- New Years in Europe: Introduction
- Review: Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse New York JFK Airport
- Review: Virgin Atlantic A330 Upper Class New York to London
- Review: Sheraton Edinburgh Grand Hotel & Spa
- Exploring Edinburgh
- Review: British Airways Galleries Club Lounge Edinburgh Airport
- Review: Sheraton Prague Charles Square Hotel
- Exploring Prague
- Review: ERSTE Premier Lounge Prague Airport
- Review: Czech Airlines Business Class Prague to Rome
- Review: Alitalia Business Class Lounge Rome Airport
- Review: Le Anfore Lounge Rome Airport
- Review: Alitalia A330 Magnifica Class (Business Class) Rome to Boston
After an incredible nine days in Europe I was excited to finally be headed back home. While I love traveling, I do always miss my bed at home, my couch with the comfortable blanket, and all the Asian restaurants nearby that I pick up food from every day.
Anyway, we took a taxi from the hotel to the airport at around 9AM, and arrived around 9:30AM, with plenty of time to spare before our 11:30AM flight to Rome.
Prague Airport exterior
Prague Airport exterior
The Prague Airport was actually surprisingly modern, with an airy and well organized check-in hall.
Prague Airport check-in hall
Prague Airport check-in hall
Prague Airport departures monitor
Instead of just having a general check-in area for Czech Airlines flights, they split the check-in area up by destination. Check-in for the flight to Rome was at desks 220-224.
Czech Airlines check-in desk
There was a dedicated business class queue with just one person in front of us. We had to wait for less than five minutes, at which point we were helped by a friendly associate that printed our boarding passes in no time.
Czech Airlines business class check-in desk
The security queue was short, and there was even a dedicated one for business class passengers. Once inside the terminal we turned right and followed the signage towards “Airport Lounges.”
Prague Airport airside terminal
Prague Airport airside terminal
The lounges are located on the second floor, and as Czech Airlines business class passengers we were entitled to use the ERSTE Premier Lounge. I found it kind of odd that Czech doesn’t operate their own lounge at their hub airport, though after seeing how nice the lounge was I guess that’s a good thing. There are some other options in Prague for those with a credit card with lounge access, if you wouldn’t otherwise have access.
Prague Airport elevator to lounges
Prague Airport ERSTE Premier Lounge entrance
At the entrance to the lounge we were welcomed by a friendly associate that asked us to complete a survey before we left the lounge. Maybe it’s just me, but surveys are one of my biggest pet peeves in the airline industry nowadays. It’s one thing to have them on request or even to email about them, though I always get ticked when I’m on a plane or in a lounge and am asked to complete a six page survey, and am made to feel guilty if I don’t feel like doing it.
ERSTE Premier Lounge Prague Airport reception desk
Anyway, the lounge itself was gorgeous, which kind of surprised me. And on top of all that it was completely empty. There were two main seating areas — one to the left of the entrance and one to the right of the entrance. We settled down in the area to the left of the entrance.
ERSTE Premier Lounge Prague Airport seating
ERSTE Premier Lounge Prague Airport seating
ERSTE Premier Lounge Prague Airport seating
ERSTE Premier Lounge Prague Airport seating
ERSTE Premier Lounge Prague Airport seating
There was a small business center there with a few PCs and a printer.
ERSTE Premier Lounge Prague Airport business center
The snack selection in the lounge was pretty lousy, with just veggies and finger sandwiches.
ERSTE Premier Lounge Prague Airport buffet
There was also an illy coffee machine, which briefly got me excited thinking I might get a decent cappuccino. Unfortunately that couldn’t have been further from the truth.
ERSTE Premier Lounge Prague Airport coffee machine
ERSTE Premier Lounge Prague Airport drinks and sandwiches
ERSTE Premier Lounge Prague Airport drinks
ERSTE Premier Lounge Prague Airport buffet
ERSTE Premier Lounge Prague Airport booze
The right side of the lounge was equally spacious, and also had a small buffet with some breakfast items, including croissants and two types of cereal.
ERSTE Premier Lounge Prague Airport buffet
ERSTE Premier Lounge Prague Airport buffet
ERSTE Premier Lounge Prague Airport seating
ERSTE Premier Lounge Prague Airport seating
ERSTE Premier Lounge Prague Airport seating
ERSTE Premier Lounge Prague Airport seating
The most intriguing part of the lounge had to be the “Premier Private Lounge,” which was partitioned off from the rest of the lounge.
ERSTE Premier Lounge Prague Airport private lounge
At around 10:45AM we headed down to our departure gate for our 11:30AM departure. Our departure gate was C3, which was just a short walk from the lounge.
Prague Airport airside terminal
Despite boarding not yet having started there was a long queue waiting to board the plane.
Prague Airport departure gate
Prague Airport departure gate
Across the tarmac I spotted the Czech Airlines A330, which they operate to their only longhaul destination, Seoul Incheon.
Czech Airlines A330
At around 11AM boarding was called, starting with business class. We were the only two people in business class, so the boarding process was fairly easy. 😉
On the whole the ERSTE Premier Lounge was quite nice, and I was excited to check a new airline off my “list.”
I think that's the same lounge I used. While it has interesting seating, the food and beverage offering left a lot to be desired.
I was surprised by your comment "after seeing how nice the lounge was". I think it doesn't hold up to Senator Lounges at ZRH VIE MUC FRA or TXL
@ dbeach -- Just didn't make very good coffees, nothing more. Heh.
Wait what happened with the coffee machine? Was it broken? Just made a bad coffee? I need to know!
that's a mighty nice looking coke machine..lol
Did the lounge have a toilet? Pictures?
I liked PRG - especially super-short business security (took 1-2 minutes in late afternoon/evening).
FYI, if you are flying Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian, SAS, and some other airlines you will get access to this lounge too (I flew Swiss in J) so it's not just exclusive to SkyTeam.
Food options aren't great but even in the evening with more people it was pretty nice and chill. They had a flight simulator there but I didn't...
I liked PRG - especially super-short business security (took 1-2 minutes in late afternoon/evening).
FYI, if you are flying Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian, SAS, and some other airlines you will get access to this lounge too (I flew Swiss in J) so it's not just exclusive to SkyTeam.
Food options aren't great but even in the evening with more people it was pretty nice and chill. They had a flight simulator there but I didn't get a chance to inquire what that was all about as I didn't spend too much time in the lounge.
Not all of us have popular blogs, so surveys are the only ways for airlines/airports to know what we think they can do better!
I really liked PRG -- I think it's just what an airport of its size should be.
They fly to ICN because they are a partial subsidiary of KE.
I'm surprised they fly to Seoul Incheon...as opposed to say, Hong Kong or Bangkok...
Since ICN is their only long haul destination, Korean seems farily logical.
It's surprising there are no Germam signs tho, these are very common all over CZ.
Love spotting signs in English, Czech, Russian, and *Korean*.