[Anonymous]

[SwissExPat]

Hi ALl

I use LCY and LHR when visiting the UK (am BA Silver)

I have been taking the BA lounge at LHR for granted !! I usually have some soup, sandwich and maybe a glass or 2 of wine.

However, I have passed through LCY recently and was a bit peckish and having a similar meal there (where BA and others such as LX do not offer a lounge or even a voucher!) I ended up paying over £40 for myself an a colleague.

At LHR, it would have been free.

Almost worse, I was on a LX business ticket recently and they gave me a stg£4 voucher in lie of the “no lounge”. I could not even get a glass of beer with this at any of the outlets.

It will make me consider using LCY again !!

(am guessing a reply might be that this is a business airport therefore all people ate on expense accounts and hence cost is not an issue!!)

[RichHI1]

I think in the current climate with cost accountants running ht show, Business Travellers are more likely to have eaten in the office before leaving for airport. The days of fat expense accounts are I think over unless you work for a bank!

[MartynSinclair]

Where would LCY find the space for lounges and the need isn’t so great as check in times are so much shorter.

[RichHI1]

Good point Martyn. MSall airports are great because there is no great superstructure so you get in and out. THe minute you add lounges, shops, massage parlours etc there is more to get through and it slows down. My ideal would be the basic iminimum check in desk, securirty, take your bag to plane, get on and leave. No lounges, no shops, no restaurants, 20 minutes check in.

[KeaneJohn]

I have to admit this is one of the downsides about LCY. I flew LH business class from there last year and was not even given a voucher.

I am flying to Edinburgh with BA from there LCY next Saturday morning and was looking at the places to eat and the menus and its very expensive for breakfast which as other people have said would get similar offerings in the lounge. I will be travelling on an Avios CE redemption Prague-London-Edinburgh ticket. I am just hoping the plane is on time so I can get a breakfast at the Weatherspoons b4 they stop serving at noon.

[LuganoPirate]

I asked for two vouchers on the basis I can usually take a guest to the lounge. The check in clerk just gave them to me. I usually use them for magazines but I did have a croissant and tea at the Illy cafe last time.

Having said that I guess it’s a trade off between big busy airport taking 90 mins from kerb to plane via lounge or a quick 20 mins. I’d rather the latter and forgo or fork out for breakfast, lunch etc.

[KeaneJohn]

Do you have any status with the airline LuganoPirate. I was flying LH to Frankfurt and onto Dubai in Business Class and had a BMI Silver Card and they said I wasn’t entitled to a voucher.

I was thinking of having some porridge and a coffee in Pret but I wont be able to take that through security and as I live only 10 mins away from LCY I don’t want to waste time landside but im not paying £20 for breakfast a coffee and an orange juice.

[Ymelord]

Swissexpat… No disrespect but why do you feel you are entitled to get stuff for nowt… We as general public travellers have to pay for stuff we drink/read/eat… So why should you not?

[batraveller2]

ymelord – it is not difficult – undertstand the thread. At lhr, you have a great selection of food and drinks in the lounges (and to a lesser extent at lgw). At lcy, there is nothing for gold or silver members (unless on JFK route). I

[MartynSinclair]

There is a distinct difference between the general public and frequent business passengers, being rewarded for loyalty.

A bit like comparing why cabin crew benefit from discounted travel and non employees don’t – loyalty!

Still waiting for your source re the “CAA” horizontal rest rule being a legal requirement because we cant find it anywhere.

[KeaneJohn]

Ymelord as others have mentioned loyal frequent travellers to an airline are offered entitlement to lounge access as one of the perks for flying so frequently. Passengers paying vastly more expensive fares travelling in the premium classes are also offered these benefits.

The ability to have a sandwich, a curry, a burger, a glass or wine, a cup of coffee/tea with a slice of cake etc etc inbetween or before flights its very much appreciated. Passengers at LCY are still paying the same Business Class fare as someone flying from LHR but not getting these benefits..

Whilst the reduced check in times are much appreciated at LCY it really wouldn’t hurt BA./LX/LH to provide some facility to premium passengers.

Some of the American Carriers have coffee stations at their shuttle airports and even the small carrier Blue Islands had a “lounge” in their gate room at Jersey on inter Channel Island flights.. It was only tea/coffee/soft drinks/with biscuits/nuts/fruit but puts a bit of a niche on the competitor that charges the same or more but doesn’t have any such facilities.

[LcyA318]

I like using LCY because it is both close to work and home, however I agree that when flying with Swiss the measly £4 voucher buys very little. They need to increase the amount as it has been £4 for several years. Thankfully my next trip from LCY is to New York with BA.

[Ymelord]

As I said… Pay in a cafe or restaurant like every other traveller… Why do businessmen expect to get stuff for nowt… As you see from conditions of carriage … Airlines are responsible to get you from A to B… Nowt else… Maybe if all these extras were cut.. Tickets would be cheaper for you and every one else

[MartynSinclair]

There is nothing worse than an employee of a large corporation, being clueless about the products and services being supplied by their employer for the benefit of their customers.

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