[BeckyBoop]

If T5 fails on so many levels as others point out how come it ‘currently’ holds accolades such as…

Terminal 5, London Heathrow Airport named the world’s Best Airport terminal by airline customers

http://www.worldairportawards.com/Awards_2012/terminal.htm

Airline customers name London Heathrow Airport as the world’s Best Airport for Airport Shopping

http://www.worldairportawards.com/Awards_2012/shopping.htm

I suspect there is method to the so called madness of the design.

http://www.e-architect.co.uk/london/heathrow_airport_t5.htm

Compared to a London railway station I know where i would rather be…

VK do you have any idea who the new company will be to take over the managment of the catering. I would like to see Gordon Ramsay look after it or they could even speak to the Sofitel.

[Henkel.Trocken]

Surely the CCR should be about meeting the expectations of F passengers? It seems that a buffet is something that is missing. I agree that the limitiations of the space make anything like EK would offer impossible but there must be the possibility of some simple snacks etc. which is often all that I want before boarding.

If I was after a fine dining experience, it wouldn’t be anything to do with BA.

[esselle]

The new caterer is Baxter Storey.

Fingers crossed they can innovate a little.

Nothing wrong with buffets if they are done properly.

[SimonS1]

BeckyBoop – 15/02/2013 14:23 GMT

As with all “accolades”, you have to consider who the awarding company is. In this case it is Skytrax. Now that wouldn’t by any chance be the same Skytrax that had 5 complaints upheld against it by the Advertising Standards Authority only last November would it?

Look at it another way. I could give you an “accolade” for being BT’s resident expert on Emirates or Virgin Atlantic. However everyone knows that the value of this would be questionable, don’t they.

[BeckyBoop]

I have never claimed to be an expert.

[IanFromHKG]

VK, to respond to your post at 15:47. I will gladly tender to improve the signage to the lounges at T5 for a mere GBP250,000, at which rate I
will guarantee both vastly improved signage and a massive profit. I will even provide BA with a year’s worth of boarding card paper which has a map on the reverse. As to your assertion that earlier publication of gates might require a lounge at the C gates… With respect, that’s bollocks. It would merely allow passengers to plan their departure time from the A lounges without having to constantly monitor the screens and then dash to the gates. Given that I cannot believe that BA don’t know the gate AT LEAST an hour beforehand, since that must be the minimum time for aircraft turnaround from the point at which ATC designates a gate for the inbound aircraft, there really is no excuse for this. The tech issue you raise, again with respect, is a red herring. These can occur at any time and often after boarding. They can be dealt with

JordanD – you are right, in many airports/terminals the walk to the lounges is just as long. What irritates many people, including me, is that the walk is unnecessary. As esselle points out, you can walk for five minutes to end up 75 yards from where you started, all because BAA want you to buy stuff. At least when I walk through the shops at T3 en route to the lounge, I don’t feel that 3/4 of my steps are wasted

In the earlier thread that FDoS referenced in the starting post, I suggested a few things I would have done differently if starting with a clean sheet. Given here we are only looking at improvements on an existing design, I would move the premium check-in areas to the other end to facilitate those premium passengers arriving by public transport and minimize backtracking when heading to security, improve the signage (for no more than a quarter of a million quid!) and announce gates much, much earlier…

[VintageKrug]

Becky, it was run by Compass. I think BaxterStorey are taking over, which will be a huge improvement!

[AnthonyDunn]

Streuth, and there I was thinking it’s great that you can get a decent sandwich from Pret-a-manger and a freebie from the Pimms bar…!

And as for distance to the gates, T5 is a mere saunter in comparison with the trek that is Beijing Capital: allow up to 35 minutes to the furthest gates… It felt like walking to Manchester.

[esselle]

Interesting, though. Contract caterer for BA, world class hotel for CX.

[christopheL]

I would like BA lounges to have more screens. When my flight is late (which is not that uncommon), I have to move every 5 minutes to check if my flight is boarding or not. .

[canucklad]

Morning all…..

Will be heading back to Scotland next month….would like to head back with a litre of Canadian Ice vodka bought at YVR’s duty free….

YVR > T5 > EDI …..???…Will i get snookered with security screening during my transfer ?

I’m assuming not….but I don’t want my fellow travellers see a grown man cry!!

[Binman62]

FDOS 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

Absolutely. This was a decision driven by the landlord and fought by BA at every stage. BA lost and then paid close to £1million for the door to the Concorde Room!

2 – better signage – cost modest

Agreed, removing some of the shopping signs and turning display boards 90 degrees will mean people can see them whilst walking rather than having to stop. The current layout was to entice them into shops.

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

Difficult one…..LHR is home base.

Long haul turns are a minimum of 3 hours due engineering requirements and 90mins if aircraft has come from base. This sounds like it should be easy but the impact of aircraft changes would be huge due to the awful layout and inability to get clean passengers from B to A or C and from C to B or A. The design was BAA controlled and the costs cuts drove the decision to stop clean passengers getting back.

90 should be possible and on the whole I think this is achieved.

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

Absolutely, pure costs cutting and being cheap……

[Papillion53]

Canucklad@17:26

I think you will be ok as long as you don’t swig any of it on the way back, ie. the duty free security seals are still intact! 🙂

But to save any chance of a blub, double check when you buy! 😉 🙂

Are you having a great time? I am counting down the days, well months to our trip!

[farmerslodge]

All of your comments are sound, apart from anyone considering passengers who cannot enjoy the luxuries of a BA lounge because they travel coach. What about a pay as you use it lounge like all the other terminals have – I enjoy the use of a pay as you use it lounge, cant always justify C or F travel but do enjoy the sanctuary of a lounge. Bit selfish of BA controlling the use of T5, and not allowing an independent operator in there. Do people think it would be used enough?

[NameRemoved-18/12/14]

How many posters would object to one of the following?

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9YDxBnAUNak/SkG_RcfTdDI/AAAAAAAADA4/rYp251cDv_4/s400/IMG_0200.JPG

[Author]

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