VS/SQ had a new wing built in T3 (ready 2006) which holds 4 gates that are A380 capable. Rather ironically the brand new T5 has a mere 4 gates for the A380 -- the satellite will have to be modified to add more A380 gates. The T4 upgrade was essential as VS was planned to move to T4 from T3 (and had paid for part of the cost of the new A380 gates in T3). I suppose this takes some pressure off QF and BA for moving from T4 to T3, esp. if the T3 facilities are strained (baggage handling is a big problem there for the next year at least). I'd say there is a good chance that it will be 2010 before QF moves into T3.
A few corrections. SQ/VS did not have a new wing built at T3. This was done as part of the overall plan to make all terminals compatible with A380 operations. Indeed, SQ will eventually move to T1/LHR East when this is up and ready for A380 operations. LHR East is set to be the home for all Star airlines.
T4 was not upgraded for VS and VS never planned to move to T4. It was something that they would have loved to do for many years, but never materialised and was not part of the overall plan for the LHR changes. Further, BAA has revamped Zone A at T3 to accomodate VS.
T5 currently only has a few A380 gates, but they are not needed as BA doesn't have any A380s. T5C which is under construction (and coming along nicely) will add to the exsisting A380 capabilities of T5 and indeed, some of those stands are ready and already in use for other aircraft. There will be no need for major modifications to the existing facilities, other than perhaps changing the jetties at the existing T5B gates, but that is about 3yrs off. The T5B gates were already designed for the A380 in terms of the number of boarding points. T5 will have 7/8 A380 gates when complete and a few more A380 stands that can be used for off-pier if needed....unlikely given the number of A380s that BA have on order.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SpeedbirdLHR
...T5 currently only has a few A380 gates, but they are not needed as BA doesn't have any A380s. ....
The original plan was for QF to operate out of T5; and I have seen design plans for T5 that included many more A380 capable gates than have been built. Of course T5 as a project spans decades, so many changes and iterations, so it just depends on "which T5". As this is the QF forum, of interest is the fact that the original intent was for QF to fly all of its A380 flights into T5 at LHR, and this has not happened and looks to never happen. Quite a blow to QF pax, if not to QF.
We can argue over the byzantine funding practices of BAA at LHR, but VS will tell you that they paid for that A380 wing. And so will SQ (and they have the cheques to prove it). I know VS was battling bitterly to stay in T3; looks like they won that fight. Good for them (but bad for Oneworld pax, given what this means to the T3 reconstruction plan which is showing the world English engineering at its worst). I bet LHR East will not be open in time for the Olympics (the original plan was for opening date in 2008, fwiw, and they haven't even torn down much of T2 yet).
There is also the option of HKG, using BA or CX LHR-HKG.
This is a very good option. I have used this one for the last decade from Cairns mostly on BA out of HKG with the occasional CX daylight flight across to London. Friday nights can be an issue with over booked flights as the ex pats are heading home from working in the far east colonies.
An excellent suggestion; SYD-HKG-LHR is off the great circle route by just a few miles (surprisingly), so it is actually a better way to go than the traditional kangaroo route (via SIN or BKK). The only reason it wasn't always used was past geopolitics. Now the sanest routing is via HKG and you do get the choice of CX HKG-LHR (better onboard) or BA (T5 arrival vs. T3). NRT is a lot further and a worse airport.
Great Circle Mapper gives an EXCELLENT representation of this - SYD-LHR via HKG is only 3km further than direct, whilst via NRT is 397km further.
Dave
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I quite liked arriving at those hours when I had a meeting on the day of arrival and could access the Arrivals Lounge because I could have a shower, get changed, have my clothes pressed, have a breakfast and then head off to a meeting directly from the airport.
Nowadays, I'm not-so-keen on those OMG o'clock in the morning arrival.
As far as OMG o'clock, I always work on the basis of body clock time. It is still 6 in the evening, as far as I am concerned, so 5am isn't really an issue. I usually have to head up to Liverpool anyway, so by the time I get through HM Immigration (takes all of about 5 minutes if there is a queue), and then waiting for bags (20 minutes, if they haven't lost them) then through HM Customs, and then HEx to Paddington, LUL to Euston Square, walk up the street to Euston, a bit of time in the VT Lounge, it is nearly time for the first train. Suits me to a T.
Dave
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Anyone knows what is the current business/first lounge status of QF in LHR T4? Since BA moved to the new LHR T5 the main BA lounge has been closed in T4 and therefore there has been some restrictions regarding QF lounge access/use in LHR.
Well, the advantage of using QF T4 is that QF operates the A380 with the new C and F classes.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hardiwv
Anyone knows what is the current business/first lounge status of QF in LHR T4? Since BA moved to the new LHR T5 the main BA lounge has been closed in T4 and therefore there has been some restrictions regarding QF lounge access/use in LHR.
Well, the advantage of using QF T4 is that QF operates the A380 with the new C and F classes.
Rgs,
Los of moaning on FT about the lounge status. T4 has 1 departure lounge left open which gets overcrowded and no arrivals lounge. BA still uses T4 on kangaroo route flights and will move to T3 when QF does. The T4 situation is best described as a shambles, though the reconstruction is progressing well and it will be quite nice by the time QF moves out (and into the T3 shambles instead).
QF will be operating 1 A30 SYD-LHR so service will be less than 1 flight a day; the rest are 744s. Of course QF is getting 8 more A380s in 2009 so it will quickly go to daily service, but don't count on flying the A380 on any specific flight.
[quote=number_6;11013927]Los of moaning on FT about the lounge status. T4 has 1 departure lounge left open which gets overcrowded and no arrivals lounge. BA still uses T4 on kangaroo route flights and will move to T3 when QF does. The T4 situation is best described as a shambles, though the reconstruction is progressing well and it will be quite nice by the time QF moves out (and into the T3 shambles instead).[quote]
I agree with that statement. Not sure about T3 because I haven't been there for a while, but T4 is currently pitiful. I almost defected to flying on SIA or Virgin Atlantic because of T4. I'm only resisting the temptation because I'm already holding a QF ticket.
However, I'll be defecting to Virgin Atlantic or SIA for my next trip to Australia if this doesn't improve.
As far as OMG o'clock, I always work on the basis of body clock time. It is still 6 in the evening, as far as I am concerned, so 5am isn't really an issue. I usually have to head up to Liverpool anyway, so by the time I get through HM Immigration (takes all of about 5 minutes if there is a queue), and then waiting for bags (20 minutes, if they haven't lost them) then through HM Customs, and then HEx to Paddington, LUL to Euston Square, walk up the street to Euston, a bit of time in the VT Lounge, it is nearly time for the first train. Suits me to a T.
Dave
I can see that OMG o'clock in the morning can be good. I used to arrive, go to arrivals lounge, get showered, get changed, have breakfast etc and then head off north to a meeting too.
Now that I'm actually based in mainland Europe most of the time, I just have a connecting flight, so it doesn't really benefit me to arrive at OMG o'clock in the morning any more. I now just make a separate trip to the UK for meetings etc instead of being in a 'ugh I've just travelled 24 hours and I feel a bit stuffed despite the sleep and shower I had' state. Perhaps I'm getting old and lazy anyway.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AusEuroFlyer
I agree with that statement. Not sure about T3 because I haven't been there for a while, but T4 is currently pitiful. I almost defected to flying on SIA or Virgin Atlantic because of T4. I'm only resisting the temptation because I'm already holding a QF ticket.
However, I'll be defecting to Virgin Atlantic or SIA for my next trip to Australia if this doesn't improve.
T3 could also be described as pitiful.
Both the J and F AA lounges are almost not worth the visit. It's sad that AA has so many LHR flights but can't be bothered to put in a decent lounge.
That currently leaves two other options:
The CX lounge, which is decent, especially on the F side, which is open for several hours before the HKG flights. I've missed it a couple of times when I was on the first AA flight to ORD or JFK but otherwise I usually head directly there.
The JL lounge which is unknown to me, as it is open for several hours before the NRT flight, which is at 1900 daily, and therefore usually closed before most of the AA flights depart. Perhaps someone else can provide insight on this lounge?
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Both the J and F AA lounges are almost not worth the visit. It's sad that AA has so many LHR flights but can't be bothered to put in a decent lounge.
That currently leaves two other options:
The CX lounge, which is decent, especially on the F side, which is open for several hours before the HKG flights. I've missed it a couple of times when I was on the first AA flight to ORD or JFK but otherwise I usually head directly there.
The JL lounge which is unknown to me, as it is open for several hours before the NRT flight, which is at 1900 daily, and therefore usually closed before most of the AA flights depart. Perhaps someone else can provide insight on this lounge?
I see - T3 doesn't sound good (because of the opening hours) either then, although I expect JL lounge to be half decent based on their lounges in Japan.
I might deliberately fly out of T3 soon since I could do with going to Japan via HK on CX, or just to Japan on JL (there seems to be a CX flight to HK at 1805 so I should be able to sample CX and JL).
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AusEuroFlyer
I see - T3 doesn't sound good (because of the opening hours) either then, although I expect JL lounge to be half decent based on their lounges in Japan.....
Most JL operated lounges outside of Japan are quite poor (see for example the Sakura lounge at SFO -- basically a broom closet with a whiskey bottle in the corner ... you get the idea. The JL LHR lounge is not great (worse than the CX lounge and not really better than the AA lounges).
The original plan for T3 was for a new lounge to be built for Oneworld; BA insisted on this (as opposed to renovating any of the existing lounges). Maybe the reason for the delay in relocating from T4 to T3 is due to lounge unavailability and a nice new Galleries class lounge will open in T3 when QF/BA move over. But I am not holding my breath. There are lots of improvements underway at T3 and T4 so it is hard to tell what the state is (and most of the improvements are for infrastructure, like T3 getting baggage carousels that are 50% longer).
Most JL operated lounges outside of Japan are quite poor (see for example the Sakura lounge at SFO -- basically a broom closet with a whiskey bottle in the corner ... you get the idea. The JL LHR lounge is not great (worse than the CX lounge and not really better than the AA lounges).
Ugh! I see what you mean about a broom closet with a whiskey bottle in the corner. I'm more interested in food than whisky when I'm travelling, so that would be a bad option for me for sure. I guess JL First lounge at LHR wouldn't be much better? (According to their website, there is a First lounge there.) Thanks for saving me the hassle of flying out of there only to find the whole thing pretty weak.
Quote:
The original plan for T3 was for a new lounge to be built for Oneworld; BA insisted on this (as opposed to renovating any of the existing lounges). Maybe the reason for the delay in relocating from T4 to T3 is due to lounge unavailability and a nice new Galleries class lounge will open in T3 when QF/BA move over. But I am not holding my breath. There are lots of improvements underway at T3 and T4 so it is hard to tell what the state is (and most of the improvements are for infrastructure, like T3 getting baggage carousels that are 50% longer).
It would be nice if they can improve on the lounge.
I should explain that it's not that I'm not lounge-obsessed - it's the importance of having a decent lounge when there's nothing else good at the terminal. If they had a half edible restaurant at the terminal, for instance, I wouldn't be too worried about the lounge. But at T4, there's nothing there so combined with a pitiful lounge, it leads to a fairly miserable experience especially when I have a long connection as I usually have to fly in there from somewhere else.
I've come up with various different 'T4 avoidance' options to Australia such as routing through NRT and HK on BA, but NRT BA lounge is a NWA lounge and it's not great either, and with NRT not having anywhere particularly nice to sit and eat or while away the time, the lounge importance is high. Maybe I should do a mixed itinerary through a travel agent and go to NRT on BA and come back from NRT on JL.
So... yes it would be really nice if they put a proper Flounge in T3. It would be terrific if they can put a QF Flounge at their SYD/MEL standard.
Last edited by AusEuroFlyer; Jan 5, 09 at 2:23 pm.
so combined with a pitiful lounge, it leads to a fairly miserable experience especially when I have a long connection as I usually have to fly in there from somewhere else.
