BA Arrivals Lounge in LHR

[NM]

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.

You can only access the BA arrivals lounges if:

• Arriving on a long-haul flight on BA or QF in First Class
• Arriving on a long-haul flight on BA or QF in business class
• Arriving on a long-haul flight on BA or QF in economy as a BA Gold of QF Platinum member

 

[NM]

I'll be flying into LHR Terminal 1 from SIN

by the way, all BA and QF flight from SIN to LHR arrive into Terminal 4.

 

[clifford]

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.

Tell me Danger, how do you fly into T1 at LHR from SIN?

I'd like to to that too.

 

[Danger]

You charter your own plane.

 

[NM]

Tell me Danger, how do you fly into T1 at LHR from SIN?

I'd like to to that too.

By taking CX SIN-HKG and then BA HKG-LHR (T1).

 

[madmat777]

You can only access the BA arrivals lounges if:

• Arriving on a long-haul flight on BA or QF in First Class
• Arriving on a long-haul flight on BA or QF in business class
• Arriving on a long-haul flight on BA or QF in economy as a BA Gold of QF Platinum member

Sorry to open up an old thread but I'm in the T5 arrivals lounge now (QF Plat travelling QF F). I can access everything but the massage (have a knot in my shoulder too). I think next time I'll just fly in on BA whenever I have a choice. Normally I do DONEX so should always be able to arrange that.

Hope that helps.

Matt.

 

[Dave Noble]

Sorry to open up an old thread but I'm in the T5 arrivals lounge now (QF Plat travelling QF F). I can access everything but the massage (have a knot in my shoulder too). I think next time I'll just fly in on BA whenever I have a choice. Normally I do DONEX so should always be able to arrange that.

Personally Id prefer to take CX F and be able to get the car transfer rather than have a lounge on arrival

Dave

 

[serfty]

Presumably you arrived into T4 - did you make your own way to T5 of were you escorted by BA staff to a special transfer bus?

 

[madmat777]

Presumably you arrived into T4 - did you make your own way to T5 of were you escorted by BA staff to a special transfer bud?

I took the Heathrow Express Train to T123 and then to T5 - Free transfer between terminals.

Qantas staff on the plane new nothing about using the BA arrivals lounge.

Matt

 

[JohnK]

Qantas staff on the plane new nothing about using the BA arrivals lounge.

I would not expect Qantas cabin crew to be familiar with the various lounges available at each of the destinations.

 

[Trivalve]

Further to the previous posts - I am a QF plat and have used the Termainal 4 Arrivals lounge several times before it was closed, travelling economy. I like it because I often go through Heathrow with a morning arrival and afternoon or evening departure. You can sort yourself out in the morning, then go to town and do whatever.

I have been given access happily in the new T5 arrivals lounge three times. But yesterday I was told I didn't qualify as the agreement is for 'Qantas passengers coming direct from Australia'. I came on a BA flight ex Houston. (economy). I pointed out that there are no direct flights from Australia and that I was simply coming from the other direction. Cut no ice. I was told it was for 'premuim passengers only'. Lovely. I'll try again next time because I think I qualified. I think when they go for the cheat sheet they are not familiar with the workings of the place - probably temps in that position?

 

[Commuter]

By the way, are you saying that you have been given access to T5 Arrivals Lounge when travelling QF whY as a QF plat, since the T4 Arrivals Lounge closed? If they have reinstated lounge access, that would be good news.

But besides arriving on QF flight, I thought Arrivals Lounge was for BA Gold arriving on BA long haul or people actually arriving in CW or F on BA because Arrivals Lounge is not part of the OW agreement?

 

[Trivalve]

Hmmm...last time I came in on QF the T4 lounge was still running - and they had no problems.

The three times in T5 I was on BA, twice from Dallas/FW and once from Cairo (which is maybe not quite long haul). All economy, all admitted with a smile.

 

[Danger]

Interestingly the Qantas website (Fly - The Qantas Club - Lounge Locations - UK/Europe) lists the AA Arrivals Lounge but not the BA lounge. And it also states:

"London Arrivals Lounge – American Airlines, Admirals Club. Eligible Qantas customers include First and Business Class" [emphasis added].
​

So if it includes First and Business, who else does it include? But then it goes on to say:

"Eligible Qantas customers travelling in First and Business will be invited to use the American Airlines Admirals Club, located on the 2nd floor of terminal 3 arrivals concourse".
​

Does this mean there are passengers travelling First and Business who are ineligible (ie. shouldn't it say something like "eligible passengers (ie. First and Business)" or just simply "First and Business passnegers")? And, disturbingly, no mention of platinums.

 

[Dave Noble]

Someone could be on a QF codeshare flight from AMS-LHR in business class for example and they would be ineligable

Not all Qantas 1st/Business class passengers are eligable for lounge access

Dave

 

[davidj-bell]

Officially, the only people who have access to this lounge are:

Qantas - Chairmans Lounge
BA - Gold
and Passengers arriving in CW or First

All of these must be arriving on a BA long haul flight.

(Or so I am told).

However, I've seen written here and elsewhere that QF Plats get the same treatment as BA Gold's when flying a JSA flight, and possibly some others.

Now, my reasoning for asking is fairly simple. Arrived on a HKG-LHR flight after travelling WT+, tried to use the Arrivals lounge, and got the standard 'Sorry, no access because you're not in J or F'. Upon pressing the point nicely, the friendly ground staffer checked the 'cheat sheet' and still advised that I didn't have access rights.

So, exactly who has access rights to the arrivals lounge?

18 months ago i flew a few times into LHR T4 on BA from the US in Y. Am WP and I got access.

 

[serfty]

18 months ago i flew a few times into LHR T4 on BA from the US in Y. Am WP and I got access.

Welcome to AFF davidj-bell.

This was the case with T4 - I had used it several time myself over the years; however the T4 arrivals lounge was closed last year with BA moving to T5.

Qantas have now moved to T3 it is not so clear cut; it may be that such access is no longer available if travelling in economy.

 

[serfty]

OK, I was thinking about this and decided to chase it up:

Category: Frequent Flyer
Sub-Category: Membership Status
Question: 
Hi,

I may be travelling in Economy on Qantas to London early next year.

In previous years, as a Qantas Platinum Frequent Flyer I was able to
access the LHR T4 arrivals lounge.

Now that Qantas flights have moved to T3, what arrivals facilities are
available to me as a Platinum FF.

I cannot locate a specific answer on the web site.

About 45 minutes later I received a telephone call from Qantas Frequent Flyer Staff with "Bad news" (sic).

To summarise the conversation "When flying Qantas into LHR, First and Business Class customers only are eligible for access to the Arrivals Lounge.".


I requested an Email confirmation and this is what I received:

From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of [email protected]
Sent: Thursday, 19 November 2009 11:02 AM
To: <serfty>
Subject: Re: CN:77777777 Mr serfty 1234567890 Frequent Flyer Platinum > Frequent Flyer - Membership Status/0123456


Hello Mr serfty

Thank you for your email about lounge access.

As discussed, Qantas First and Business Class customers are eligible for access to the American Airlines Arrivals Lounge on the second floor of Terminal 3.

If you’d like to know more about the lounge access policy, please visit qantas.com/frequentflyer where you’ll find full details of your membership benefits, along with our latest news and offers.

Yours sincerely
...
The Qantas Club and Frequent Flyer Service Centre

 

[Danger]

No mention of the BA lounge, however. Or is it implied that now QF flights operate to and from T3, the BA Arrivals Lounge is therefore no access?

As for the QFF rep's suggestion that one consult the Qantas website for full details on membership benefits, what a load of bolony. The information is certainly not clear.

 

[serfty]

... The information is certainly not clear.

I believe it is clear (unfortunately).

Examine the quote in your post #54; there is no mention of Status Based access at all; that's the point - in this case no status mention ≡ no status access.

What it does not say (and contrary to what was available with T4) is that WP's no longer have access if travelling PE or WHY. I was hoping that, by omission, WP access would still be available but it's not the case. :-|