flatlander

Last night for the BA286 (A380) some passengers were given a letter at check in stating the BA lounge could not accommodate everyone and to use the CX lounge instead. Unsure if this was just status non-class lounge access, I was in Y this time, got the letter, have not used the 388 service from SFO before. Given how full the BA lounge gets with even a 744 load of passengers, this seems like a reasonable solution for now. The CX lounge was not very full and noodles cooked to order, though less food variety than the BA lounge.

The letter said that BA was exploring alternative options for lounge capacity so that didn't sound like overflow to the CX lounge is the (longer term) alternative, but is enlarging the BA space as mentioned above.

Greenpen

I think at the out stations access to the F lounge should be just for F passengers. Let BAEC and OW status people use the J lounge.

Many of these lounges are small and cannot deal with the non-F passengers.

flatlander

First of all, that's not the Oneworld policy, and it's a specific point of Oneworld Emerald status that you get an F ground experience: F checkin, F lounge.

Secondly in the SFO case, it wouldn't help, as the F seating area in the lounge is full with the F pax already and the J seating area is overfull with the J pax, let along anyone getting into the lounge only with status.

Additionally outstation like AMS have plenty of space for J (or onwards to F) ticketed passengers as well as status passengers, so your one-brush-tars-all approach is unnecessary there.

themapelligroup

I guess BA is moving to a first and business lounge concept for outstations, such as the new IAD lounge. There's a little F passengers only section, as well as a dining room. In this way premium passengers are looked after well and status passengers not flying in premium cabins can enjoy a really good lounge.

pinkcat

The Flounge in SFO is small, the arrangement of seats in rows isnt exactly good either. I agree that the lounge manager is superb.

msm2000uk

I flew through IAD a few weeks ago.

Aside from the Concorde Dining Room, where was the 'only F section'?

Football Fan

Well, the current lounge in SFO is utter crap, so they better do something.

themapelligroup

The small bar area with a few armchairs at the entrance of Concorde dining room is for F passengers only.

gw76

Sounds amazing....

msm2000uk

Haha! I thought that area was the bar area for the Concorde Dining Room!

jato

The manager, Andrew, is as others have mentioned a credit to BA. Exceptionally friendly and helpful.

The lounge itself... not so much. It would greatly benefit from a refresh and a doubling in size. I'm on BA 286 (SFO-LHR) on Thursday that's showing F1 A1 J2 C2 D1 R1 W0 Y3 B3 H1 K0 M0 G0 on the A380. Those F and J will go to zero so I expect 111 people to be crammed into BA or shunted off to CX lounges.

Will report back.

themapelligroup

In fact in my first post I said there was a small F only section, not a Flounge inside the lounge.

msm2000uk

I know...I travel once every two months to IAD, always in F...hence my query regarding the area.

Paralytic

It could be even more than 111 as there are a lot of Silver/Gold travelling in lower cabins on that route too, and they can take in guests. Unless they get directed to the another lounge.

I'm on the earlier BA284 on Thursday (not sure about loads) which is the 747 and will see if I can get any info from the lounge manager on the upgrade/expansion plans.

hillrider

BA's contempt for oneworld is astounding. It started with the exemption of oneworld rules for for the Concorde Room, then the exemption of oneworld rules for "hand baggage only" fares, now this?

Maybe CX and QF should bar BA elites (and only them) from their F lounges as a retaliation if what you propose somehow gets approved. AA could too, but nobody would care!