Cathay Pacific Asia Miles - Most convenient way to get to Cathay Lounge at LHR?

Hi all,

We are flying on Monday from LHR to ORD on AA and thought we would check out the Cathay lounge while there (We both have AA status.). I'm having trouble figuring out the maze that is Heathrow, however, and was hoping that someone could tell me the best way to get to the Cathay lounge and then go to our gate and/or the AA lounge without multiple trips through security.

Oh, our flight is 10:30 am, so if the Cathay lounge is closed and this is all a moot point, the answer may be pretty simple!

Thanks,
Mike

Hi all,

We are flying on Monday from LHR to ORD on AA and thought we would check out the Cathay lounge while there (We both have AA status.). I'm having trouble figuring out the maze that is Heathrow, however, and was hoping that someone could tell me the best way to get to the Cathay lounge and then go to our gate and/or the AA lounge without multiple trips through security.

Oh, our flight is 10:30 am, so if the Cathay lounge is closed and this is all a moot point, the answer may be pretty simple!

Thanks,
Mike

The Lounge MAY be open as the afternoon flight to HKG leaves @ 1245.

It is actually really to get to. After security just head Right and it is just located 1 level above. There are signs to direct you there. However don't know where are the AA flights are departing in relation to the CX lounge.

Be aware that once you go into the CX lounge you will NEVER want to goto another AC ever again!

The lounge is located in the shopping mall area of Terminal 3. If you go out of that area as would to reach the AA lounges, you've gone too far (you can get back in, but will need to clear security again as you have mixed with inbound pax).

It's a decent lounge, but lacks any view out over the airport.

The lounge is not in the general area of the terminal where most of the airline lounges are. Look for the signs that lead to the "Gate 1 Lounge". Worst comes to worst, head towards where the other airline lounges are, and ask at the counter you'll reach as you hit that area: they'll point you in the correct direction, which in my case turned out to feel like a 180-degree turn. :o

It's a very nice, tranquil lounge, but the food selection isn't particularly noteworthy. It is, however, quite an oasis compared to the bustle that can engulf LHR T3. ^

Be aware that once you go into the CX lounge you will NEVER want to goto another AC ever again!


:confused: :confused: :confused:

Be aware that once you go into the CX lounge you will NEVER want to goto another AC ever again!

I mean it was nice, a little cold as they were cleaning the air conditioning ducts. The dim sum was good. Definitely, not up to HKG standards though. I was more impressed with BA's FC lounge and the spa.

Be aware that once you go into the CX lounge you will NEVER want to goto another AC ever again!
Spoken like someone who obviously has never been there (the LHR one, that is.) :rolleyes:

The CX lounge in BKK is yet another example of how untrue the "NEVER" statement is.

I concur. The LHR CX lounge is OK, but frankly not that special.

I concur. The LHR CX lounge is OK, but frankly not that special.
Oh, and to forgot to mention the CX lounge at NRT-- which is only mildly preferable to the AC next door, depending on which one is less crowded.

The Pier?? That's one thing-- one of the world's great lounges, obviously.

Thanks for all of the help. We did get into the LHR Cathay lounge, at about 9am on a Tuesday. We were the only ones in the lounge--I think the woman at the desk was very surprised that anyone came at all. The lounge was small but quite nice. There was a selection of pastries, cereal, etc., with just a bit of dim sum. It was also nice having the internet access.

While a little small, the lounge more than made up for it in peacefulness. I do not think I will ever be going back to the AA departure lounge.

Mike

The lounge was small but quite nice. You must have been on the F side. The J side is considerably bigger, surprisingly so given that CX only had 1 flight/day when the lounge opened (guess they had plans for their LHR-HKG route expansions).

You must have been on the F side. The J side is considerably bigger, surprisingly so given that CX only had 1 flight/day when the lounge opened (guess they had plans for their LHR-HKG route expansions).
I wouldn't assume that-- the whole lounge is relatively small, IMHO (appropriately so.) Could certainly fit several of them into the LHR AC.

CX only had 1 flight/day when the lounge openedEr, what? CX went to 3 flights per day in October 2003
https://www.cathaypacific.com/intl/aboutus/press/0,3845,31342-99391,00.html

and the lounge opened in September 2004
https://www.cathaypacific.com/intl/aboutus/press/0,3845,31342-112233,00.html

It seems like the lounge has been open longer. In any case the day flight was only 3 times a week until recently (few months ago), so CX had 2 flights most days of the week and the flight timing was such that rarely was the lounge used for more than 1 flight at a time. For that purpose the lounge is too big; in fact I've never seen more than maybe a 1/3 of the lounges occupied (F side is often fuller than the J side though). The day flight going to daily was a great boon to AA pax as the lounge is open at convenient hours for the AA schedule. I still think CX over-invested in the lounges, which is interesting as they are presumably moving to T5 within 2 years so they get at most 3 years use out of the lounge. My presumption is that the lounge was a response to QF getting LHR-HKG rights and maybe VS increasing LHR-HKG frequency due to getting HKG-SYD rights. In any case it is very nice of CX to have done such a lavish job on a lounge which is bound to be short-lived.

It seems like the lounge has been open longer. In any case the day flight was only 3 times a week until recently (few months ago)I'm sorry, and it's not a big deal, but you are simply wrong on this. Here are more CX releases referring to the three times daily services in October 2003:
https://www.cathaypacific.com/intl/aboutus/press/0,3845,31342-99328,00.html
https://www.cathaypacific.com/intl/aboutus/press/0,3845,31342-99351,00.html

Maybe CX retimed the day flight; I remember checking in at T3 mid-morning in Jan 2005 and being disappointed that the CX counter was closed (as was the lounge). This corresponded to the time of the 3rd flight, my assumption was that it didn't operate that day. Certainly from a lounge access standpoint the result was the same. I suppose getting LHR landing slots at the right time may involve several exchanges and quite a bit of money even if already having the slot but at the wrong time. I don't remember CX having a substantial mis-timing like that. In any case the point isn't important enough to research.