Terraces Lounge next to Gate 1 at LHR

[Traveller F]

G`Day,

BA/QF has informed me that the Concord Room Lounge at terminal 4 (LHR) has now been closed and all passengers are invited to use the "Terraces Lounge" next to Gate 1 and due to limited space only passangers with valid boarding passes will be allowed entrance.

My question: has anyone experenced the this lounge the past week or so? and has it become very overcrowded. Your comments please.

PS:If this is the case I can use another VIP lounge!

Kind regards, Traveller F

 

[serfty]

I experienced it in June before they were forced to re-open the G10 Flounge. It may be better, but given all the flights going out at that time were the Asian red-e-yes it's probably very similar.

As per below it became very overcrowded.

PS:If this is the case I can use another VIP lounge!

OTTOMH, I don't believe so - T4 is undergoing significant renovation. Perhaps when they are complete the may be prioity pass or similar.

The the G1 lounge at T4 became so busy at times that the G10 FLounge was reopened until the September moves.

More here: The Australian Frequent Flyer Online Community - View Single Post - Changes to BA Lounges T4

There is NO longer a First class lounge at LHR T4.

The BA forum on FT made me aware the only T4 lounge is now the one neat gate 1.

The F lounge did indeed close after June 5th (this was when the first group of the remaining BA flights were moved to T5).

Jenny and I used the lounge on Saturday evening. I have several observations to make:

• I did not see where the First Pre-flight dining was, but as we probably weren't eligible it did not matter.
• Arrived ~7:00pm; it was half full; by 7:30pm it was an absolute zoo with a dozen BA and QF flights departing on red-eyes to Asia between around 8:30 and 10:30.
• Seating was very scarce, both up and down stairs - many were simply standing at counters or in whatever free space they could find.
• Shower facilities were available to F/J/Emerald/Sapphire PAX only - not for guests.
• Sign at entrance indicating Guest access may be restricted at peak times.
• Champagne not put out for self serve; available on request only.
• Bistro style service offering hot food throughout the day was serving "Arabian Penne", "Sweet & Sour Noodles", Garlic bread and Soup. The Pasta, noodles and soup were not self service, but served from a wok by a chef to order. Also available were various staples. Overall catering may have improved from the J only days, but it is not up to the now closed Lounge Pavilion's First Class Lounge Standard.

If you are travelling First Class on QF/BA, separate pre-flight dining may be available.

 

[Evan]

I flew out on a 21:05 flight a couple of weeks ago and it was a bit of a zoo.... i asked about an Flounge not really knowing it had been shut and they asked if i wanted pre flight dinning and would have taken care of me otherwise the tried to keep an area sort of down the left back of the lounge free for OWE.

Still a lounge was a lounge...

I wish they would fix it because they should do better not just for QF travellers but also some BA flights depart from there as well.

OT: T5 gallerys for OWE have go to be the biggest Flounges i have ever seen ! and food is ok.... Better still the had my fav 98 GA bollinger of which for sure there was none on the normal lounge.

E

 

[sarlatcycles]

We departed Heathrow Terminal 4 last Sunday on the 21:25 BA flight to Singapore. We arrived there early as we had to travele by train from Leicester to St Pancras then straight on to the Tube to LHR

Flounge was empty for an hour or so then started to fill up around 19:30 - 20:00 and was really loud. There were 2 levels. Upstairs was the main food serving area including 1st class dining for those who qualify we were mere WP so we had to settle for the stir fry noodles + the usual fare you get in a standard lounge. Two champages were self service - Cattier and Taittinger (low to mid priced versions). I suppose the better stuff was only available to those dining in the 1st class silver service room.

Overall it was a big disappointment. I thought it should have been better but then again it was my 1st OS trip as WP so have not experienced the First Class lounges before

When we entered I did see someone get turned away. I think they were only QC and I assume they didn't have the status to enter the lounge (which was the only OW I could see in T4)

 

[Evan]

sarlatcycles, there is actually no Flounge in T4 now... and hence why the cheap bubbles etc.... only they have some F pre-dinning in the business lounge. What you were in was the 'business' lounge.
This is why all us OWE are sad
E

 

[Dave Noble]

sarlatcycles, there is actually no Flounge in T4 now... and hence why the cheap bubbles etc.... only they have some F pre-dinning in the business lounge. What you were in was the 'business' lounge.
This is why all us OWE are sad
E

There are other options out of LHR heading Australia bound for better lounge options such as BA LHR-HKG/NRT ex T5 or CX ex T3 to HKG with connections onwards

Dave

 

[serfty]

... I wish they would fix it because they should do better not just for QF travellers but also some BA flights depart from there as well. ...

This is only temporary and should be set right within about 6 months.

The "Asian" flights were to move to T3 in January 2009, however this has been changed to "early 2009" (some of the T4 flights are moving to T3 on Jan 27th).

There will be the full "Galleries" set of lounges available from T3 when all these moves are complete.

BA.Com - Terminal improvements at London Heathrow:

• Terminal 3
• Terminal 4

 

[Commuter]

It sounds like T4 lounge situation hasn't improved much then. Last time I was there (June 2008), Terraces was the only option and I was thoroughly irritated by not having anywhere to sit and the noise level.

At that time, it was open to all and no area was set aside for OWE.

Is there anywhere set aside for OWE now?

Signed: I'd rather be flying out of T5 if I must fly out of LHR (I should have thought about it before I booked my flight)

 

[simongr]

I really dislike T5 and would not make a switch to T5 due to lounge choice.

 

[cam]

I was in T4 for several hours a week ago Sunday, as I was connecting to a later flight at 10:15pm to SYD via Bangkok.

I'm only a QC FF, but I was allowed access to this lounge with no problems.

I agree with an earlier posting that the lounge was full by 7pm and people were struggling to find a seat in both the upper and lower levels, that made the lounge noisy and uncomfortable with the volume of people. I was rather glad to get onboard after the 7 hours I sat in there.

The T4 itself was in renovations and didn't feel like an airport terminal.

 

[Commuter]

I really dislike T5 and would not make a switch to T5 due to lounge choice.

I don't really like arriving at T5 (especially satellite) but I don't mind flying out of there too much now. Compared to LGW, T5 is nice. (That isn't much of a compliment though, I guess.)

 

[Dave Noble]

I was in the Flounge at T5 last night and it was most pleasant. I would find it hard to find much to fault with it

The T4 lounge should improve after the 22nd October since nearly all of BAs remaining T4 flights will be moving to other terminals. iirc, the only BA stalwarts at T4 will be the BKK/SIN/SYD services

Dave

 

[serfty]

... the only BA stalwarts at T4 will be the BKK/SIN/SYD services
...

Along with the Qantas BKK/SIN/HKG/SYD/MEL services ...

 

[Commuter]

A question for people here... Does anyone know if T4 Arrivals Lounge is still operational, and has it suffered any deterioration at all, and is Elemis spa still there?

I'm trying to decide whether to spend time in T4 Arrivals or T5 Flounge when I get back from Australia (assuming T4 Arrivals lounge is still open in November). (I'm not planning on drinking, so alcoholic drinks are not an issue.)

Along with the Qantas BKK/SIN/HKG/SYD/MEL services ...

That is precisely my problem.
I'll be there after 22 Oct but I suspect the timing of those flights are such that the lounge will still be over-crowded.

I was in the Flounge at T5 last night and it was most pleasant. I would find it hard to find much to fault with it

It is indeed quite nice (and spacious enough not to have a seating problem usually), although I prefer Flounge at Sydney and Melbourne.

 

[Dave Noble]

Along with the Qantas BKK/SIN/HKG/SYD/MEL services ...

I did say the only "BA" services . There are a lot of T4 flights if you refer to all the carriers that use T4

Dave

 

[serfty]

I did say the only "BA" services . There are a lot of T4 flights if you refer to all the carriers that use T4

Dave

My reference was more to the point of those Airlines that use the T4 G1 Terraces and that the lounge can become quite crowded ...

 

[NM]

My reference was more to the point of those Airlines that use the T4 G1 Terraces and that the lounge can become quite crowded ...

And of course many of those QF services have BA codeshare flight numbers. Which is one reason BA has left their SIN/BKK services at T4 so they can differentiate based on destination and not have to worry that codeshares to the same destinations leave from different terminals.

 

[serfty]

And of course many of those QF services have BA codeshare flight numbers. Which is one reason BA has left their SIN/BKK services at T4 so they can differentiate based on destination and not have to worry that codeshares to the same destinations leave from different terminals.

While a good reason (for non AFF/FTer) I thought it had more to do with the JSA. These QF x BA codeshares will continue when the flights move to T3 in the next few months.

 

[NM]

While a good reason (for non AFF/FTer) I thought it had more to do with the JSA. These QF x BA codeshares will continue when the flights move to T3 in the next few months.

I don't believe the JSA mandates which terminals are used, or even that they use the same terminal.

 

[serfty]

I don't believe the JSA mandates which terminals are used, or even that they use the same terminal.

I guess it was easy when BA owned lots of QF and T4 represented their main long haul LHR empire. There would have been no need to make such a mandate initially.

Yes, It makes sense with the cross codeshares to keep them in the same terminal.