The airberlin lounge was only a short walk from my arrival gate, and I found the signage shortly before 7AM. I was a bit surprised that I didn’t have to clear security, as is the norm after getting off a longhaul flight in Europe.
Continue reading: Review: Airberlin Lounge Dusseldorf Airport
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Your comment about "couldn't have ... been more dated" doesn't seem to match up with the pictures. I agree that the lack of showers and bathrooms that need to be cleaned are a major problem. But the look of the lounge didn't seem to be as bad as you describe. Or perhaps you are such a great photographer, that you make the drab and dated look OK.
Not as bad as the bathrooms British Airways lounge in Berlin Tegel
It was one tiny single person rooms nestled between the lounge walls and an elevator shaft. There was raging diarrhea all over the walls and floors. Oh the horror berlin needs to open there new airport imedietly.
Iberia is more or less considered a LCC, but their lounge at their primary hub (MAD) is fantastic.
{hit enter a little too quick)
So the LCC excuse doesn't really work here, IMO.
Infrastructure permitting, Germany allows passengers from "clean" flights (i.e. flights from countries where it deems security screening to be at the level of EU screening) to mingle airside with already screened passengers - the idea being that the pax have already passed EU-equivalent screening at their point of origin. Same thing happens at FRA pier A+ with US-originating flights - they can deplane straight on to Z concourse departures whereas other flights which park at A+ deplane onto Z concourse Arrivals. Irritatingly because of passport control restrictions FRA always treats UK-arriving flights (which are technically "clean") as "dirty"!
what in the world is it with filthy airport bathrooms in germany? the ones at TXL were worse than some of the stuff i've seen in india. everything else about the country is well-kept, punctual and diligent. so strange to me...
TK uses an a330 to DUS, because IST has very limited capacity, so they have to increase aircraft size to the max before adding more frequency. That's why they use a340's on their LHR route.
I spent a 3+ hr layover at DUS airport, connecting from an AB flight to TK flight in 2012. I was in coach, so did not visit the lounge, but found the airport to be quite pleasant to walk around. Nice shops landside and a few decent eateries. It was a nice mid-size airport and simple for connections (unlike FRA, unless in the F terminal).
Interestingly, the TK flight I took to IST was operated by a B737 not a A330. At the time, I tried to catch an earlier flight, but it was full. Given all the people of Turkish heritage in Germany, I guess it's not that surprising to see a big jet between the two cities. Loads seemed very high between the two cities (from my limited experience).
Lucky - be happy you didn't use the AB "Exclusive Waiting Area" at TXL. That is fare more pathetic. It's unstaffed and you use your card to get in (was traveling with an Etihad Gold member). It's literally two small rooms with pathetic food options and some free beverages from a vending machine. At least the bathrooms were cleaner than what Pavel saw at TXL.
I used the same lounge in April. I agree that it was very bare bones. The soda fountains didn't even work at all! One plus was the Ritter Sports mini chocolates though, in various flavors. Yum!
Thanks for the review, Lucky!
Regarding not clearing security: Generally, in the EU passengers transfering from a flight orginating in the EU or a country with "EU equivalent security" (which includes all non-EU Schengen area countries, but also the US) do not need to clear security again. However, for practical reasons, (in terms of airport layout) at most airpots in the Schengen area (similarly for the Common Travel Area in the UK/Ireland) this is only implemented for passengers originating in the Schengen area (One exception, as Alex mentions is the new A+ part of Terminal 1 in Frankfurt whose layout was specifically designed for this purpose) . Often, again for practical reasons, you even have to clear security when transfering from a Schengen to a non-Schengen flight (e.g., in Amsterdam or Frankfurt Terminal 2, where security for non-Schengen flights is at the gate).
I assume that the number of flights from countries where security is needed is small enough that they can organise it differently, at least for non-Schengen to non-Schengen transfers.
If you have some time left, I think its possible to use the Hugo Junkers Lounge in Terminal B as well. Its newly renovated, with a nice view to the planes. Definitly looks better than the other lounge. I would say the food options are a little better there as well, but nothing special. Showers are avaidable there. Entery with Prioritypass, Oneworld Status or Pay (24 Euros or something).
I was in the lounge for the first time last month and agree with your assessment, but they also let me access the Open Sky lounge for some reason (no better). What I did consider superior was the Hugo Junkers Lounge in the Schengen (B) area. Decent hot food and a tarmac view. My Air Berlin flights landed in B and left from C, so it was convenient for me to pop in all three lounges to compare.
@lucky, how did you access the lounge? I was at Dusseldorf in March and had my citi executive AA card and they said they did not accept it and according to them It had to be an Air Berlin branded card. I told them on the site they were part of the Admiral's club lounge and they didn't care.
Just out of curiosity, Lucky, where do those 'windows' in the lounge look out to?
Note to Etihad: Can you please sort out AB's lounges, in Germany at least? It will be interesting to see what they've done at Brandenburg when it finally opens... someday!
“And the bathroom was disgusting”
Dirty bathrooms? In Germany? Unmöglich!
“Iberia is more or less considered a LCC”
Um, by whom?
As I said earlier, I am just holding my breath until Brandenburg opens, because I frequent tegel a lot and anyone who's been there can easily clue you in on the Cold War arecitrcture. Not so good for lounges. Most of them don't have they're own bathrooms. Leerzeichen
@ Charlie -- They look out on the inside of the terminal (which is also pretty dark).
Very United Club-ish;; very surprised to hear about bathrooms - they must not clean them as often as needed.
Lucky,
Duesseldorf Terminal C is the Non-Schengen Terminal, where - for example - all Non-Star-Alliance flights to UK depart (you might have seen some tiny FlyBe Turboprops...). Hence, you don't need to clear security until you want to change terminals or go "landside". If you compare the sheer number of AB flights departing from the Schengen Terminal vs. the Non-Schengen Terminal, it shouldn't be a too big surprise that the Terminal C lounge seems to be not their top priority... Miami and Fort Myers aren't exactly known as the top destinations for business flyers from the area, who might be paying flex fares... 😉
Ben,
I have the Citi Exec Credit Card. I am traveling on AA from ORD to DUS and then continuing on a AB flight from DUS to VCE on award ticket
Will I be able to visit the AB lounge?
Doug
@ Doug -- As an Admirals Club member you'd only get access to the lounge if departing same day on American. So unfortunately you wouldn't technically get access.
I am arriving at 7a and departing at 10:45a
Anyway for me to find a nice lounge?
I also have the Amex Platinum card...
Doug
@ Doug -- If you have Priority Pass through the Amex Plat (it's free but you have to enroll) then you'd have a couple of lounge options. Check them out at prioritypass.com.
Why is there a 'lucky' with a picture and no link but there is a 'lucky' with no picture and a link. The people I. This world. And also, Ben, do you know if my parents that are AU on the Citi Executive Aadvantage can get in while flying AB?