Originally Posted by
orbitmic
… but my point is that precisely, those credential checks are not equivalent. Going through the normal fast track, OP would need to explain their circumstances once, at the entrance of the F lounge to people who normally know eligibility well. Going through the F wings, it is potentially three times that they would go through checks where their credentials would not be "obvious": the entrance to the F wing, and then two consecutive scans which I believe would normally beep red.
It's the same either way, yes the checks are equivalent, the scanners are just placed in different places. The last scanner in the First Wing doesn't check for lounge access, and it's the same as the scanner at Flight Connections - it's just a Ready to Fly Scanner, it doesn't check for eligibility. The scan before that in the First Wing, at the BA staffed podium before security does check for eligibility, and is the same as the First Wing lounge entrance by Elemis, same criteria. Then finally I assume your third check point is The First Wing entrance area itself - not that I have ever been stopped there - that is the same as the Rover staff at the top of the escalator between Flounge and Elemis.
If heading to the First Lounge after connecting it is at least 2 minutes quicker via landside and the First Wing on connections, purely from the geography, it's a straighter line to do that rather than going around the shops. Assuming of course that the e-gates are operating swiftly, which is usually the case.