LHR T3, with 3.5 hours ... which F lounge?

[scheps]

Hey guys,

Been a long time since i been to LHR so was after some advice.

1. Which would you go to spend 3.5 hours. CX, BA or AA? My guess was CX for noodles and BA for alcohol. No reason to go AA. Can i venture into two? Traveling AA.
2. Any massage facility?
3. I assume i can guest one?

Intended date of travel is April, duno if there are any renos etc planned etc....

Thanks a lot!

 

[tuapekastar]

Hey guys,

Been a long time since i been to LHR so was after some advice.

1. Which would you go to spend 3.5 hours. CX, BA or AA? My guess was CX for noodles and BA for alcohol. No reason to go AA. Can i venture into two? Traveling AA.
2. Any massage facility?
3. I assume i can guest one?

Intended date of travel is April, duno if there are any renos etc planned etc....

Thanks a lot!

Can't help with CX, but in 2010 (yep several years ago I know) BA J was better than AA F (though not ad nice as BA in T5) which I guess would indicate BA F would also be preferable to AA F (which I rate a bit under domestic QPs).
That said, any lounge there would be far preferable to the dreadful zoo that was the public areas of T3!

 

[Tristanm]

BA F Lounge is nice for alcohol as mentioned. Generally 3 choices of self service champagne. Decent selection of wine.
Food is ordinary, i.e. nowhere near as good as the MEL F Lounge, and seems to be getting worse (as of last visit late in October). I generally get a chuckle out of reading the comments book as there is almost always someone comparing it unfavourably to MEL or SYD.

I've not tried the AA or CX lounges. My plan for my next visit in around 6 weeks is to drop into the CX lounge for food then move onto the BA lounge for drinks.

There is a spa in the BA F Lounge, but not sure about eligibility for massages.

 

[suparockin]

I rate the CX lounge over the BA one, honestly the BA lounge was dark and gloomy when I was there a month or so ago.

The asian food (very fresh and tasty), lighter/brighter interior, nicer and more modern bathrooms/showers and better service gives the CX lounge the edge.

BA lounge might have slightly nicer alcohol but I was there in the morning and the breakfast food was not worthy of even a horrible 2 star hotel.

Didn't go to the AA lounge but I hear from others that it's not that great.

edit - by the way you can get a massage just outside of the BA lounge (it's just to the right of the entrance) I didn't get one but it's there if you want it.

 

[drewbles]

If you want a shower, head to AA's FL (Flagship Lounge). It's not a great lounge, but the showers are the best out of all three (and in fact, are just very good showers for a lounge).

I'd be heading to BA's F lounge, purely for the Taittinger (Sometimes, they hat the Comtes!) and the Bollie Rosé (my absolute fave non vintage, and my only rosé I'll actually drink).

 

[Princess Fiona]

If you want a shower, head to AA's FL (Flagship Lounge). It's not a great lounge, but the showers are the best out of all three (and in fact, are just very good showers for a lounge).

I'd be heading to BA's F lounge, purely for the Taittinger (Sometimes, they hat the Comtes!) and the Bollie Rosé (my absolute fave non vintage, and my only rosé I'll actually drink).

The BA Lounge in T3 had Laurent-Perrier Grande Siècle in Sep which may have been a catering mix up with the CCR supplies but it was rather lovely

 

[GoldCanyon340]

My choice would be the BA lounge, especially if you can get a glass or two of LPGS. You may find some decent food in there but possibly keep CX as a backup for that?

Honestly though, even the Priority Pass Lounge in T3 is eminently preferable to the general public area, which is an experience only Dante could adequately describe.

 

[dcm]

I was in the BA lounge on Thursday evening. Not at all crowded and plenty of different seating options. If travelling in F, you can eat in the dining room. I have had a very nice meal there on a previous occasion. Otherwise, I find the food selection good and the range of alcohol and soft drinks is very good. As well as the buffet, you can also choose from a few menu items. I have not visited either of the other lounges so can't help with comparisions, sorry.

 

[robs12]

I'd go BA (and do). You can guest one. No massage/spa facilities unless you are flying F with BA I think. Food in the F dining room is same as served on the menu outside I believe, is fair to good. Showers are in the Spa center but you can use them.
Definitely spend a little time wandering around the public area before you go in, and you'll truly appreciate it even more. As alluded to above, T3 is hell....simply too many people in too small a space.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I'd go BA (and do). You can guest one. No massage/spa facilities unless you are flying F with BA I think.

I had a spa treatment in Sep as a WP flying QF in J. I have never been refused a spa treatment at T3. Don't know what the actual rules are, especially now there is likely to be little maybe even no First class on BA flights from T3.
I think the Spa might be living on borrowed time

 

[scheps]

Thanks guys, a wealth of information!

I am flying F on AA, so let wifey know about the spa situation and see what happens. How much time in advance would be ideal? or it is really that no one is using it.

I assume i cant get into dining room as i am on AA? and even if i could, can i "guest" one into the dining room?

 

[ChasingDaylight]

Not to thread hijack terribly (apologies scheps) as I'm flying out of LHR on QF F in December and in a similar quandry re: lounges - but does QF have some sort of F check in at LHR?

 

[Tristanm]

Not to thread hijack terribly (apologies scheps) as I'm flying out of LHR on QF F in December and in a similar quandry re: lounges - but does QF have some sort of F check in at LHR?

Yes there is a dedicated QF/BA F Check in from T3.

 

[scheps]

Hey no problem,

BTW the official rules to the Elemis spa is here.
Elemis Travel Spa | Lounges | British Airways

No go for non BA flights, but doesnt hurt to try

BTW anyone know if its possible for me to go from T3-T5 and back? We all arrive in T3, then someone traveling with us will depart from T5.

 

[Princess Fiona]

A word of caution:
The "Fast Track" security at T3 can be pretty disgracefully crowded at times. Took 30 minutes to get through on my last trip. The normal security line was so long that it stretched back to the escalators. I would arrive at the airport 2.5-3 hours prior to dep.
If your wife is a shopper scheps then she will love T3. It is one of the cheapest places in the world to buy Chanel (RTW, Bags, Costume Jewellery) all prices ex-VAT. There is also a very good Tiffany store and numerous other luxury brands.
Regarding the Spa, I have generally been successful by heading to the lounge on arrival and booking the spa appointment straight away.
Enjoy

 

[Tristanm]

A word of caution:
The "Fast Track" security at T3 can be pretty disgracefully crowded at times. Took 30 minutes to get through on my last trip. The normal security line was so long that it stretched back to the escalators. I would arrive at the airport 2.5-3 hours prior to dep.
If your wife is a shopper scheps then she will love T3. It is one of the cheapest places in the world to buy Chanel (RTW, Bags, Costume Jewellery) all prices ex-VAT. There is also a very good Tiffany store and numerous other luxury brands.
Regarding the Spa, I have generally been successful by heading to the lounge on arrival and booking the spa appointment straight away.
Enjoy

I've been lucky with the "fast track" on the way out so far. On the way in is another matter, for my last two QF9 trips the normal lane would have been faster as they understaffed the fast track.

 

[scheps]

A word of caution:
...one of the cheapest places in the world to buy Chanel (RTW, Bags, Costume Jewellery) all prices ex-VAT. There is also a very good Tiffany store and numerous other luxury brands..... Enjoy

I will heed your advice

BTW, do you think the Tiffany's there, is as competitive as the one in Hong Kong? Sometimes i feel, its not genuine in HKG, coz the price!

 

[scheps]

I've been lucky with the "fast track" on the way out so far. On the way in is another matter, for my last two QF9 trips the normal lane would have been faster as they understaffed the fast track.

Don't you hate that? must have been a larger version of those priority lanes (cant remember what the proper term is now.. its been a while since it worked for me) back home where it is unattended and everyone else walks past you on the way to boarding.

 

[drewbles]

A word of caution:
The "Fast Track" security at T3 can be pretty disgracefully crowded at times. Took 30 minutes to get through on my last trip. The normal security line was so long that it stretched back to the escalators. I would arrive at the airport 2.5-3 hours prior to dep.
If your wife is a shopper scheps then she will love T3. It is one of the cheapest places in the world to buy Chanel (RTW, Bags, Costume Jewellery) all prices ex-VAT. There is also a very good Tiffany store and numerous other luxury brands.
Regarding the Spa, I have generally been successful by heading to the lounge on arrival and booking the spa appointment straight away.
Enjoy

You did better than I! After making my way past the snaking queue (was back to the escalators, and snaked back to the entrance; all the way!) I found that the Fast Track was obscured by the masses. After standing for 30 minutes in the fast track queue, and asking what the hold up was and why the regular queue was moving (I hadn't moved in 30 minutes!) I was told "oh they have to queue up again when they get through the checkpoint".

I saw one guy pass me, and by the time I got into the security screening area, he was already through (saw him picking up his bags). That was after the 30 minutes.

T3 fast track is a joke. As PF said, definitely allow 3 hours minimum at T3. I actually only had time to pickup a few souvenirs for my nephews/niece, and a very quick glass of Bollie Rosé in the lounge, before having to hightail it all the way towards gate 42 (20 minute walk).

 

[scheps]

Thanks for the warning, i will keep that in mind. Perhaps not so much time to browse chanel then .. I am saved!