Of Premium there is very little, review lounge Gae Aulenti Milan Malpensa
The last time I walked through the doors of this lounge was 2019, late October, we were probably already in the poop [...]
MXP
The last time I walked through the doors of this lounge. It was 2019, late October, we were probably already in the poop with covid we just didn't know it yet. With Bete we were about to leave for Japan., and in the former world this lounge was called Casa Alitalia and from here AZ flew to New York JFK and Tokyo Narita.
In this article:
After being closed for years, SEA the company that manages Milan's airports has decided to reopen it by aiming to offer a product other than Montale, in fact when it opened it had no agreements with any carrier, it was not in the lounges accessible with independent cards, and you had to pay almost 70€ to get in.
Today things have changed and the price has also increased. Now the lounge Has been quietly renamed Gae Aulenti. and has contracts with so many carriers, as if the intention is to have this room for premium passengers, while Montale dedicates it to those traveling with PP or the like.
Location
We are located at the end of Pier B, to the left of the Emirates lounge. The two rooms are so close together that the computer and phone immediately hooked up to the wi-fi in the EK room.
Access
I received an invitation to enter this hall from Kuwait Airways check-in clerks, but when I arrived at the entrance I noticed the Long list of companies that have opted for premium for business travelers and those with status.
Of those flying from T1 to destinations I would say that more than half of the companies have moved here.
There is always paid access at a cost of €68 online and €79 at the door. Needless to say, it makes no sense to pay such an amount to enter (almost) any lounge in the world.
To give an example the Qantas lounge at T3 London Heathrow costs £65 (for 2h) but inside it has a full bar and an a la carte restaurant.
Of premium there is only the staff
It is evident, starting with the price, that SEA wants to differentiate this room from Montale.
A cost difference of nearly 30 euros is not small. But if you want to offer a truly premium product you have to give me a service on par with the name, otherwise it's false advertising. If you really want to be premium you have to offer something different and quality. The first ideas that come to mind are a spa, massage chairs, phone booth, relaxation area where you can take a nap, a kids room with games and PS5, a room where you can have a meeting with clients... There is none of this.
The lounge
The hall has not changed from when it was Alitalia's home. There is still the bar counter, kitchen, and pizza oven. I arrived a few minutes before 2 p.m. and left after 3:30 p.m, I never saw anyone at the bar counter and no one cooking or baking pizzas.
Everything remained as it was before, monitors hidden in the walls, views of the back of the airport, and even the same furniture.
The glass walls let in a lot of light and Mount Rosa is always clearly visible on the horizon.
In the center of the lounge is the buffet, which looked like it had been hit by a swarm of locusts when I arrived. Then slowly, the one attendant managed to restock it.
Food & Beverage
In the days of Alitalia there was the Barista, the coffee machine and much more.
No barista making coffee, other hot drinks or appetizers today. There is no coffee machine behind the counter at all.
No pizza makers behind the window. There is no menu from which to order specials.
Let's say that from a "Premium" lounge I expect this as a base as well as a food and wine selection of a higher level than what is in other lounges at this airport and beyond.
Probably the hot proposal is better than the Montale, the pizza then arrived, and slowly the rest of the dishes were replenished as well.
Then there are classic sandwiches, but no flatbread, which instead is the undisputed star of all SEA lounges, and even a small salad bar.
Saltines, sweets, cupcakes. All very unappetizing in appearance.
At the bar counter, bottles are available to guests, labels of little value piled in a frappeuse evidently not large enough to keep them cool. Again very little more than in the other lounges.
In conclusion
This confirms the fact that you do NOT ever have to pay to enter a lounge. I'm glad I resisted the urge to try it that occasionally assailed me when I was departing from MXP, Is absolutely not worth the money being asked.
Sure it is uncrowded, clean and bright, but it is not worth 79€.
Pro
- Location
Against
- Price
- Gastronomic offerings
- There is nothing different from the others