[Anonymous]

[VintageKrug]

The new bmi International Lounge in LHR T1 opens on Monday 1 June.

The first SNAFU is the use of the branding “No. 1 Heathrow”.

This is already a trademarked brand in use by a pay as you go Loungegroup at both Gatwick and Stansted:

http://www.no1lounges.com/index.php

I expect the branding to be dropped or a legal showdown very soon!

No-one is quite sure exactly which of bmi’s customer’s will have access, as confusing messages have been sent out in bmi emails (there’s a first).

Officially: http://bmi-news.com/c/mv?EMID=089023C12NO09G99E01H9RNIT&TYPE=HTML

(don’t you love those succinct URLs?)

—————————-
*Please note as per DfT regulations, London Heathrow to Dublin is regarded as a domestic route within the airport environment and therefore customers flying to Dublin will need to use our Domestic lounge.

Gold and Silver Diamond Club members may use bmi Number One Heathrow when travelling on any bmi operated flight.

Other Diamond Club members must be travelling on a Business Class ticket (or Economy Flexible ticket on international short-haul flights between London Heathrow and Amsterdam, Brussels, Venice, Palma, Hanover).
————————

Though others have been told only *G holders may use the lounge when flying domestically, others have been told access will be restricted to bmi *G only (excluding other Star Alliance Elite cardholders).

Seems they have an AGA just to contribute that little bit extra to global warming (perfect this time of year…. – perhaps they are going for that Indian Call Centre feel?) as well as a few other tricks up their sleeves.

Apparently you will be able to get a hot lunch and a shower. Probably much needed after a hot lunch.

Let’s hope the bmi habit of installing Dalek-defeating steps throughout their lounges will not be in evidence here.

Proper hand-pull beer will be available (no doubt to placate Northerners now denied direct service to Leeds), though this being bmi, I would not expect that particular feature to be working the first day.

Champagne and strawberries tomorrow at 11am, if you happen to be passing through…..it will be interesting to see what bmi have done with the former BA Domestic Terraces lounge, and indeed how long before Lufthansa marches in and closes down this little, and sadly rather lost airline which used to be such a shining star.

[Travellator]

Sadly disapointed with Bmi recently.

We are very frequent travellers BHD/LHR/BHD in business.

2 recent flights leaving LHR at 15.30 approx only sandwich provided – I mean 1 choice – egg and spinach – yeugh !!

This is a very busy business class route but may not be so busy in future given the rumblings of discontent from fellow PAX

[BAGoldcard]

I was disappointed by my J class flights to and from Almaty, Kazakhstan recently. Frankly poor to disgusting food, seemingly only one bottle of champagne available ?(at least on the return flight), no inflight snacks, average wash bags on request only…..

Still waiiting for a response from Customer Relations after more than a week.

I look forward to visiting the new lounge in July, and am sure that it will be much better than the existing Diamond Club / International Business Class lounge which really are quite disappointing and in no compete with BA’s former lounges in Terminals 1 and 4.

Let’s see if the new lounge is up to the Terminal 5 Galleries.

[UpandAway]

Nice to see yet another balanced, rant free and non-bitching posting on this forum………………………..sigh.

[ANDREWYOUNG1]

Does anyone know if it will it be open to Amex Platinum Chargecard holders when travelling on any BMI ticket type like the other BMI lounges?

[excessbaggage]

Vintage Krug – i believe it is actually called No.1 Heathrow rather than No.1 London…

[BusinessTraveller]

Business Traveller replies:

AndrewYoung1 – we contacted Bmi for a response to your query, and the airline has confirmed that “the lounge will be open to Amex Platinum Chargecard holders travelling on a bmi ticket”.

[ANDREWYOUNG1]

Great, thanks for looking into that BT, presumably it’s only when travelling on an international ticket like the silver and gold DC members.

[VintageKrug]

The response from bmi (thanks for looking into this Businesstraveller!) is once again illustrative of their vague approach to fulfilling customer enquiries, and also contradicts the statements they have put out via other media.

It seems ONLY those on international itineries will be admitted to this new lounge:

http://www.flybmi.com/bmi/en-gb/the-experience/bmi-no.-1-heathrow.aspx

Gold and Silver Diamond Club members may use bmi Number One Heathrow when travelling on any international bmi operated flight*. Other Diamond Club members must be travelling on an international Business Class ticket (or Economy Flexible ticket on international short-haul flights).

Naturally, no mention of Amex Plat holders.

It appears this will be a Star Alliance Gold lounge and therefore should admit bmi Gold card holders.

This one might need to be tested…..

[Author]

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