[Anonymous]

[openfly]

The arrivals lounge in T3 for BA First and Golds has always been the AA arrivals lounge. As of today with the extra routes going from T5 to T3, BA premiums from NBO and CPT will not be allowed to use the AA arrivals lounge. This info came from a senior BA bod.
If these pax wish to use an arrivals lounge facilities they have to use the T5 lounge. For this, collect your bags at T3 and take the Tube to T5.

[StephenLondon]

ACC, too…it is just the MIA and DEN flights that can use T3, as the other arrivals coincide with the peak AA arrivals. There is not enough shower space for every flight arrival, sadly.
This has been posted on the BA website for some time now…

[openfly]

Announced this morning that all BA US destinations can use the AA arrivals lounge. It seems that they are just excluding African destinations. The routes with the highest premium fares.

[first_class_please]

I would imagine as its an AA lounge that it is AA dictating that only US routes, to which they have a JV and therefore revenue income will be allowed, rather than BA excluding African services.

[dutchyankee]

I wonder how those who make excuses for BA will spin this?? It’s one thing when BA states clearly no CCR other than in T5 and JFK, regardless of how poor I find that at its home base, but no where in their small print does it say that Arrivals lounges depend on where you are coming from, if on a flight out of Africa, please claim your luggage, lug it onto London Public Transport, shuttle around Heathrow, exit at T5 and lug your baggage to the Arrivals Lounge. Very Premium service I must say!

[SimonS1]

I doubt anyone will try and spin it, as I would think the access arrangements are determined by AA to fit in with the need to service its own clients. I’d be surprised if BA had much of a say in it.

Also it does clearly say on the BA website which flights can use the AA lounge – at present it refers to Miami and Denver flights and if what openfly says is correct that presumably will be updated shortly.

http://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/lounges/arrivals-lounges

Are BA going to construct new arrivals lounges – clearly not, as they have been gradually closing them down (eg LGW, JNB). However I don’t see it would be unreasonable to arrange transport for people wishing to use the T5 lounge (as they do at LCY) rather than expecting them to take the tube.

[dutchyankee]

@SimonS1,

On the BA website, about the joys of flying BA First Class it states:

On arrival into London Heathrow Terminals 3 and 5, step off the plane and into the Arrivals lounge to freshen up and get ready for the day ahead. Facilities include more delicious dining options, showers and a clothes-pressing service.

Please tell me where it states, ‘unless you are a second class citizen flying in from Africa as then you need to use our lovely London Public Transport system. Don’t worry, this process will only add an additional 90 minutes to your day, and hey, you get to see a bit more of what BA has to offer!’

Oh yes, BA missed that part, I wonder why.

My head is spinning!

[openfly]

Just about to leave AMS to T5, then transfer to T3 to see the delights of the “newly refurbished First Lounge” before my flight to CPT!

[SimonS1]

I agree that is somewhat misleading, however if you click through from that page to the arrivals lounge tab it says:

* The American Airlines arrivals lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 3 is available to all eligible American Airlines customers and eligible British Airways customers on flight numbers BA206, BA208 and BA218. All other lounge eligible British Airways arrivals at Terminal 3 are invited to use the British Airways Arrivals lounge in Terminal 5.

Ultimately it would be best for all the operators at LHR if the decision on future capacity could be made asap and then airlines can plan for lounges etc. If there is going to be a T5D etc then I would imagine an enlarged lounge at T5 will be the outcome.

I doubt this is anything to do with Africa, more likely AA has restricted access to the flights where they get some revenue from BA flights.

[dutchyankee]

SimonS1,

I know you are right, but it is frustrating. If I read on the page that upon arrival at T3 go to the arrivals lounge, etc., and I don’t realise, hey, BA are great at promising what they cant deliver, so let me click through to Lounges page to check for their usual disclaimers, and instead just arrive knackered from Cape Town, walk to the Arrivals Lounge, to be told, sorry, not for you, go to T5! Sorry, this is poor. At least BA needs to highlight in their First sales promise to please check lounge page as not all that we promise is true, then at least the unknowing will have less chance of making a mistake.

Again, I know you are right, but I think this is really poor. Fully agree about LHR capacity etc., but BA operate there, know the limitations of the existing facilities, and yet still make promises they can not (completely) fulfil to their premium clients. BA can not hide between LHR problems as they are fully aware!

[SimonS1]

I don’t disagree – one of the reasons I stopped using BA some time ago. The whole proposition is too inconsistent – you can be on a brand new A380/787 arriving into T5 or some knackered old 747 arriving T3, And paying the same money.

However they are in a difficult position at LHR – the airlines seem to be forever moving flights between terminals there.

Same applies for LGW of course, there is still a handful of flights there with F and the arrivals facility was closed some time ago now with the F lounge going the same way.

[dutchyankee]

Fully with you on this SimonS1. And I still do fly BA, but have really moved most of my flying to Star Alliance, mainly LX, SN, LH, and OS as their spread through the East of Europe is far superior for me than BA, and the BA CE product is now no longer what it was. I tend to only fly BA now when I go annually to BGI, and this of course out of LGW, so I get to experience that deterioration of product annually. When I go home to the USA it used to always be on BA, but I now have moved it all to AA, superior Business Class seat, and drastic service improvements throughout. As you say, the inconsistency with BA is truly sad, especially when the money paid is the same.

[TimFitzgeraldTC]

The day that T3 gets knocked down and rebuilt to T2 and T5 standards can’t come quickly enough! Don’t where that is on the agenda at the moment or timeframes – but heyho.

Poor from BA and sad that they keep diminishing the Premium product when others are enhancing it.

[rferguson]

@ TimFitz. It was announced in May this year that T3 would be demolished in 2019 once T2 is fully open.

http://www.itv.com/news/london/2015-05-28/heathrow-terminal-one-deserted-ahead-of-closure-next-month/

“The T2 opening is part of an £11 billion redevelopment of Heathrow which will see T2 double in size by 2019, at which point T3 will close and, like T1, will be demolished.”

[Author]

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