By Patrick Griffin.
To be honest I was expecting something a little grander than this…a little larger too, a lot more comfortable come to think about it and with rather more facilities.
I was, after all, at Dublin Airport, the home base of this Irish carrier and surely the airline’s best opportunity to scream: “Look at me, look at me!” like an excited schoolboy whizzing down an adventure playground slide.
This lounge does not shout “look at me,” but instead whispers: “I’m kind of hard to find, rather on the small side and not everyone seems to like me but at least I am here.”
Let’s start with the hard to find.
It is some time since I was a regular visitor to Dublin airport. So long ago in fact that I can recall a bouyant Aer Lingus which had three lounges dotted around the airport.
Each lounge had its own character; one with a nice corner with a comfy settee here, another with a lower and upper level and a third which was a a bit quieter and a little out of the way.
Aer Lingus Gold Circle Lounge...small and rather lacking in facilities but friendly staff and good food and drink selection.
Now, it seems, the airline has abandoned two of its lounges – to make way for shopping outlets perhaps? Certainly the airside shopping facilities at Dublin airport have expanded out of all recognition in recent years – and the third is just a fraction of the size that it once was.
But back to trying to find it.
Depending on which security zone you entered, then you either turn left or right and then take the spur leading to gates 301 to 313.
I only know this because I asked someone at the airport – I could not see any signs for this lounge anywhere in the terminal. (There are signs for the Anna Livia Departure Lounge which every other airline appears to use – but that is for another review.)
Anyway you walk past another duty free area, past a bureau-de-change on your left and then you come to a bar to your left and a food outlet to your right.
Turn left and there is a sign directing you to a lift to the lounge one floor above – turn right and you can take the stairs. I chose the stairs.
First you go past a set of double doors and find yourself heading towards the kitchens which serve the nearby food court. However there is a flight of stairs on your right before you actually step inside the kitchen.
Take the stairs up to the next floor, go through another set of double doors and follow the corridor around to your left.
You will walk past a pilot’s crew room to your right and a cabin crew admin room to your left and the next door on your left is the Aer Lingus business lounge – congratulations you have found your prize.
As you enter there is a reception desk to your left – on my visit it was staffed by two female Aer Lingus employees. They were both helpful, pleasant and polite, just like airline lounge staff ought to be. Full marks there then.
The lounge itself is a brightly-lit room with a row of windows at the far side overlooking one of the airport’s runways.
The seats are all slightly narrow and rather uncomfortable affairs with a small circular glass and metal side table per set of two.
There is a flat screen TV in one corner, tuned to a news station with the volume muted, an area to hang your coats in another corner and an L-shaped section of the lounge devoted to the snacks and refreshment area.
Sandwich selection...quality snacks on offer at the Gold Circle lounge.
The food and drink selection on offer during my visit was rather excellent and far better than many airline lounges I have visited.
Here, from memory, is what was on offer (and apologies to Aer Lingus if I have missed anything out):
- a selection of sandwiches
- pots of yogurt
- cheese and crackers
- scones and jam
- a selection of pastries and muffins
- chocolate biscuits and snacks
- teas, coffees and hot chocolate
- beer, wines and spirits, orange juice, mixers and both still and sparkling water.
There was a wide selection of broadsheet Irish newspapers to read, the airline’s Cara inflight magazine and its duty free shopping magazine.
There were no computers, no telephones and no toilet facilities. (the restrooms are located nearby on the same level) I am told there is no Wi-Fi but I didn’t bring a laptop on this trip so I could not check this out for myself.
A sign in the lounge warns passengers that no boarding calls are made but the staff made one exception when I was there and staff announced that boarding was about to commence for the flight to New York.
Instead there is a TV monitor to consult with the latest flight information but a note next to the screen suggests that passengers should double check the information with the lounge staff because the information displayed is not always correct. Hardly a comforting thought.
Access to the lounge may be free if you are on a flexible ticket or hold a suitable frequent flyer card or can be purchased for an additional fee (€20 at time of writing) for those booking inflexible economy tickets.
www.aerlingus.com
Specialty teas are just one of the many drinks available at the Gold Circle lounge.
PG
