BA Arrivals Lounge in LHR

[Reggie]

The BA arrivals lounge at T4 offers a full english breakfast, including eggs cooked to order. While having a shower, you can have your trousers pressed - just hang them in a little two-way compartment in the door and the staff will collect them, press them and return while you are showering.

Also provide news papers and a quiet place to sit and read.

Is it possible to use the arrivals lounge, even though connecting through to Paris?

I have over 2 hours before flying onto Paris. Is there a ability to move from arrivals to depatures that bypasses immigration aka Hong Kong, or do you need to go through immigration aka the US? The cooked english breakfast sounds alot better than the fruit toast I am used to in the local QF lounges.

 

[NM]

Is it possible to use the arrivals lounge, even though connecting through to Paris?

I have over 2 hours before flying onto Paris. Is there a ability to move from arrivals to depatures that bypasses immigration aka Hong Kong, or do you need to go through immigration aka the US? The cooked english breakfast sounds alot better than the fruit toast I am used to in the local QF lounges.

Yes, it is possible. However, you must meet the admitance criteria (long-haul BA/QF arrival, J/F boarding pass etc). And note that the arrivals lounge is land-side (i.e. after immigration processing). So you have to pass through immigration control at Terminal 4 to get to the lounge, then you will need to go back through security to get to the Paris departure.

At least Paris departures from LHR on BA depart from terminal 4, so no need to change terminals. If you need to change terminals (such as making a conneciton to a FRA flight as I often do), you need to use the Heathrow Express to change terminals.

 

[Reggie]

NM,

I am flying from SIN in D, but that will show as a J for lounge entry wouldn't it.?

Do immigration have a problem with pax wanting to enter Great Britain for 1 hour to use a lounge and then leaving again?

I am actually flying BA on a QF flight number, so can I transit without going through immigration and skip the arrivals lounge?

 

[serfty]

...I have over 2 hours before flying onto Paris. Is there a ability to move from arrivals to depatures that bypasses immigration aka Hong Kong, or do you need to go through immigration aka the US? The cooked english breakfast sounds alot better than the fruit toast I am used to in the local QF lounges.

Hi Reggie,
As you have access to an arrivals lounge as in the theme of this thread, you have two options.

1) Stay airside and transit as needed as you mentioned; no access to the landside arrivals lounges, or

2) Advise on your form that you are in transit, go through immigration and make your way to one of the arrivals lounges. If 'immigration' say you can stay airside, tell them you prefer the food iin the arrivals lounge; I did last month and was so advised. After my explanation, the guy put in an order. I told him that it would be difficult to bring it back to him through customs and we both had a laugh )

 

[Reggie]

Thanks for the info Serfty, its always helpful to hear from someone who has already done it.

 

[NM]

I am flying from SIN in D, but that will show as a J for lounge entry wouldn't it.?

No problem. The requirement is to have a business class boarding pass. How you got the boarding pass (paid J, paid D, award, op-up) does not matter

Do immigration have a problem with pax wanting to enter Great Britain for 1 hour to use a lounge and then leaving again?

I have never had a problem with this. UK immigration are generally ok with transit passengers.

However, with only 2 hours, why not just use the air-side BA lounge? No real benefit in using the arrivals lounge in that case.

Note that since you have arrived in business class from a long-haul flight, you do qualify for a treatment at the Molton Brown Spa at the BA lounge. But you have to book a treatment slot as soon as you arrive and with only a 2 hour transit you may be out of luck but worth asking.

I am actually flying BA on a QF flight number, so can I transit without going through immigration and skip the arrivals lounge?

Yes, you can, and that is what I would do. Just follow the signs for Flight Connection for Terminal 4 departures when you arrive. You will have to go through security screening again, but that should not be a problem.

As a business class passenger you should be handed a FastTrack invitation. That may be able to be used to get through the security screening faster.

 

[Dave Noble]

................

 

[Dave Noble]

No problem. The requirement is to have a business class boarding pass. How you got the boarding pass (paid J, paid D, award, op-up) does not matter

Actually, how you get it does matter; BA does not provide lounge access to those given involuntary upgrades. e.g. if a OW Ruby member gets upgraded from Y to J, they will not be allowed access to the business class lounge; if a OW Sapphire member gets upgraded from Y-J, they would have lounge access by virtue of status but still not be entitled to use the pre-flight dining facilities. Also, they would not be entitled to Arrivals Lounge access

Award and Paid Premium class passengers do get the full benefits

Dave

 

[Mal]

Well BA replied to my question.

Didn't answer my question properly of course

Referred me to this page:

https://askba-faqemail.custhelp.com.../std_adp.php?p_faqid=917&p_created=1141992285

which of course gives generic information, not the information I was after...

(BTW, the BA person should have referred me to the page I quoted earlier in this thread, not that page. Thanks BA support!)

 

[ladybird]

BA Arrivals lounge - guest entry

I"m flying to London in a few weeks on QF1 with my partner. I'm QF Platinum, he's bronze...From previous posts it looks like I would be able to get access to the Terminal 4 Arrivals lounge at LHR, but he wouldn't. Obviously this won't be of much use unless I want to start the holiday on a bad footing!

Anyone got any advice as to how I might be able to get us both in until its a more reasonable hour for my dad to arrive and pick us up?

Thanks a lot...

 

[Mal]

Re: BA Arrivals lounge - guest entry

Anyone got any advice as to how I might be able to get us both in until its a more reasonable hour for my dad to arrive and pick us up?

Unless your partner in Business or First, I doubt you'll have any luck.

BA breed a special class of lounge dragons (front door attendants)- some of the fiercest ones around. Very hard to get access into one of their lounges when you aren't supposed to have access.

You can always ask at the door, or just present yourselves and see if any comments are made. Apart from that, no suggestions - sorry.

 

[Dave Noble]

Re: BA Arrivals lounge - guest entry

Anyone got any advice as to how I might be able to get us both in until its a more reasonable hour for my dad to arrive and pick us up?

Thanks a lot...

The only way you will get him in is if you use points to upgrade him to business class on the SIN-LHR sector

Dave

 

[Mal]

I followed up BA again about my lack of access to the lounge and got a proper answer.

In summary:

QF Plats are entitled to access the BA T1 Arrivals lounge after arriving into LHR via a Long Haul QF or BA flight. Class of travel does not matter.

Good to see it confirmed by BA. Now that's one email I'll be printing out and keeping with me for future reference

 

[Reggie]

However, with only 2 hours, why not just use the air-side BA lounge? No real benefit in using the arrivals lounge in that case.

Note that since you have arrived in business class from a long-haul flight, you do qualify for a treatment at the Molton Brown Spa at the BA lounge. But you have to book a treatment slot as soon as you arrive and with only a 2 hour transit you may be out of luck but worth asking.

NM this exactly what I did. I managed a shower but the treatments were booked out by the time I got there. If I had been on the later flight would have got somewhere.

I will say though, other than the booking dragon, the attendants were well and truely eye candy. Its a good thing the wife doesn't read this site

 

[markis10]

Well it looks like the lounge dragons are consistant:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/people/airport-biff-sees-snoop-in-dog-house/2006/04/28/1145861512838.html

Thats one for the lounge dragons and 0 for Snoop Dog

 

[Tooner]

Sorry to revive an old thread, but I noticed the sign outside the Arrivals lounge at T4 welcomes Platinum FFers as well as Business and First customers.

Have to say the lounge itself (at least the showers) was very useful. No Dragons on today!

 

[serfty]

Sorry to revive an old thread, but I noticed the sign outside the Arrivals lounge at T4 welcomes Platinum FFers as well as Business and First customers.

Have to say the lounge itself (at least the showers) was very useful. No Dragons on today!

Similar sign was there when I came through last March. (Really, unless you are looking for ithe arrivals lounge it would be easy to miss.)

As for the Dragons, they are normally very pleasant when they are aware of your access rights; It's only when they think you do not have access that they start to breath fire ...

 

[NM]

Sorry to revive an old thread, but I noticed the sign outside the Arrivals lounge at T4 welcomes Platinum FFers as well as Business and First customers.

Yes, that is the case. But do note that there is no admittance for guests of Platinum members as there is at a departures lounge.

 

[Danger]

I'll be flying into LHR Terminal 1 from SIN in May and had planned to access the arrivals lounge. I'm only a QP silver member. I don't see anything on BA's website about access to arrivals lounges. Would I be able to access it? If not, could you please point me in the direction of the relevant rules.

 

[serfty]

Only if you are flying on BA in 'longhaul' J or F (also QF J or F from SIN/BKK).