Cathay Pacific Asia Miles - Lhr Arrivals For Cx Passenger

I plan to travel next month from HKG-LHR-MILAN.... I am travelling HKG-LHR segment (via CX F Class). the LHR-LIN (flown using BA business). The question is whether I can use the arrivals facility in BA...

My CX flight arrives in Terminal 1.... BA flight leaves for milan in Terminal 3.. I would like to know if the arrivals facility in Terminal 1 or 4 is closer to my departure?

Thank you for any help.

Hi Mattias,

First of all I should point out that your CX flight to LHR most certainly does not arrive at Terminal 1 since CX operates in/out of Terminal 3 at LHR. I think you have got the terminals mixed up - your CX flight arrives at T3, your BA flight departes at T1.

Unfortunately you will not be able to use the BA arrivals lounges since they are for BA premium passengers only and are in the wrong terminal anyway.

You may use the AA arrivals lounge as a CX premium passenger by showing your boarding pass however I would recommend using the airside transit facility instead to get to T1 and use the BA Terreces there which in any case are better than the AA Arrivals lounge.

From Terminal 3, take a coach to the Flight Connections Centre. Pass through customs and security and make your way by foot to Terminal 1. Your BA boarding pass will have been issued in HKG.

Enjoy your flight!

CX uses the AA Arrivals lounge in Terminal 3. You can use that (it is landside so you must clear customs and immigration), or you can transfer airside to Terminal 1 and use the BA First lounge in T1 International. You cannot have MB Spa treatments as you did not fly BA longhaul, and BA does not provide spa for CE pax. Be sure to use the FIRST lounge instead of the Terraces, it is much nicer (they are side by side).

CX uses the AA Arrivals lounge in Terminal 3. You can use that (it is landside so you must clear customs and immigration), or you can transfer airside to Terminal 1 and use the BA First lounge in T1 International. You cannot have MB Spa treatments as you did not fly BA longhaul, and BA does not provide spa for CE pax. Be sure to use the FIRST lounge instead of the Terraces, it is much nicer (they are side by side).

Even if I fly BA business class to Milan, I can use First class lounge?

Even if I fly BA business class to Milan, I can use First class lounge?CX F will get you in, if CX still has an agreement with BA (it used to). I've gotten in by showing only my CX boarding pass, but of course I am also entitled to access based on Emerald status (however they didn't ask to see the Emerald card, so I think CX F arrival into LHR was enough). If they refuse, you can say you wanted to see what BA was like in order to decide whether to fly on BA instead of CX for your next trip, not that this will help any.

Don't forget to bring only one carry on.

I had to clear immigration at LHR to check my laptop case for my LHR NRT leg
today.

Showers at the BA Lounge Pavillion are nice but nothing like CX in HKG.
There are no amenities (toothbrush, razor, etc) in the BA showers.

Looking fwd to my next visit to HKG on CX on a NRT - HKG - BAH trip in 2 weeks.

Kampai,
Klaxon :p

Don't forget to bring only one carry on.

I had to clear immigration at LHR to check my laptop case for my LHR NRT leg
today.

Showers at the BA Lounge Pavillion are nice but nothing like CX in HKG.
There are no amenities (toothbrush, razor, etc) in the BA showers...1. BA shower amenities are supplied by the attendant -- you have to ask when you are allocated a shower suite.
2. BAA appears to have eased up on the very strictly enforced 1 carryon restriction in the past few days, for premium pax. If you are flying in F on BA you can take 2 bags. The published policy is still 1 bag though, and I'm not sure if it is consistently allowed to have more than 1. Non-premium pax are definitely restricted to 1 carryon, though (and the airline has no direct say in this, as it is BAA doing the enforcing). Really an absurd situation, I've seen people having to put a small digital camera bag (cigarette pack sized) into their single bag, otherwise it is not allowed.

One question. Do I need to clear customs in LHR if I am connecting in T1?

One question. Do I need to clear customs in LHR if I am connecting in T1?No, if you go through the airside connection path (called the FCC or Flight Connection Center). This is the normal way to transfer from T1 to T3 (airside bus). There is a security check, which can sometimes be quite long (an hour) prior to getting on the bus.

In order to avoid the queues at the FCC, some people go landside, through immigration and customs, and walk to T3 and then enter the security check at T3. This line is often shorter if you have priority (fasttrack) access. It is worse for non-Fasttrack. You get fasttrack at T3 checkin if flying F or J on CX; but you get fasttrack at the T1 FCC only if flying F or J on BA (as BA pays separately for this service, and it is only for BA premium pax). Don't be confused by this, normally staying airside and using the FCC is still the best way; but you'll see lots of threads on FT on how to do the landside transfer which might give the impression that it is a good way to go.

Note: I assumed you were asking about T1 to T3 transfer, for your return flight. For T3 to T1, it is the same as above, except for one strange quirk; in T1, and only in T1 (and not in T2/T3/T4), BA allows Fasttrack checkin for economy pax with BA status. If you are flying J on LHR-LIN then you also have FCC fasttrack (which saves a lot of time, typically 5 min queue instead of 30+ min).