The way I understand how the arrivals area at CDG for UA is laid out, it's possible to get to the RCC before going through passport control. Is that true? I'd like to use the lounge to have a shower before heading in to the city. (*G and CO Presidents Club member)
There is no "Arrivals" at CDG any longer. They got rid of it ~ a few years ago. It was located in the RCC and it was a beautiful facility. Too bad - I used it often. You still may be able to access the RCC before going through customs/immigration. When I arrived there last month, there were "official" people guiding passengers to the immigration line, and I don't know if they are put there when the flight arrives so as not to let passengers into other parts of the airport.
The RCC at CDG doesn't have showers anymore. As popular CDG is as a destination, you think they could also have a *A Arrivals lounge there. That is the one place I would rather take a Skyteam carrier (AF) as they have a pretty good arrivals lounge there.
I've done the *A lounges at LHR, LAX, and CDG and non of them have been anything spectacular, but an Alliance arrivals lounge would be something new and I think most people would be thrilled with any arrivals facility. With arrivals facilities limited to LHR, FRA, and ZRH, there's an advantage to transferring in Europe (Which LH probably doesn't mind). However there's early morning Asia arrivals as well that could benefit from a *A arrivals lounge.
Thanks for the information everyone! I'm finding more and more that Arrivals lounges really aren't that common for *Gs except in FRA and LHR and even then they're for passengers who are connecting.
In general I've been disappointed with the Star Alliance lounge at CDG. As mentioned, it does have showers, but i've not stopped there on arrival though. Wasn't there talk at one time that UA Star Golds have had problems entering the Star Alliance Lounge there? (I've always used my BD card to get in....not wanting to chance it.) Is that the case or no? Hopefully the new combined carrier with wake up and get with the program and reinstitute an arrivals arrangement there....in general CO seems to have realized their importance.
The policy is still in place and it is very official. As you can see from http://www.united.com/page/article/0,,52706,00.html: That being said, there's been reports that there were a couple of minor (undocumented) exceptions. For example, word has it that if you arrive before the RCC opens (that would be very early) then they'll let you in (but only to the C class section even if you are booked in F.) Now that the RCC has free WiFi I'm less concerned about not having access to the Star Alliance lounge, although it's a shame--the *A lounge even has the UA logo on it Considering that UA doesn't have Arrivals or an IFL in CDG anymore, it would certainly be nice if they at least let their First and arriving pax use the *A lounge. My understanding in talking to both the UA and *A management in Paris is that 1/ United didn't want to pay for the *A lounge, and didn't want to close the RCC either, because they have a lease and staff, and 2/ While the *A lounge operating company (technically a tiny, separate entity) would welcome the additional revenue, their lounge is already crowded enough without UA pax, so they're okay with the current situation.
At LHR(x2), FRA, and ZRH, the arrival lounges are outside of security/customs for people solely arriving into that city, no connecting flight required.
You can access the RCC and the Star Alliance lounge on arrival in CDG before going through immigration but both are officially for departures only. As a 1K flying USAir, I was able to talk myself into the RCC on arrival as a "one time exception" but there's no shower. I actually found the Star Alliance lounge to be nicer and have a better snack selection. While United customers only have access to the RCC, United *Golds traveling on carriers that use the star alliance lounge, are eligible to access it upon departure.
Just so I'm not being dense -- is there really a Star Alliance lounge at CDG which I cannot access with a UA *G card but can access with a CO *G card?
There have been reports (with one by a friend of mine) that UA *G members (1k & 1P) have in fact been able to access the *A lounge at CDG without any issues with pax being in both in upgraded cabins and in economy. Some have shown their UA *A card and others have simply shown their BP to gain entry
I was quite surprised the last time I was there... they just scanned my boarding pass (I was in upgraded Biz)
