Andriyko

BA and OW rules differ somewhat. Per the OW rules one needs to be connecting to from a J/F longhaul flight while BA allows lounge access when connecting to from a CE (shorthaul J flights).

The policy is clear - the departing long haul flight determines lounge access eligibility. Neither OW nor BA rules specifically allow lounge access prior to an otherwise ineligible longhaul flight when connecting from an eligible longhaul flight. However, I know many instances when people were allowed lounge access when connecting between two BA longhaul flights.

killerrock

Thanks.. just so that I understand this, you are saying that BA policy is to only allow lounge access @ Heathrow, if you are connecting to a long haul BA flight in Business/First?

killerrock

Just to clarify, I am flying Club World on the incoming flight to London and flying on World Traveller Plus on the outgoing from London. Both BA long haul flights

corporate-wage-slave

For those without status that is a good summary. However there are a host of exceptions hence our collective failure to answer your question in simple terms. I will see if I can find the lounge management in the next day or two and I will report back.

killerrock

I just spoke to British Airways customer care & according to them I should be able to access the lounge.. But I do know the folks manning the lounge have a mind of their own..

AlienInTheFatherland

As a Berlin resident travelling a lot domestically, I obviously use AB a lot as a BAEC Gold. Too much risk of LH pilots going on strike during the past few months...

And from experience with an AB BP, a smile, a British accent and a BAEC status card will get you into either AF or BA lounge at TXL.

So how do they check out against each other?

AF is usually less crowded: especially around mid-day when - on some weekdays the BA lounge is overfilled - you will find BA, FI, QR, RJ and AA (to JFK on AB codeshare) passengers crowding the BA lounge out a bit. The lounge is not scaled up for that many people

The AF lounge staff are also very attentive. Dragons less "dragony" and the ven bring you a top-up for your drink

BA lounge has the advantage of having one flight of stairs less, the offer of sarnies, a choice of red and white wines and as pointed out on another post Czech Budweiser!

That said the decor of the BA lounge is a disgrace - did they get the threadbare furniture from a second-hand shop?

corporate-wage-slave

Well having been pilloried by the Germans that the London Olympics would be a fiasco, I think BA lounge management made the mistake of thinking the new BER airport would open on time. Or at least in the same year. Hopefully in the same decade..... There is a word for this, but it escapes me.

AlienInTheFatherland

Well actually the new aiport WILL be in use next year!! Not many people know about it!

http://www.berlin-laeuft.de/airport_night_run-Home.html

I shall be doing the 21km run on April 18 2015 (using runways completely uncontaminated by aircraft)

DavidPM

^ Hmmm, that's a difficult one. I'm trying to think of the word myself, but it's elusive....

AlienInTheFatherland

Can't find the word myself...

In German, we would need two words for that and they would be something like:

jahrzehntelangandauernde Zivilverkehrsflughafenseröffnungsterminüberschreit ung

The first one is an adjective, the second a noun

Translation:

decade-arching-delay-in-the-opening-date-of-a-civilian-airport

mad_rich

Almost without fail, when connecting from CE to domestic (no status) the lounge agent tells me 'I don't think this will give you access'.

Every time, I smile sweetly and ask 'would you mind trying', and every time I get the green light.

BLG

My recollection from a few years ago is that the BA lounge does not have its own toilets. You have to exit the lounge and walk a couple hundred feet on the upper terrace and then you use a public toilet. Does the AF lounge at least have its own toilets (and maybe even showers)?

corporate-wage-slave

Yes AF has toilets, but going down to the basement isn't necessary, just use those in Starbucks over the landing, wooden door on the side of the wall. [Crikey, why on earth do I know that???]

BLG

Yes, that's right, the Starbucks, I remember now!

BAMuc

So AF sounds like the clear winner! What about the wine situation in there? I can't believe Britain would beat France there...