lounge sign is still on the wall outside but the *A banner listing all the airlines has gone. There is just a KE one now. There are a few A4 sheets with 'Common Lounge' cellotaped to the wall. Wireless in lounge still called *A.

        I thought a *A lounge here with all the *A carriers operating from here was a good idea. It was well used each time I was in here on SQ or TG. I agree the food options have been drastically scaled down.

        Asked the desk staff whats happened and got the standard smile and 'Yes'.

        Comment


        • #5
          Hi,

          Completely agree that F&B cut DRAMATICALLY !! Words like Culled, Slashed, Disappeared come to mind. BUT the space, look and feel of the lounge is in my opinion 1000% better.

          my 2 cents worth
          thx

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by MAN Flyer View Post
            Just checked in at SGN for my MH flight to KUL. Got lounge invitation to 'Common Lounge'. Asked where it was and was told near gate 16. I said, oh near the *A lounge then, and she said it IS the *A lounge. It's no longer called *A lounge, it's now 'Common Lounge'. They must have been up all night coming up with that name....
            Just got back from SGN. That lounge is now called the "Rose Lounge" and all the *A signs are gone.

            Comment


            • #7
              Am in SGN lounge again now and it now been renamed as the Rose lounge and is evidently used by several airlines not just Star Alliance. Still run by SASCO and whilst the lounge is OK the F & B is still totally sub-standard. No spirits whatsoever. And the internet connection now sux.

              The SASCO guy showed me letter where SQ agreed to this level of service for US$23 per pax. SQ staff tell me that they have complained to SASCO and I assume that SASCO are screwing them on price.

              The most irritating part of the whole deal is the cheesy grin on the SASCO guy's face because he knows that he is screwing up all these foreigners.

              Near Gate 12 there is now a lounge called the Orchid Lounge. Does this mean that TG have broken ranks and are paying SASCO's higher asking price?

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by sudsoz View Post
                Near Gate 12 there is now a lounge called the Orchid Lounge. Does this mean that TG have broken ranks and are paying SASCO's higher asking price?
                I don't think that lounge has anything to do with TG. SASCO is just being "creative" with the names. Rose, Orchid... see the pattern?

                Comment


                • #9
                  Just missed you then, sudsoz. I have just flown out of SGN on SQ. I asked some of the SQ ground staff about all this and they said SASCO suddenly imposed a large rate increase on *A for the lounge, so they seem to have told them to Foxtrot Oscar.

                  The Orchid Lounge has been there a while and has nothing to do with TG. As Bon says, it's just them being 'creative' with the names. I think that's the one QR and a few others use. MH also use the ex-*A lounge. The food options have declined considerably since the change. I hadn't notice the spirits had gone.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    [SGN] Departing SGN - now three options!

                    Customise your travelling experience!

                    Dear Valued Customers,

                    Singapore Airlines is pleased to introduce two new services to let you customise your travelling experience in Ho Chi Minh City. You can either:

                    - Treat yourself to sumptuous Singapore Cuisine at Prima Taste Restaurant

                    - Relieve stress and tension with a massage at Viet Spa

                    - Enjoy comfort and peace at the Rose Lounge

                    Please choose the one service that best suit your travelling style.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      You mean the choices are given when you check-in at SGN?
                      What did you choose? Well I am sure since you will travel out from there so often, you could pick all of them at the end, right?

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Yes the choices are all listed at check-in and you have to pick which one as they give you a voucher/invitation. I needed to do some work so opted for the lounge, but I would imagine I will try all options before too long.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Well here I am at the lounge at SGN again.

                          At check-in the choice (as MAN has said elsewhere) is offered of the lounge, a singaporean restaurant or a foot spa. The restaurant aint bad but there is no WiFi and the voucher does not cover what you would eat and drink in an hour.

                          The lounge still has all the F&B cut to the bone. No spirits, instant noodles etc etc - I had to half empty the refrigerator to find a cold Tiger!

                          At least the WiFi works.

                          The SQ staff confirmed that SASCO want a higher price to provide the old level of service and the airlines are not having it.

                          So we have a very fine stand-off.

                          I asked the SASCO staff for the lounge manager's business card and was offered a paper lettergram on which to scrawl my complaints before they put it into the round filing cabinet.

                          Ho hum.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Back in this lounge again and can report that nothing has improved. A sandwich consists of two triangles of plastic bread, a piece of lettuce, a slice of cucumber and a slice of sausage! Not even butter or marg!

                            In fact now they send us to Rose Lounge which is near gate 7 and the SQ flights consistently leave from gate 19 at the other end of the terminal!

                            Looks like SASCO are doing everything they can to screw SQ and the other Star carriers.

                            SQ staff a encouraging letters of complaint so that they have 'ammunition'.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by sudsoz View Post
                              In fact now they send us to Rose Lounge which is near gate 7 and the SQ flights consistently leave from gate 19 at the other end of the terminal!
                              SQ flights leave from all over the terminal IME, not just up at the top end. In fact I can't remember leaving from up there on SQ this year, which is probably 5 or 6 times. MH regularly go from up there though.

                              I agree about those sandwiches though, they really are grim. 'Sandwich with Ham' & 'Sandwich with Cheese', and you need a search party to find the Ham or the Cheese.

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