layz

Well I was going to post this after I received an email from Heathrow about it on the weekend, but I delayed and Raffles beat me to it

There's an arrivals lounge open in T2, pay on entry and Priority Pass. So why should I post this in the BA forum?

• This new lounge is open from 05:00-22:00 daily, the BA one closes early afternoon, so this may benefit those who arrive after the BA one closes
• It provides an option for some food and a shower for those not entitled to BA lounge access
• It's useful if there's a few of you arriving on different flights all arriving at different times, the others can wait there
• There's alcohol, but I'm not sure if it's complimentary or extra
• If you land and find out you need to log in and do some work urgently this can provide somewhere comfortable to work (if you don't have access to the Regus business lounge in T5).

So there's a few reasons why it may benefit some in this forum. There's been a few times in the past where it would have been useful to me, now that it's open what's the betting I find no use to ever visit it

Amex Platinum comes with a good Priority Pass deal, full membership for yourself and an additional cardholder and unlike regular Priority Pass the Amex version of the membership gives you a free guest.

If anyone does go, I'd be interested in what is available foodwise (both complimentary and paid for, if offered), drinks (does it have any decent beer, I seen champagne is Raffles pic but that was the opening night so that might not be standard), quality of the shower facilities, etc.

aceman

was terminal 2 one the terminal the LAS flights were moving to? If so, I heartily approve!

layz

Nah, that's terminal 3. T2 is the Star Alliance terminal.

However 1, 2, 3 are in the central terminal area so you can easily walk there from T3.

EDIT: in T3 there's an AA arrivals lounge that eligible BA arrivals in T3 can use (i.e. business class or higher). There's also a chance BA may set up their own arrivals lounge in T3 as there's likely to be spare arrivals lounge space in that terminal. Note the AA lounge is also mainly a breakfast facility and is open until 14:00

The _Banking_Scot

Hi,

The LAS flights will be moving to T3 ( and other flights too) , not T2.

Too bad as the lounge sound pretty good.

Regards

TBS

Raffles

Not only is it Priority Pass, it is also Lounge Club so an Amex Gold cardholder could use one of their free passes there.

Depending on how much free drink they give to Priority Pass guests (I think they limit you to 2 in the departure lounge), we could have an FT meet up :-)

Genius1

I have visited the lounge, and the lounge area itself is incredibly small, and quite open to the main terminal. The majority of the space is taken up by the spa, bedrooms and shower rooms.

Ldnn1

I was in the departure lounge recently and drinks were unlimited - no coupons necessary.

tuff

Do you need to have an arriving boarding pass to enter or can I just roll up with my Priority Pass card?

layz

Raffles was invited to the opening ceremony and he was told that they expect a significant number of visitors to be people waiting to pick up someone and their flight is delayed.

That indicates you don't need an incoming boarding pass. The Air Canada arrivals lounge in T3 (that closed when they moved to T2) used to also accept Priority Pass but you needed to show a boarding pass for an incoming T3 flight so this is a big improvement.

abfab

I think if the lounge is really open to anyone with just a Priority Pass card and no boarding pass, then they either must charge for alcohol, or heavily restrict it.

Otherwise, imagine when the word gets out that a Ł259 Priority Pass card gets you a years free food and alcohol for anyone in London prepared to take the tube to Terminal 2!

I think they would have to charge for food too, otherwise it would be a very cheap place to have a snack/lunch/dinner if you are an airport employee, taxi driver or again live close to the airport for example.

layz

I wonder how it'll work out. I see your point that there might be some people living close to LHR on the tube might find Priority Pass a cheap way to get drunk. So if they are unlimited the that could change if the word gets out to certain people.

I doubt the food would be substantial enough to make someone want to eat there every day. Even the Flounge, which is better than most lounges, would get very tiring if you are there every day.

Raffles

It is tapas-style food, we're not talking a buffet where you can fill a plate. All served, in proper tapas style, from plates on the bar.

janders

I visited this lounge the other morning, and found it very good. The breakfast spread was limited (and a bit odd - I suspect they are still sorting things out), but decent, and the staff attentive. I was able to enter with my boarding pass from another terminal and my PP card; no idea if one can indeed enter without a boarding pass.

OxfordBlue

Good to hear. Now onto the most important question - did you notice any booze?

janders

There was definitely some drink around (I noticed wine bottles), but it wasn't offered to me (and, this being part quick pre-work breakfast visit, I didn't ask - I probably should work on acquiring an early-hours drinking habit...). I didn't see any obvious means of receiving payment at the bar, so that might bode well...

I was introduced to the serving staff as 'a Priority Pass gentleman', but I'm not sure what difference that might have made. I received a nice cup of tea upon request, and on the counter there were breads, spreads and hard-boiled eggs, as well as a lonely bowl of flaked almonds (perhaps the yoghurt, muesli, or porridge was being replenished, or maybe needs to be requested, unless just-almonds is 'a thing').

In any case, I got a good impression from my short visit, which was mainly about having a shower (the mini-bathrooms seem as good as those in the Air Canada T3 Arrivals lounge, albeit seemingly without the pressing service) after my six-hour flight. Based on this visit, I'll be back; this lounge could be very useful to me.