The Cathay Pacific Lounge at Vancouver Airport Worldwide Terminal, which has been closed for the reason that onset of the pandemic, will reopen tomorrow, June 16, 2023.
Cathay Pacific is at present working one flight to Hong Kong out of Vancouver and knowledgeable prospects with an electronic mail this week that they’d lastly reopen their lounge facility.
Cathay used to have fairly a couple of departures out of Vancouver prior to now, however sadly, this has shrunken down to 1 single departure on the ungodly hour of 1:20 am.
Previous to the pandemic, there have been two each day flights to Hong Kong and one flight to New York JFK, which was the continuation of the incoming HKG flight, working as a fifth freedom route between Canada and the U.S.
With three flights, the lounge was all the time fairly busy, however now they solely have their single departure to service. Till now, Cathay has issued invites for the Plaza Premium Lounge which undoubtedly value them ~ $20/passenger. The 77W has 40 seats in Enterprise Class plus lounge entry for all Sapphire and Diamond members within the Premium Economic system & Economic system Class.
You will discover Cathay Pacific’s web site with the brand new opening hours and facility particulars right here.
In response to the web site, the lounge options the next facilities, together with the favored Noodle Bar:
The lounge will open tomorrow, June sixteenth 2023, at 9:25 pm in time for the 1:25 am departure of CX865.
There was once a particular First Class part within the again. Undecided if it will reopen as nicely, which might be completely for CX Diamond and OW Emerald members. Truly, the one distinction prior to now was a small bottle of Moet champagne within the cooler and a extra quiet atmosphere. A lot of the F&B got here from the Enterprise Class facet of the lounge.
I’m stunned that Cathay determined to open the lounge once more for so long as they solely have one flight in operation. Paying Vancouver Airport for the concession and incurring all working prices can’t be low-cost.
Wouldn’t or not it’s cheaper to proceed paying Plaza Premium for passenger entry slightly than maintaining the area, staffing, and stocking it? Until they begin to open all of it day and supply area to different oneWorld carriers reminiscent of British Airways.
I’m wondering how a lot Cathay needed to pay through the previous three years to maintain the lounge area however not utilizing it in any respect. Perhaps they wished to maintain the choice of finally opening it after which presumably increasing the flights once more to 2 each day rotations. That will surely be an enchancment. It’s not possible to search out award area on CX to Vancouver proper now, and the departure time on the outbound isn’t very engaging in any respect.
Conclusion
Cathay Pacific has performed some work on their Vancouver Airport lounge facility and can reopen it after a three-year hiatus.
In response to the web site description, the lounge opens tomorrow (JUN 16) at 9:25 pm however no each day opening hours are revealed, which leads me to consider that will probably be open for the Cathay Pacific midnight departure solely.
After all, so long as it’s open different oneWorld passengers might use it, however I don’t consider there are any at the moment of the day. Cathay beforehand operated a noon departure at 1:00pm however this flight now not exists at the least in the intervening time.
I’m stunned that they haven’t introduced that connection again but, contemplating how full the midnight flight is every day. Even shopping for a Enterprise Class ticket on these flights is commonly not possible. Cathay should make a fortune with these flights to/from Vancouver.