O.K. Back from my trip to London and Paris. Was very cold but loved it....
I didn't get much feed back regarding peoples opinions of the Arrivals Lounge at the new LHR T3. Probably not too many have used it yet perhaps. So here is my few cents worth on the topic for anyone who may be interested as promised.....but first a little tate-a-tate on my trip...
Travelled ADL-SYD-SIN-LHR, on a combination of QF and BA metal. I originally had a flight to SYD that left me with 4hours wait for my connection, so contacted QF who kindly placed me on a later flight which left with with under 2 hours wait.
Bad idea. It seams not too many people are aware of the restrictions regarding taking liquids on board, so the security line up was astronimically slow. So slow in fact that by the time I got through, I had no time to enjoy the QP and had to go straight to the gate. Not happy Jan.
However, the sun was shining down on me that day, and the planets did align perfectly as I boarded, as low and behold, my ticket scanned red at the gate. The flight attentendant appoligised very kindly whilst informing me they had oversold seats on the flight, and I had been Op-Up'd from J to F. This more than made up for my lost quality QP time, and I was made to feel a million $ the whole trip. Brilliant BA flight crew.
From SIN to LHR I was back in J on the A380. My first time on the A380. I did have an upgrade request for the last 3 months on this flight, and daily checked the seat available right up until the last minute. With 5 x F seats remaining and being a WP I thought I was in for a good shot, but was declined...can't win them all I suppose. I have read a lot of threads and sites on the A380's over the last year, digesting others opinions, but my own opinion is dissapointment. I found the cabin to be frightfully sterile , cold and rather unwelcomeing. Very new, yes, but so much so, it was like being in a sterile dentists chair in his surgery room. The flight crew were also a bit below par. Frantically up and down like mindless atomatons, totally emotionless, no personallity, just doing the motions.
Arriving in LHR, I cleared Passport Control and made my way down to baggage collection with a good 50mins to spare before my chauffeaur arrived to drive me to my hotel. This would give me plenty of time to take advantage of the Arrivals Lounge. As I had never used an arrivals lounge before, it was one of my "must do's" for my holiday.
After waiting 20mins, a voice came over the speakers notifying us the ground staff where unable to open the luggage doors, and an engineer has been requested and there will be a 30min wait. 45mins later, the same voice came back notifying us the engineer was unsuccessful as the plane had frozen over and a de-icing machine has been booked, and kindly noted we had another 45mins wait. This was not good. I now had a chauffeaur waiting outside, it is bitterly cold, we are all wearing summer clothes, and I am still stubbornly determined I am going to use the Arrivals lounge. After 45mins our freindly voice is back on the speakers. This time certain passangers are asked to come to the information desk (I assume it was the F passengers and OW emerald??). I made my was to the info desk and was told "quietly" that it will most likely be another 4-5 hour wait before they will be able to open the doors, and kindly offered to courier my lugguage to my hotel so that I may leave the airport. I gladly accepted their offer, gave them my hotel info, and made my way out of the baggage claim to the arrivals area.
But I had no intention of leaving the airport yet! I made my way to my chauffeaur (who had now been waiting nearly an hour and a half), and told him he will need to get him self a coffee as I wish to use the Arrivals lounge. Giving me a hard hidden suprised/perplexed look, he took my carry on baggage and escorted me to the arrivals lounge after which we agreed to meet back in 45mins.
O.k. - were finally here. The AA Arrivals lounge located on L2 at T3. You walk into an entrance area, with a staff member sitting inside a circular reception area. There is a hall to the right containing many shower cubicals and a cafe looking area to the left. The rather pleasant staff member asked for my boarding pass, and then asked if it was my first time to the Lounge. After giving me a verbal orrientation, she gave me a couple of vanity kits and told be to proceed to Cubical 17. I walked down a long corridor with many intersections going left/right. I took the second right to take me to an ecceptionally clean shower cubical with full amenities. After leaving the cubical, a cleaner, within seconds jumped in, and started scrubbing the room down. With the chauffeaur already out the front I had a quick look around the cafe area before being taken to my hotel.
So the verdict. Would I bother using an Arrivals lounge again. After all that, probably not. Personally, I would prefer to get out the airport as fast as possible. If I need freshening up, I can do it as soon as I get to the Hotel (if I hadn't already done so in SIN while I wait). Departure Lounges...definate yes. For me, part of the exitement and experience of taking a flight, is to spend some time in the departure lounge having a drink/snack. But once at my destination, I just want to get out and get on with it. This is my opinion anyway......
Well, there you go. Hope this has been of some interest...:mrgreen:
