Raffles

For those who missed this story two weeks ago when I had it as a Head for Points exclusive http://www.headforpoints.com/2015/04...inal-5-lounge/ ....

Heathrow confirmed today that an Aspire (Servisair) lounge will open in T5 in the Summer. I believe it is July.

Details here:

http://mediacentre.heathrow.com/pres...81/News_1/4546

Not yet confirmed it will accept Priority Pass but very likely. Lounge Club may be more marginal, I guess it depends how busy it gets.

No need to worry about retaining status now :-)

Disappointing that it didn't go to Plaza Premium or No 1 Traveller but we can't really complain. Wonder if they will purposely make the food better than Galleries just to annoy BA or if they will try to control numbers by keeping BA flyers upstairs.

We already have the odd situation in Amsterdam where BA premium passengers with a Priority Pass are shunning the new BA lounge for the Aspire lounge opposite because of the better food .....

secretplantofightinflation

This is excellent news

Lioneye

Good news for non-status passengers.

And for BA?

origin

Rent and some people moved out of the lounge because less crowed, something new etc.

Genius1

This is excellent news, if only to serve as competition for the BA lounges.

Raffles

I think BA will be happy. Passengers who cannot retain status under the new TP rules but have a Priority Pass may have been tempted to use airlines in other terminals where they can access a lounge.

It may even pull back some customers with no status who already use Terminal 2 because of the two PP lounges - although I doubt the Aspire lounge will be a patch on United Club or Plaza Premium.

(You don't know how weird it is writing that a United lounge is an outstanding place to visit, but it is true in T2!)

Genius1

Rent from the lounge will go to HAL as the airport owner and operator. This lounge has nothing to do with BA.

Raffles

Don't forget that, with their Lounge Miles scheme, you also get a £5 shopping voucher with every 7 visits to a Servisair / Aspire lounge!

origin

But wont they have a reduction instead of renting a whole building other than shops.

Lioneye

I did wonder that - but will they give a monkey's if people use another lounge - surely it will simply reduce their costs (which seems to be in vogue)

Martin Quinnin

Great news.

Although I am now starting to use the BA Lounges, if I do miss out on silver I will be able to take advantage of my airport angel card.

Foltan

Yes I can't quite see how BA would care if less people use their lounges, but for those of us still in there it'd be less crowded.

benjyyy

Exactly. Lounges are free for those who have access and since there is no 'pay to enter' then it is just an added cost to BA. BA only care if less people fly BA but since this is T5, anyone visiting the new lounge will most likely be flying BA anyway

hugolover

Well I agree because they do seem to focus only on short-term costs with pretty much no long-term plan.

But the consequences of this are far more than that. T5 was the only place where there was no other lounge and it means customers are more "free" to choose their carrier and not focus on choosing BA (as it has been shown its not just your FT crowd who gets to choose) to gain lounge access and so it means the times you end-up on BA its not too bad but you won't focus long-term.
In the long-term (but as I said, this is not something they are worried about) it could lead to a steady revenue reduction.

Considering U2 is supposed to be BA's number one competitor and who they worry about the most its very interesting to see the effect of reducing BA quality/service to LCC levels and at the same time pax have access to decent outstation lounges.-Consider the improvements in EDI. What is the point of flying BA then? This is absolutely the case for pax on connecting short-haul itineraries.

Let's be clear. There is/was a reason the BA lounges are better than their *A/ST equivalents isn't there?

As Raffles said it feels very odd that UA have a very decent lounge at LHR!

HIDDY

Yes I don't see it bothering BA in the slightest. Many non status economy passengers demanded a lounge so now they have one. The Servisair lounges I've been in haven't been all that memorable so I certainly wouldn't pay for entry.