London Heathrow - Terminal 3 - Upgraded lounges including new F lounge

[danih88]

According to the article below, it looks like Platinum travellers will have some new perks when travelling through London. What I cannot seem to find is whether this is available for both Domestic AND International flights or if it is just International.

I plan to be travelling to Edinburgh from T5 from London Heathrow next week and was hoping to have access to the F (Galleries First) lounge there for a bit of TLC and of course when I actually leave back for home in September.

Anyone know the answer to my question and have any experiences they would like to impart?

Qantas to move from Terminal 4 to Terminal 3 in London

London Heathrow's Terminal 3 has become the new home for Qantas flights to Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Australia, plus British Airways flights to Singapore, Bangkok and Australia.
Terminal 3 has undergone a multi million pound transformation to enhance your journey at London Heathrow and will feature;

• A separate Qantas and British Airways First check-in suite for the exclusive use of First customers, Chairmans Lounge members and Platinum Frequent Flyers located in zone G.
• Dedicated Business and Premium Economy, Qantas Club check-in counters, located in zone G.
• Economy, Online Check-in, Bag Drop counters located in zone F.
• Check-in kiosks enabling you to check in, change your seat, and print your boarding pass at the entry to zone F, and G. A dedicated bag drop counter will be available to check your bags and conduct visa checks.
• Customers travelling in First or Business and Platinum Frequent Flyers can use Fast Track, a dedicated premium channel for security and immigration.

[h=3]Lounges[/h]

• Qantas First customers, Chairmans Lounge members and Platinum Frequent Flyers are invited to Galleries First lounge, a Wine Gallery and a magnificent Champagne Bar.
• Qantas Business customers, Gold Frequent Flyers and Qantas Club members can relax in the Galleries Club Lounge offering a Wine Gallery, Deli Bar, Coffee House plus entertainment and work zones equipped with PCs. Complimentary Wifi access is available in the work zones and throughout the lounge.
• Qantas customers travelling in First or Business will have use of an Arrivals Lounge at London Heathrow.
• Qantas customers travelling First are invited to experience the Elemis travel spa. Choose from a range of reviving and relaxing treatments or freshen up before your flight in one of the private shower pods.

[h=3]In the Terminal[/h]

• A diverse range of shops, restaurants and retail outlets.

[h=3]Flight connections[/h]

• A redesigned Transfer area offering direct bus transfers to Terminals 1, 2, 4, 5 if your bags are checked through to an onward destination. Follow the purple signs to the Transfer Desk.

[h=3]Transport[/h]

• London Underground, Heathrow Express and Heathrow Connect all operate to and from Heathrow Central (Terminals 1,2 and 3) - accessed via underground walkways from all three terminals.
• Coach services also operate from the Heathrow Airport Central Bus station, only a short walk from Terminals 1, 2 and 3.
• Taxi ranks are conveniently located outside all terminals

 

[Sprucegoose]

Almost makes me want jump on a plane on see it first hand!!

 

[Princess Fiona]

AFAIK BA flies LHR-EDI from T5

 

[TonyHancock]

AFAIK BA flies LHR-EDI from T5

I think that is correct. Do they fly to Glasgow from T3?

The info is quite old. QF moved to T3 quite some time ago. More than year ago?

 

[nlagalle]

Didn't QF move to T3 a couple of years ago?? And BA is mostly from T5?

 

[Will]

According to the article below, it looks like Platinum travellers will have some new perks when travelling through London. What I cannot seem to find is whether this is available for both Domestic AND International flights or if it is just International.

I plan to be travelling to Edinburgh from T5 from London Heathrow next week and was hoping to have access to the F (Galleries First) lounge there for a bit of TLC and of course when I actually leave back for home in September.

Anyone know the answer to my question and have any experiences they would like to impart?

Um... QF moved to T3 in late 2009!

The link you post to describes QF facilities at T3. The Edinburgh flight will be BA from T5, not T3.

T5 departures at Galleries First is available for your flight to Edinburgh, yes. There is no 'international' and 'domestic' division at T5.

 

[moa999]

Old news.

Qantas moved from T4 to T3 in October 2009.
All the other oneworld airlines are also in T3 - Cathay, American, Royal Jordanian and Finnair.
You have choice of lounges from Cathay, American and British Airways.

Most BA flights are from T5, but some including Asian, Australian flights and some Euro destinations (eg Gibraltar and Spain).

BA T5 is very nice and the FL is great.
T5 has recently been extended with the second satellite terminal (with no lounge opening) so you know have T5A, T5B and T5C

 

[ajw373]

Old news.

Qantas moved from T4 to T3 in October 2009.
All the other oneworld airlines are also in T3 - Cathay, American, Royal Jordanian and Finnair.
You have choice of lounges from Cathay, American and British Airways.

Most BA flights are from T5, but some including Asian, Australian flights and some Euro destinations (eg Gibraltar and Spain).

BA T5 is very nice and the FL is great.
T5 has recently been extended with the second satellite terminal (with no lounge opening) so you know have T5A, T5B and T5C

Indeed, very old news. Was scratching my head when I saw the date on the first post. Having just moved back to Aus after spending 4 years living in the UK, I will say that T3 is an absolute and utter nightmare of a terminal, without doubt the worst in London. Arrivals is simply shocking and for some reason has some of the nastiest immigration staff working there, maybe because of the higher number of non European flights compared to T1 and T5 (cannot comment on T4 as never used it after BA moved out) and baggage reclaim and the outside arrivals halls were busy hell holes.

Departures was a tad better, though during the time I live there it was undergoing constant rebuilding. Pity I never got to see it finished. Though once past security the shopping and waiting area were very cramped, and as is the case in all Heathrow terminals they deliberately keep you waiting in this area with a lack of seating so as to "encourage" you to shop, with gate info coming only 1 hour out.

The only shinning lights were the lounges. I traveled through here several times a year so used the BA lounge quite a bit and also the Air Canada lounge when I was flying with SAS. The BA first lounge is a good and clearly less busy copy of it's T5 counterpart, never used the business lounge though. By comparison the T5 lounges were good but too busy. As for the OP, if your flying domestically just remember that there are 3 (4 if you count the Concord Room) lounges in the main T5 building. The first, Concord and one of the business lounges are located at one end of the terminal, with a single business lounge at the other, which so happens to be the side that all domestic BA flights depart from. Also no boarding announcements are made, so bear this in mind when you choose your lounge, you wouldn't want to be late for your flight.

 

[MrJetset]

I flew from T3 2 months ago and my expectations were low, but I was suitably impressed. There's a dedicated BA/QF First Check in area, and the Galleries First even has a Champagne bar and dining room which I was able to have breakfast in prior to boarding QF32. In this sense, it offers all the services of T5 GF, except there is no Elemis Spa. It appeared that no other QF pax were aware of the dining area, or thought it was closed as the staff were (as always) hiding in the kitchen.

Indeed, the security was a lot quicker, and smoother than T5 with dedicated fast track lanes, and without the number of pax as T5 at that hour. There was still construction underway, but overall an immense improvement on the former QF Terminals at LHR.

 

[TonyHancock]

There is a little bit about my T3 experience here

 

[simongr]

the Galleries First even has a Champagne bar and dining room which I was able to have breakfast in prior to boarding QF32. In this sense, it offers all the services of T5 GF, except there is no Elemis Spa. It appeared that no other QF pax were aware of the dining area, or thought it was closed as the staff were (as always) hiding in the kitchen.

The dining area (table service) is only for F pax though. Is that still the case?

 

[MrJetset]

The dining area (table service) is only for F pax though. Is that still the case?

I have never experienced this rule being applied. In both T5 and T3 GF the dining area has no real entrance manned by dragons, it's just a part of the lounge, and any pax with access to the lounge can use it. I was traveling in J on both occasions.

Next month, I'll be traveling SYD-LHR on QF in J then LHR-BCN on BA in CE and plan to use the GF for breakfast, once again.

 

[Princess Fiona]

In this sense, it offers all the services of T5 GF, except there is no Elemis Spa. It

Has the spa closed? They definitely had one situated to the right hand side of the entrance to the F Lounge the last time I was there.
Nice mood lighting and massage chairs.

 

[simongr]

At T5 this is a non-issue as F class pax go to the Concorde room so the dining area is in fact all Emeralds flying J/whY/whY+

At T3 there is a separate dining area for F pax. Just by the little buffet there is a doorway through to the F only dining area. I think the area you are referring to is the general dining area where you can either eat from the buffet or request food from the menus at the little tables.

 

[TonyHancock]

Has the spa closed? They definitely had one situated to the right hand side of the entrance to the F Lounge the last time I was there.
Nice mood lighting and massage chairs.

It was there in July! Located between the J lounge and F lounge entrances. (As you say the entrance is to the right of the F Lounge)

 

[MrJetset]

At T5 this is a non-issue as F class pax go to the Concorde room so the dining area is in fact all Emeralds flying J/whY/whY+

At T3 there is a separate dining area for F pax. Just by the little buffet there is a doorway through to the F only dining area. I think the area you are referring to is the general dining area where you can either eat from the buffet or request food from the menus at the little tables.

You can see the area I'm referring to in the photos, I think it was the F dining area as the setup was the same as T5 GF. There was a small doorway, but no door?

 

[simongr]

Strange that should be F only (there has been a sign there previously).

Though good to see you having champers with your bacon roll

 

[MrJetset]

Though good to see you having champers with your bacon roll

Indeed. "When in Rome...." They were remarkably tasty. Unlike my experience with BA on board food.

 

[MrJetset]

Was in T3 Galleries First Lounge twice in the last few weeks. After disembarking from BA16 early in the AM, waiting to connect to BCN was able to walk into the Dining Room and be served without question.

On our return on BA16 in the evening there were 2 staff members, one from the dining area, another man in a suit who not only asked to see a BA First Class boarding card, but had to go to the front desk lounge dragons to get an 'invitation,' so it appears that the area is indeed only for First Class passengers. On the return I saw many disappointed pax being turned away.

 

[Danger]

Was in T3 Galleries First Lounge twice in the last few weeks. After disembarking from BA16 early in the AM, waiting to connect to BCN was able to walk into the Dining Room and be served without question.

On our return on BA16 in the evening there were 2 staff members, one from the dining area, another man in a suit who not only asked to see a BA First Class boarding card, but had to go to the front desk lounge dragons to get an 'invitation,' so it appears that the area is indeed only for First Class passengers. On the return I saw many disappointed pax being turned away.

Wow. That really surprise me. I've been through T5 four or five times. One layover included a delightful 15 hours sampling BA's lounges which included eight or so hours in the First lounge. I never encountered any problems with ordering off the menu, nor did I see any 'security'. I don't even recall seeing a sign or similar excluding non-F.