[Anonymous]

[FormerlyDoS]

In another thread, Vintage Krug laid down a challenge about T5.

“”So rather than criticising, how would you make it better?”

My immediate thoughts are below, has anyone got any others?

1 – direct entry into the BA lounges, through the white door – cost of implementation zero

2 – better signage – cost modest

3 – publish B and C gate flights earlier on the FIDS, to avoid arriving too early – cost tiny

4 – provide a lounge in the C pier – cost (well who knows), but there should be a lounge in there to avoid the feeling you are in the FR pier at STN and premium pax have paid for it in their ticket price – having to leave the A lounge early is nickling and diming them

These four easy to accomplish actions would increase the usability no end”

[esselle]

FDoS

Fully agree with your point on BA lounge access. If you pass through South security, you end up only yards from the lounge entrance, but if you want to get to the First lounge, you need to walk a long way to your left, down an escalator, along effectively half the width of the terminal, then up another escalator to reach the entrance of the lounge, and at that access point you are only about 75 yards from the door you were standing on the other side of post security.

[excessbaggage]

Agreed, but i’d say the chances of that change ever being made are slim to none (and slim just left town) – the point of sending you on the detour is to make sure you walk through the temptations of Duty Free…

It would also remove one of the benefits of being a first class passenger, and it’s also used by VIPs who like their privacy.

[JordanD]

Genuinely open question on this access to the BA lounge:

Since day one everyone (well, nearly everyone) has made out that it is a rather large issue to have to walk round the houses at T5 to get to the lounge, bar the CCR door. Yet in T3, and in a number of airport across the world the majority of the lounges and their respective entrances aren’t near to security (I’ll pick AMS, HEL, OSL, LGW and EDI as just a few examples) and you have to walk some way to them.

So why the issue at T5? Is it just because some people go through the door?

[transtraxman]

Implimentation of the original Heathrow development plan for up to 2020 and after would improve the experience tremendously.
This envisaged an increase in T5 (by about 50%) southwards, plus longer satellites B,C and D and E – making them the same length as (the extended)T5A.

Add to that the completion of T2 together with satellites T2B and T2C and the space available increases substantially both for aircraft parking space and passenger space inside the terminals. The result is much greater space in both T5 and T2 for only a few more passengers.

The plans for T3 are more confusing. One plan shows it completely rebuilt in the “toast rack” format. The majority show a short satellite (T3B) added to the west of the present site , which would be built instead of T5E.

Then there is the whole question of T6 adjoining runway three …. but that is another story.

[VintageKrug]

Please clarify how you believe the cost of letting every single premium and status passenger traipse through the Concorde Room would be “zero”.

Quite apart from the objections of BAA/HAL which would inevitably involve increase in lounge rent to compensate for lost footfall, you’d have to redesign the Concorde Room – and its installation art – to accommodate a corridor right through its centre.

Or move the Concorde Room entirely.

To assert the cost is “zero” is bonkers.

There is a way of providing more direct access without so much physical impact, but that still doesn’t address the BAA/HAL issue, and it certainly wouldn’t be cost free. I understand it has been under consideration, though.

The other three suggestions

– signing costs are massive – to give an indication, Gatwick invested around £2m to upgrade its signage about a year ago.

– publishing B and C gates earlier may sound great, but would probably necessitate an additional lounge in the C concourse, yet more spend as you already highlight. Plus higher risk of late changes due to tech issues etc.

I’d say we have a programme running to tens of millions there already.

[VintageKrug]

Here is an illustration of the extension plan transtraxman highlights:

http://im.media.ft.com/content/images/ea079178-598b-11e1-8d36-00144feabdc0.img?width=961&height=726&title=&desc=

[transtraxman]

Thanks VK – I could not find it.

[DontTurnRight]

I would revamp BAs 1st Class Check-in area with straight through access to immigration and security, as opposed to having come out of it and go through one of the two main security areas. The current check-in area is simply a nice screen, with normal check in counters behind it.

Introduce buffet in addition to a la carte within the Concorde Lounge, to cater for those with kids or for those who want to simply snack quickly.

Offer baggage trolleys airside to assist passengers with luggage

Introduce a first, business class section on the trains going out to the remote stands. Not quite as tongue in cheek as it may sound, given how busy it can sometimes get.

[Henkel.Trocken]

FDoS makes valid points as ever.

Perhaps lounge rent would increase if premium passengers were not forced to walk through the shopping centre. On the other hand, IIRC BA got a reduced rate on the lounge and had problems even allowing direct access for F passengers who were also meant to take the detour. So once again, BA are selling premium passengers short. The comparison to the walk through T3 or any other terminal is not valid, they are designed differently in a different age and you don’t walk past a door to the lounge and then have to take a five minute detour to access the same area through another door.

The cost of signage in terms of the cost of terminal operation is a drop in the ocean, signage has never been a strong point at LHR and you only need to go to LGW to see how weak it is.

The absence of a lounge on the C pier is another example of BA selling premium passengers short. It’s penny pinching of the worst sort and should be sorted out.

At the same time the lounges need to come up to standard, have those who continually promote the BA lounges tried the QR one in T4? I thought not.

How BA funds things is not the concern of the traveller paying F or C fares any more than the terms and conditions of the cabin crew are. F and C passengers have expectations particularly on the airline’s home turf.

Yet again, BA falls short but no surprises there.

[esselle]

Rjbrownofmalta

Interesting point about the option of a Buffett in the Concorde lounge. The food offer in the First lounge (menu) is virtually identical to the CCR, but actually the buffet in First is pretty good, and, if you get in earlier, the English breakfast significantly better than the CCR.

Let’s hope that the soon to be implemented change of caterers in the BA lounge network brings with it an improvement in overall standards.

[VintageKrug]

The Concorde Room is about table service – not about buffets. The F lounge has a very good buffet, for families, or those who prefer to eat in that way.

Where there is a low cost opportunity is for Concorde room guests to be better informed about which lounges can be accessed (all of them) and what facilities are in each.

There simply isn’t enough space in the existing CCR to install a buffet.

I’m hopeful the new firm will deliver improved standards.

[HongKongLady]

I don’t see that it is feasible to access the First and or business lounge through the Concorde room door, it wasn’t designed that way and to change it to avoid a shirt able past some shops seems crazy. I do like the idea of the express security being accessed by the first check in, I am sure this was the case when T5 was first opened. The one in T3 for Virgin works very well although the footfall is much smaller so maybe that will be an issue. I find the food in the Concorde room and First lounge quite good, indeed they do appear to be the same, I would like to see a larger selection of snack type foods, they did have some Chinese dumplings on the menu for a while and they were lovely, you sometimes just want a nibble of something to complement a drink until you board. A couple of tapas style dishes would work. I am not a fan of buffets anywhere so my vote wouldn’t be for that. I thought I had read that there are
LANs for a lounge at C gates if needed, I haven’t used the B gate lounge much I prefer to stay in the main terminal and then board directly.

[lloydah]

I would like to see an easier passage to the Arrivals lounge in T5. It’s quite a hump with luggage from the carousels – perhaps just a dedicated lift?

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