bmi diamond club - A big loss for Star Alliance?

Whilst Star Alliance (LH in particular) will hardly ever see bmi exit from Star Alliance as too much of a loss to its route network, it will be mainly the *G status, first/business class customers travelling from Heathrow T1 who will feel the loss of a major benefit of bmi... The Great British Lounge!

http://www.ausbt.com.au/british-airways-takes-over-rebrands-bmi-lounge-at-heathrow-t1

It could also be that load factors in premium cabins across the Star Alliance network will suddenly decrease, as well as passengers who chose *A to accrue valuable BD miles. But well, if DC can soon book OW awards the way we could book *A awards, there might be some significant business moving from *A to OW!

"That all changes tomorrow, Friday July 1. Star Alliance will lose access to the Great British Lounge, with BA taking over and rebranding the facility as the "International Lounge", Australian Business Traveller learned on a stopover at the lounge this week."

Wow - I knew the Aussies were ahead of us, but I didn't realise they were that far ahead!!!!

It is my opinion also that the ambiance of *A lounge in T1 is fairly rotten, reminding me more of a waiting room at a coach station. Fair too small for one thing for the amount that use it.

Better food in the *A lounge in my experience though!!

Depends what you are looking for in a lounge I guess. A quiet seat in pleasant surroundings with some snacks beats institutional food in a crowded dark room for me. Maybe it was better earlier in the morning.

Better food in the *A lounge in my experience though!!

As long as you like Indian food !

It is my opinion also that the ambiance of *A lounge in T1 is fairly rotten, reminding me more of a waiting room at a coach station. Fair too small for one thing for the amount that use it.

Hmm... the Star Alliance lounge at T1 LHR? I actually thought it was quite nice.

Hmm... the Star Alliance lounge at T1 LHR? I actually thought it was quite nice.

It is quite nice (especially the F side) What people are saying really is they are angry that they are leaving *A and the carriers still with *A will pay for this betrayal by no longer using the BD lounge. Guess they forgot that *A didnt have anything to do with BD leaving. The anger should be directed at the former management for BD, not *A for making the airline financially what it is. As long as there is a lounge to relax in before the flight, the dif between the *A and BD lounges is not so great that anyone is going to really care.......If people thought that way we would all fly Virgin

It is quite nice (especially the F side) What people are saying really is they are angry that they are leaving *A and the carriers still with *A will pay for this betrayal by no longer using the BD lounge. Guess they forgot that *A didnt have anything to do with BD leaving. The anger should be directed at the former management for BD, not *A for making the airline financially what it is. As long as there is a lounge to relax in before the flight, the dif between the *A and BD lounges is not so great that anyone is going to really care.......If people thought that was we would all fly Virgin

Well said.

I am not angry- however it is a shame that BD is leaving the star alliance and a big loss for many options particularly from LHR. I hardly expect the prices of flying in and out of the UK will decrease as a result of this change.

Well said.

I am not angry- however it is a shame that BD is leaving the star alliance and a big loss for many options particularly from LHR. I hardly expect the prices of flying in and out of the UK will decrease as a result of this change.

+1 I feel badly for the loyal BD customers that got scr**ed .......But they should take it out on BD or even BA but not *A

+1 I feel badly for the loyal BD customers that got scr**ed .......But they should take it out on BD or even BA but not *A

To clarify-
BD was owned by another STAR carrier which sold BD with very short notice and also terminated the agreement quickly. I would not take this out on BA- they are the buyer and hopefully will have better luck than the previous owners.

To clarify-
BD was owned by another STAR carrier which sold BD with very short notice and also terminated the agreement quickly. I would not take this out on BA- they are the buyer and hopefully will have better luck than the previous owners.

Exactly. I do wish that Star Alliance carriers and LH had decided to do far more (and were more able) to place BD in a stronger position, but history is history and BD/DC -- warts and flowers -- are going the way of history. While I'm not a big fan of BA's mileage charts when it comes to long-haul flights, I don't blame BA one bit for doing what it has done to BD/DC customers by migrating us over to the BA side.

... I got my last few creative first and business class itineraries booked with originating flights in Brazil. I will probably never fly as much on first and business class mileage tickets with other airline programs as I have (and will still) with BD/DC, but I never expected this to be a game that goes on forever in the same way.

"That all changes tomorrow, Friday July 1. Star Alliance will lose access to the Great British Lounge, with BA taking over and rebranding the facility as the "International Lounge", Australian Business Traveller learned on a stopover at the lounge this week."

Wow - I knew the Aussies were ahead of us, but I didn't realise they were that far ahead!!!!

You mean Friday, June 1st ?

Does anyone think it likely that the GBL will open up to domestic pax too - now that the *A customer base has been removed? This could enable the entire bmi T1 lounge operation to be based there and would reduce overheads from running the separate LR facility - I think most of us could be happy enough with that...

Seeing as they've called it the 'International Lounge', I suspect not.

You mean Friday, June 1st ?

That was not my text! I assume that's what ausbt meant - as they have now corrected it!!!

"That all changes tomorrow, Friday July 1. Star Alliance will lose access to the Great British Lounge, with BA taking over and rebranding the facility as the "International Lounge", Australian Business Traveller learned on a stopover at the lounge this week."

Wow - I knew the Aussies were ahead of us, but I didn't realise they were that far ahead!!!!

It's a pretty dreadful magazine littered with mistakes.

I assume the Arrivals Lounge is owned by *A but managed by bmi? If so I presume that one is staying with *A?

It was a BD lounge, not open generally to other *A passengers - SAA was an exception - nor even to BD Golds travelling in economy.

What it will be after midnight, I don't know. It would certainly be nice if it became a *A lounge, though I wonder about capacity.

I've accessed it many times as a BD Gold travelling in Economy; I had to be arriving on a midhaul flight though. I think Air New Zealand passengers had access too didn't they?

To clarify-
BD was owned by another STAR carrier which sold BD with very short notice and also terminated the agreement quickly. I would not take this out on BA- they are the buyer and hopefully will have better luck than the previous owners.

^

I assume the Arrivals Lounge is owned by *A but managed by bmi? If so I presume that one is staying with *A?

It appears that the Arrivals lounge has remained with *A. I arrived this morning on the BD896 from DME, and tried to stop by for a shower, coffee and newspapers. My boarding pass (eGUVed, but in any case I have a DC Gold card) was rejected at the door; I was informed that from "yesterday" (i.e., 1 June) "that flight" no longer granted access. I was somewhat confused, as I had understood historically it was NOT a *A lounge, but rather only invited *A J-class passengers (US, NZ, SA and UA) plus BD mid/long-haul arrivals in J and DC G cardholders in Y on those BD mid/long-haul arrivals were granted access.

I note that the description of Heathrow on BD's website still references access to the arrivals lounge.

That's a bummer, I'm going to be in need of an arrivals lounge next week!
I notice that at check-in today for a BD coded flight and boarding passes (as well as the computer system itself) show BDP not BDG.

Meanwhile the International Lounge is much the same, if a lot quieter! One magazine call Franchise which has BA tailfins on the cover.

Couldnt see the big MillerHarris testing bottle near the visitor book though.

Couldnt see the big MillerHarris testing bottle near the visitor book though.

I have a suspicion the Miller Harris partnership is over. On my BD flights this past week, I also do not recall the testing bottle near the visitor book (though did not look particularly hard). There was MH hand lotion in the Y-class lavatory (^), but on the return today in J there was only MH hand soap, not lotion. The Miller Harris gift boxes were not distributed to J pax, and neither were the BD amenity kits. It felt like the product is just limping along, though the service and food were as always.

Surprised the article didn't mention that this is really the lounge 'coming home to BA' given it used to be the BA LHR T1 lounge! (albeit one entered from downstairs at the new BAA 'on business' thingy, whatever it is - the escalators came out where the bar is now!)

It appears that the Arrivals lounge has remained with *A. I arrived this morning on the BD896 from DME, and tried to stop by for a shower, coffee and newspapers. My boarding pass (eGUVed, but in any case I have a DC Gold card) was rejected at the door; I was informed that from "yesterday" (i.e., 1 June) "that flight" no longer granted access. I was somewhat confused, as I had understood historically it was NOT a *A lounge, but rather only invited *A J-class passengers (US, NZ, SA and UA) plus BD mid/long-haul arrivals in J and DC G cardholders in Y on those BD mid/long-haul arrivals were granted access.

I note that the description of Heathrow on BD's website still references access to the arrivals lounge.Well, my experience earlier this week was that I was granted access and my details did get recorded on the entrance book. The chap had to go an speak to someone, but he there was no problem.

It was a BD midhaul flight in Business arriving at midday. My boarding pass showed only BDP and I didn't bother showing my DC card as I worried it might complicate things.

So, I do think it's still available, at least for bmi Business Pax, unless he recognised my urgent need of a shower!

Surprised the article didn't mention that this is really the lounge 'coming home to BA' given it used to be the BA LHR T1 lounge! (albeit one entered from downstairs at the new BAA 'on business' thingy, whatever it is - the escalators came out where the bar is now!)
Oh that's what the Ready for Work centre is! I always wondered why it had such grand doors!

Oh that's what the Ready for Work centre is! I always wondered why it had such grand doors!Yep, that's it. Well done on remembering its proper name!

The arrival lounge at T1 is still officially available to Business Class & Diamond Club Gold customers arriving before 12pm on a bmi midhaul flight. Unfortunately this invitation is NOT currently being offered to Executive Club Gold customers.

The arrival lounge at T1 is still officially available to Business Class & Diamond Club Gold customers arriving before 12pm on a bmi midhaul flight. Unfortunately this invitation is NOT currently being offered to Executive Club Gold customers.

This is definitely not what I was told 2 weeks ago. I was in business class DME-LHR (albeit using a eGUV), and also BD *G (but my BP had BA G recorded). Perhaps all of the changes left them confused.