Skyserv Melina Merkouri Schengen Athens Lounge
The is the much more workaday lounge for the Schengen area shorthaul flights around Europe, and domestic. It is however identical is size to the Aristotle Onassis lounge, despite seeing more traffic. Originally it was the Olympic Airways Athens Lounge, but has now been taken over by Skyserve.
Usefully, it is open 24 hours a day to allow for some of the silly flight times that Athens airport has, although between 2am and 5am it is more usually used as a crew rest area. At this time you may almost feel as if you are disturbing the staff and getting in the way of their canteen. There are likely to be a lot of between-shift airline employees passed out on the sofas and enjoying the bar at this time.
As you enter, instead of the shrine to Onassis, you get the rather odd tribute to Oozo, screwed to to the wall. There are very poor views of the runway: if you want to see what's happening outside, you may be better to wander out and squint through the other side of the corridor.
There are leather armchairs & sofas, with strange waist high dividers, a smoking area, a TV in one corner, and a magazine rack with lots of Greek newspapers & magazines. There are now English papers, but some American ones. There are two TVs, normally on very loud to one of the myriad of Greek channels. At the far end, around the false wall to the left, are four beds. Alas, the light here is very bright, so sleeping isn't really an option.
Food
There is a Food area, but it is much poorer than the international side. All you'll get here are some pastries and cakes. Sandwiches (again, identical to those on the flights) make an appearance later in the day.
Bar
The bar looks like a rather 80s version from a dodgy business hotel, however there are a couple of bar stools if you feel like perching there: much more comfortable tables are next to it. The bar itself is really nothing to write home about. There are cans of Mythos, and mini bottles of white and red. It's the same muck as you get on the plane, but don't think about taking it out of the lounge - the lounge dragon and security are very hot on this.
Bathrooms
At the far end, unusually for a short-haul lounge, there are a couple of shower rooms which are actually OK.
Business Facilities
At the far end there is a Business Center with four of the oldest computers you are ever likely to see. There is even a dot matrix printer, along with a fax and photocopier. Internet Access is very slow.
international and local newspapers and magazines (though mostly Greek and Spanish for some reason).
Access
Pay on the door, 31 Euro.
Finnair and Iberia Business class.
Loungeclub and Priority Pass members.
There are two Akyserve lounges at Athens Airport: one is on the Schengen side (the Melina Merkouri, for domestic and short haul flights) and one on the non-Schengen side (the Aristotle Onassis, for US, Canadian, African, and UK flights). Both are identical, although the Melina Merkouri is open 24 hours a day. They are after boarding card checks, but before security checks, so don't wander through the X-ray in the hunt for the lounge.
| Skyserv Melina Merkouri Schengen Lounge | ||
|---|---|---|
Loungeindex
rating:
3 out of
10
| ||
| Location: | Intra-Schengen, before security, near to gate B11 | |
| Open hours: | 0500-2100 | |
| Pay Per Access: | 31EUR | |
| Lounge for: | Olympic Airlines | |
| Access: | Business class, Travelair Club Gold members | |