Cathay Pacific Asia Miles - Cathay Pacific BC lounge LHR

Hi,

Anyone had experience of the business lounge at T3 LHR for Cathay Pacific?

We used it a few years ago & didn't think much of it ... at least not against the HK one or BA lounges we have used before .... has it improved?

Does it do any kind of food?

Thanks Mark

For years, it was the best of the T3 lounges. Now, the new BA lounge at T3 is better. If you can handle the attitude of the Dragons at the front.

The Cathay J lounge has dim sum, sandwiches, snacks, drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic). It's usually quiet and it's easy to grab a computer. More than I can say for any of the other lounges at T3.

For years, it was the best of the T3 lounges. Now, the new BA lounge at T3 is better. If you can handle the attitude of the Dragons at the front.

The Cathay J lounge has dim sum, sandwiches, snacks, drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic). It's usually quiet and it's easy to grab a computer. More than I can say for any of the other lounges at T3.

Hi ....

Just what I was looking for ....

Quick question .... we are flying BC with Cathay .... can we use the BA lounge in T3?

Thanks Mark

Hi ....

Just what I was looking for ....

Quick question .... we are flying BC with Cathay .... can we use the BA lounge in T3?

Thanks Mark

In principle, yes, though others can comment as to how often BA turns otherwise-entitled pax away citing capacity constraints...

Quick question .... we are flying BC with Cathay .... can we use the BA lounge in T3?

I think only if you're CX Gold/Diamond (or OW Saphhire/Emerald) will they let you into the BA lounge if you're flying on CX. If you're not holding status then you have no access right to anything other than what CX prints on your invitation card.

I didn't even know BA has a T3 lounge. Where is it?

The CX lounge in T3 is OK rather than great. There are separate areas for Business and First, instant noodles, biscuits and drinks, abd showers are in the Business section. It's the showers that irritate me. There is no queue system, and as there are only 3 of them the front desk staff can't be bothered to manage demand. So if all are occupied you have to hunt down an attendant (who is rarely there), ask, and hope he/she remembers to give you a shower when it becomes available. Last time I flew through in June 2 of the 3 showers were out of order, and the 3rd was spluttering.

I didn't even know BA has a T3 lounge. Where is it?

I was there two weeks ago and if I recall I think its on the side where most of the gates are (i.e. opposite from the CX lounge which is near the transit desks).

I didn't even know BA has a T3 lounge. Where is it?

The CX lounge in T3 is OK rather than great. There are separate areas for Business and First, instant noodles, biscuits and drinks, abd showers are in the Business section. It's the showers that irritate me. There is no queue system, and as there are only 3 of them the front desk staff can't be bothered to manage demand. So if all are occupied you have to hunt down an attendant (who is rarely there), ask, and hope he/she remembers to give you a shower when it becomes available. Last time I flew through in June 2 of the 3 showers were out of order, and the 3rd was spluttering.

I have found neither malfunctions nor queues when using the showers at the Cathay lounge at LHR. Considering you are normally departing CX on a longhaul, not arriving, the three are perfectly adequate.

Considering the CX lounge has all the necessities that are important pre-flight for me, I'll still be heading there before T3 departure. Let the masses fill the BA lounge. ;)

I didn't even know BA has a T3 lounge. Where is it?

The CX lounge in T3 is OK rather than great. There are separate areas for Business and First, instant noodles, biscuits and drinks, abd showers are in the Business section. It's the showers that irritate me. There is no queue system, and as there are only 3 of them the front desk staff can't be bothered to manage demand. So if all are occupied you have to hunt down an attendant (who is rarely there), ask, and hope he/she remembers to give you a shower when it becomes available. Last time I flew through in June 2 of the 3 showers were out of order, and the 3rd was spluttering.

Hi,

Not so bothered about showers .... but am interested in food ... we are catching last flight to HK (22:35) ... last time we did this the food service on the flight was soooo slow .... after 3 hours we still hadn't had coffee .... which we never got because we fell asleep .... so will eat beforehand & then sleep on plane .... from what I remember the food in the lounge wasn't up to much ...

Thanks for the info .... another quick question .... are there showers in the lounges in HK & will it be possible to use them in our 4 hour layover ... ??

Thanks Mark

I think only if you're CX Gold/Diamond (or OW Saphhire/Emerald) will they let you into the BA lounge if you're flying on CX. If you're not holding status then you have no access right to anything other than what CX prints on your invitation card.

Oh well ... its only a few hours .... CX lounge will be fine ....

Mark

I think only if you're CX Gold/Diamond (or OW Saphhire/Emerald) will they let you into the BA lounge if you're flying on CX. If you're not holding status then you have no access right to anything other than what CX prints on your invitation card.

Oneworld First or Business class passengers are entitled to access the First or Business class lounge of any oneworld member based on the class of travel alone.

Some lounges are excluded such as the Concorde Room which are not designated as First class lounges.

(I can see where the confusion might arise from the wording on the CX site in terms of lounge access - it says if you are Diamond or Gold you can access 550 lounges - but that is qualifed in that it applies if you are NOT already in first or business class.)

Regards

lme ff

I believe the BA lounges are closed for the CX late night departures. I might be wrong though.

There are showers in the cx hkg lounges.

Apologies for my ignorance, but I thought the point of having T5 is so that all BA flights were moved there. Why are there BA flights at T3 now?

Hi,

Not so bothered about showers .... but am interested in food ... we are catching last flight to HK (22:35) ... last time we did this the food service on the flight was soooo slow .... after 3 hours we still hadn't had coffee .... which we never got because we fell asleep .... so will eat beforehand & then sleep on plane .... from what I remember the food in the lounge wasn't up to much ...

Thanks for the info .... another quick question .... are there showers in the lounges in HK & will it be possible to use them in our 4 hour layover ... ??

Thanks Mark

Well, it'll be instant noodles and small sandwiches. Yes, there are showers in the CX lounge in HK. And if you are travelling in business on your onward flight or are MPC Silver and above you can use them.

That's the flight I always catch too, and I always eat downstairs at the French bistro rather than eat in the lounge. The wontons served in the F lounge are the worst anywhere in the world. I'll be there in September again, so will probably do the same.

I believe the BA lounges are closed for the CX late night departures. I might be wrong though.

There are showers in the cx hkg lounges.
It will be closed if you are taking CX254... at least that was the case back in May.

I can assure you that BA have been told by CX to send their passengers in T3 to the CX lounge, CX lounge stays open until last flight leaves

Well, it'll be instant noodles and small sandwiches. Yes, there are showers in the CX lounge in HK. And if you are travelling in business on your onward flight or are MPC Silver and above you can use them.

That's the flight I always catch too, and I always eat downstairs at the French bistro rather than eat in the lounge. The wontons served in the F lounge are the worst anywhere in the world. I'll be there in September again, so will probably do the same.

We are travelling BC onto Auckland, so that should be ok .... of course whether we will have time to have a shower in our 4 hour layover ....

Our experience of the Cathay BC lounge at LHR in terms of food ... well it was the same as yours .... not good .... might be an idea to use the French Bistro ... but having spend £4k on flights to Auckland, I am relucant to spend more on food .... :(

Thanks Mark

We are travelling BC onto Auckland, so that should be ok .... of course whether we will have time to have a shower in our 4 hour layover ....What else is it that you plan to do? Minimum connecting time CX-CX at HKG is 45 minutes, so if your flight's on time you should have over 3 hours to kill, in the lounge or elsewhere.

What else is it that you plan to do? Minimum connecting time CX-CX at HKG is 45 minutes, so if your flight's on time you should have over 3 hours to kill, in the lounge or elsewhere.

Hi,

I read somewhere .... I think on this website ... that there is normally a long queue for those showers .... & 4 hours might not be enough time ....

Quick question for you ... or anyone else who may know ... when arriving in HK for our onward flight to Auckland (4 hours later), do we go through Customs? My understanding from Cathay is that luggage will be sent from LHR to Auckland, so we don't need to worry about until we get to Auckland.

Thanks Mark

No you don't - you do an international airside transit. To get from the arrivals level to the departure level you just go through one of the transit security checkpoints and up the escalator. Your baggage will be checked through to Auckland.

And on the showers, at peak times I think there can be queues for the cabanas in the first class lounge, but I don't think you'll have much problem getting one of the simple showers in one of the J lounges.

Apologies for my ignorance, but I thought the point of having T5 is so that all BA flights were moved there. Why are there BA flights at T3 now?

BA were always going to have flights at T3. They are the codeshare flights with IB and AY. The L/H BA and QF flights will also be moving over in a couple of months completing the BA/QF move out of T4. When this happens, the BA lounge will also be staying open later to allow for the late flights on the kangaroo route.

No you don't - you do an international airside transit. To get from the arrivals level to the departure level you just go through one of the transit security checkpoints and up the escalator. Your baggage will be checked through to Auckland.

And on the showers, at peak times I think there can be queues for the cabanas in the first class lounge, but I don't think you'll have much problem getting one of the simple showers in one of the J lounges.

Thanks .... just the info I was looking for ... :D

Mark

I can assure you that BA have been told by CX to send their passengers in T3 to the CX lounge, CX lounge stays open until last flight leaves

Don't know if you were trying to dissuade people from filling up theBA lounge, but I'm sitting in the T3 BA lounge right now with a CX boarding pass.

Oneworld First or Business class passengers are entitled to access the First or Business class lounge of any oneworld member based on the class of travel alone.

Some lounges are excluded such as the Concorde Room which are not designated as First class lounges.

(I can see where the confusion might arise from the wording on the CX site in terms of lounge access - it says if you are Diamond or Gold you can access 550 lounges - but that is qualifed in that it applies if you are NOT already in first or business class.)

Regards

lme ff

Sorry to contradict but this issue has been addresseed many, many times in various forums on FT, allways with the same conclusion. In my own words, the rules are:
- if you are OW saphire or emerald, you can access any BC lounge of OW parnters, subject to capacity constraint (e.g. CX LHR lounge might turn down BA or QF saphire/emerald cos not enough space). In other words, if you fly CX exLHR (even in Y), a OW saphire/emerald can access any OW lounge at T3, if there is no capacity restrictions.

- If you travel on a BC ticket of a OW airline, but have no status in OW, you are allowd access to a OW equivalent (meaning BC if ticketted in BC) lounge. But the lounge is chosen by the airline you are flying and you have no access to other OW lounges at the airport. e.g. if you fly CX exLHR in biz, CX will assign you to its own lounge and you have no right to visit AA or BA lounges.

These are the rules that have been tested by numerous posters on FT. Of course, there are twists, exceptions and mistakes made by lounge dragons.

Sorry to contradict but this issue has been addresseed many, many times in various forums on FT, allways with the same conclusion. In my own words, the rules are...

I agree with you that there has been lots of discussion here on FT and the problem is that there has been too much guesswork and posters have supposeddly ereached a consensus based on each others incorrect assumptions.

I have reviewed the available threads that I can see that the majority of people do seem to think that lounge access, holding a J or F boarding pass and without status is limited to the lounge the airline directs you to.

There are however a few very senior FTers that have openly contradicted that supposition.

And the oneworld rules are also quite clear.

Lounge access is permitted to an airline's lounge provided the next flight that day is marketed and operated by a onewolrd carrier.

This is consistent wording across oneworld airlines.

One the JAL site it does not say 'provided your next flight is on JAL' - it says access to the JAL sukura or J lounge is granted provided your next fligtht is in the appropriate class on oneworld.

Same for the QF site.

before I was emerald I have accessed the Wing in hong kong on many occaisions when holding a QF First boarding pass and without any status. Just as I accessed the QF F lounge in MEL holding a CX F boarding pass (but no status).

Out of interest I am going to post this question on the oneworld for the most up to date views.

Regards

lme ff

Don't know if you were trying to dissuade people from filling up theBA lounge, but I'm sitting in the T3 BA lounge right now with a CX boarding pass.


I know some people who work the lounges in T3 and I saw a memo stating this all be it not everyone will take notice of it I am sure

BA were always going to have flights at T3. They are the codeshare flights with IB and AY. The L/H BA and QF flights will also be moving over in a couple of months completing the BA/QF move out of T4. When this happens, the BA lounge will also be staying open later to allow for the late flights on the kangaroo route.


Correct, but they are not just going to be code share, there are or will be flights to non-codeshare destinations (especially with the flights moving over from Gatwick).