Terraces Lounge next to Gate 1 at LHR

[WTL]

OK I am at said lounge now and by standards elsewhere it's very busy here - although the BA Customer Service lady says it's quiet by normal standards tonight. God forbid. Very, very full from my arrival at about 7pm. They almost wouldn't let us in (I've just gone from Silver to Gold and my new card is in the mail box I expect, and my boarding pass wasn't enough for them, and interestingly Qantas Club are being rejected here, so that card too didn't work, alas it was the combination of my old Silver card, still in my wallet, matched with my boarding pass that now says Gold that has led her to "make an exception on this occasion".. She said it's to counter fraud but it's obviously a capacity-control measure in this over-subscribed lounge).

I would be somewhat unimpressed if I were an F passenger directed here by QF. There is a separate dining room for them as someone else has said, but it does appear rather slapped together as I am sure it is.The food's probably good though.

Reminds me of just how much of a let down BA lounges often are compared to QF run ones in my opinion.

 

[Dave Noble]

OK I am at said lounge now and by standards elsewhere it's very busy here - although the BA Customer Service lady says it's quiet by normal standards tonight. God forbid. Very, very full from my arrival at about 7pm. They almost wouldn't let us in (I've just gone from Silver to Gold and my new card is in the mail box I expect, and my boarding pass wasn't enough for them, and interestingly Qantas Club are being rejected here, so that card too didn't work, alas it was the combination of my old Silver card, still in my wallet, matched with my boarding pass that now says Gold that has led her to "make an exception on this occasion".. She said it's to counter fraud but it's obviously a capacity-control measure in this over-subscribed lounge).

It is standard procedure at BA lounges in london to require the membership card and nothing to do with overcrowding in that specific lounge.

Dave

 

[WTL]

It is standard procedure at BA lounges in london to require the membership card and nothing to do with overcrowding in that specific lounge.

Dave

Not the case for me Dave. I've been in and out of 25+ times this year and I've been asked to produce it maybe three times? That could be my honest face though.

Restrictions in place here at the moment (like no QC guests or no QC access at all in some instances) are capacity-control related. There's standing room only right now so there's no doubt about that.

Sounds like it'll all be OK again after next Tuesday though.

 

[NM]

the only times I have not been required to produce the FF card at LHR BA lounges is when I am holding a boarding pass for the cabin that permits access to the lounge.

 

[Dave Noble]

the only times I have not been required to produce the FF card at LHR BA lounges is when I am holding a boarding pass for the cabin that permits access to the lounge.

Pretty much the same here. Travelling F and no issue getting into the CR; travelling J and have been asked for card for access to the Flounge

Dave

 

[Moody]

I can't get my head around BA's lounge access policy. In Edinburgh they let my kids in saying "Children under 12 don't count as guests" and in Gatwick they not only let them in, they also said "Go up to the level 4 lounge because there is a better kids room". Then in Heathrow T5 it was back down to earth:- "1 guest only!" I asked why the BA lounge staff in Ediburgh and Gatwick had a different rule but received a blank look and the same old chant of "1 guest only because the lounge gets overcrowded". My family trudged back downstairs to retail area whilst I had a quick look around for future reference. The lounge was about the size of a football field and whilst the staff could have fielded a team + subs, you couldn't have scraped together a guests side.

Its this sort of moronic "jobsworth" attitude that I fear will always set BA apart from the rest. I can understand that if T4 is overcrowded they may deny access based on some sort of pecking order but to arbitrarily apply or not apply the 1 guest rule regardless of current lounge capacity is simply annoying and makes planning a successful departure very difficult.

 

[Dave Noble]

I can't get my head around BA's lounge access policy. In Edinburgh they let my kids in saying "Children under 12 don't count as guests" and in Gatwick they not only let them in, they also said "Go up to the level 4 lounge because there is a better kids room". Then in Heathrow T5 it was back down to earth:- "1 guest only!" I asked why the BA lounge staff in Ediburgh and Gatwick had a different rule but received a blank look and the same old chant of "1 guest only because the lounge gets overcrowded". My family trudged back downstairs to retail area whilst I had a quick look around for future reference. The lounge was about the size of a football field and whilst the staff could have fielded a team + subs, you couldn't have scraped together a guests side.

Its this sort of moronic "jobsworth" attitude that I fear will always set BA apart from the rest. I can understand that if T4 is overcrowded they may deny access based on some sort of pecking order but to arbitrarily apply or not apply the 1 guest rule regardless of current lounge capacity is simply annoying and makes planning a successful departure very difficult.

The rule is ONE guest only when entering based on status. Any time where you are granted an exception to this should be viewed as a nice thing to happen rather than start expecting it and start viewing it as a "moronic jobsworth attitude" if refused
.
It is easy to plan a successful departure. Plan based on what entitlements you have. If you have 3 people travelling and only one passenger with status, then plan to not have lounge access.

Dave

 

[Tooner]

It is easy to plan a successful departure. Plan based on what entitlements you have. If you have 3 people travelling and only one passenger with status, then plan to not have lounge access.

Dave

... and if you ask nicely at the gate and they let you in, that's a bonus. AMS, LGW, normally no problem. SYD, usually OK. But just don't ask at LHR:evil:

 

[Tooner]

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?

Going back to Commuter's question: is it still open?

 

[WTL]

the only times I have not been required to produce the FF card at LHR BA lounges is when I am holding a boarding pass for the cabin that permits access to the lounge.

Ahh of course, that's probably it.

 

[serfty]

Going back to Commuter's question: is it still open?

The T4 Arrivals lounge will close on Oct 22.

I do believe that while it has been open recently; the hours of opening are attenuated (bad luck QF29) and the spa has long been closed.

 

[Tooner]

The T4 Arrivals lounge will close on Oct 22.

I do believe that while it has been open recently; the hours of opening are attenuated (bad luck QF29) and the spa has long been closed.

I guess, reading the notice, that T5 Arrivals will be strictly for BA J & F, and top tier FFers.

 

[Dave Noble]

... and if you ask nicely at the gate and they let you in, that's a bonus. AMS, LGW, normally no problem. SYD, usually OK. But just don't ask at LHR:evil:

Indeed, you can ask nicely, but plan based on only being allowed 1 guest. There is no reason to feel at all aggrieved that at heathrow they will normally stick to the 1 guest only and even have a big sign "reminding" members of this at the desk

Dave

 

[rocket]

I guess, reading the notice, that T5 Arrivals will be strictly for BA J & F, and top tier FFers.

Are QF J & F pax not entitled to Arrivals Lounge access also, under JSA?

 

[Commuter]

Serfty - thanks for letting me know. I'll miss out on it then. I wonder if I can use T5 Arrivals while I'm connecting (I'm going from T4 to T5 to catch a connecting BA flight in business class) as a QF WP?

I haven't had a breakfast at T5 F lounge yet. If anyone has had breakfast at T5 F lounge and also had breakfast at T5 arrivals lounge, please let me know how they compare. If breakfast is not so good, I'll just go to Plane Food at T5 (I'm too lazy to trek out to T5 F lounge, have a look at the food and then walk back to Plane Food if it's no good).

Shame about the T4 Arrivals - I quite liked the environment there (and the breakfast).

 

[serfty]

Are QF J & F pax not entitled to Arrivals Lounge access also, under JSA?

Maybe yes maybe no; BA PAX are able to do so as posted.

However there may be some issue with doing so as a QF PAX - I have come across nothing official to indicate either wat.

In all honesty, it's somewhat of a landside trek in any case ...

 

[Tooner]

Maybe yes maybe no; BA PAX are able to do so as posted.

However there may be some issue with doing so as a QF PAX - I have come across nothing official to indicate either wat.

In all honesty, it's somewhat of a landside trek in any case ...

On the basis that all flights into and out of T5 are BA (I think the code shares use T4?), you would think the JSA doesn't apply.

As any good lawyer would say, "it depends"

 

[Traveller F]

G`Day,

Well thanks to everyone for their comments, it just seems to be absolute disaster. I feel quite peeved that a full paying F class passenger (x2 my wife as well) should not at least be guaranteed a seat in the lounge let a lone a bit of piece and quite, after all I’ve paid top dollars for not only the flight but also the use of the pre flight facilities. I’ll let you know my experiences.

By the way as a “Priority Pass” holder I can use the “Holideck Lounge” at departure gate 17, has anyone used this lately and can comment?

Thanks, Traveller F

 

[Dave Noble]

Well thanks to everyone for their comments, it just seems to be absolute disaster. I feel quite peeved that a full paying F class passenger (x2 my wife as well) should not at least be guaranteed a seat in the lounge let a lone a bit of piece and quite, after all I’ve paid top dollars for not only the flight but also the use of the pre flight facilities. I’ll let you know my experiences

There are a lot of airports around where there are no 1st class lounges and a seat in a lounge is never guaranteed.

If the lounge access is important then I would suggest changing to another flight. CX ex T3 has an F lounge plus BA to HKG ex T5 has a v nice lounge. This is an issue that is easily circumvented as a full fare F passenger

Dave

 

[serfty]

"Early 2009" seems to mean at least October ...

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

There has been a post on FT's BA forum from an irregular poster who tends to post very accurate information when they do: FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - LHR Terminal 5: FAQ, information and updates

BA will not move out of T4 until Oct 2009 at the earliest.