British Airways is to close its remaining premium lounge facilities located by T4’s gate 10 from next Wednesday, when the carrier moves its next tranche of long-haul flights to T5.
The lounge’s business class area and spa facilities were closed some time ago when BA first moved into T5, but the Concorde Room has remained open for first class passengers, along with the First lounge for first class passengers and Executive Club Gold card holders. However these facilities will close on September 17, when BA moves flights to a total of 29 long-haul destinations from T4 over to T5.
In an email to selected Executive Club members BA said, “As you may be aware Terminal 4 is undergoing redevelopment to improve facilities, as part of BAA's Heathrow Airport improvement programme. As a result, we have agreed to close our Gate 10 Lounge Pavilion to support BAA in their development programme.”
Eligible passengers are now being directed to the Gate 1 lounge facilities, where first class passengers can avail of pre-flight dining when travelling on flights departing on or after 2000. There are however no separate lounges for First passengers or Gold card holders at the gate 1 lounge.
BA notes that this is a temporary measure until the remainder of its long-haul flights are moved to T3 and T5. Following next week’s move to T5 of flights to destinations including Abu Dhabi, Chicago, Toronto and Sao Paulo, BA will then move another 12 routes to T5 on October 22 (among them Boston, Dubai and Shanghai), before a final move of Bangkok, Singapore and Sydney flights to T3 in January 2009.
For more information visit ba.com.
Report by Mark Caswell