On our recent (May '23) transit through LHR T5, on departing the main concourse to find our gate, the escalators were closed off to access the lower level for the train which connects to concourses B/C, with only lifts operating and long queues. We noticed this after passing through transit security, and asked about it in the BA lounge (which we visited in the main concourse, since there was no lounge in the C concourse). I wanted to know if there was an alternate route to reach the underground train - upon commenting on the long queues for the lifts, the lounge attendant insisted there was nothing to worry about and to "just use the escalators." After waiting for a while in an overcrowded BA First lounge which lost 2 out of 3 of our food/drink orders placed through their online system, cue a wasted 10-15 minutes as we fast-walked to the far end of the terminal looking for alternate escalators to the lower ground. As mentioned, the main ones were clearly blocked -- with tall construction hoardings, in a long-term renovation project (surely the lounge attendant would have known about this??). There appeared to be about four escalators and why they *all* had to be refurbished at once, instead of progressively, was unclear. In the end we had to join the huge queue for the lifts, and got to the gate just in time for Final Call. (Incidentally, the flight left about 15 minutes late - I wonder if waiting for other passengers delayed by this.)
Everything else worked fine - flights close to time, baggage all transferred ; I had hoped to avoid LHR on our OWA RTW trip, but the ease of flying directly to our US destination versus several connections via say, HEL or MAD, had us give in and use BA. Lesson learned - I will never go to Heathrow again... the above was just such an unnecessary problem (especially the lounge not even knowing about the renovations) - and I consider we got off easy compared to many other stories (and those yet to come with this strike).
Good luck all!
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