Originally Posted by razzaba

Greetings BA forum... I was hoping my fellow flyertalkers could help me out with the following two questions:

I am a OWE (AA ExPlat) and will by arriving into T3 at LHR on Saturday morning from a flight from the US (AA metal, BA ticket, in paid Business) and connecting to a BA flight to Asia departing from T5 in the early evening (BA metal, BA ticket, in paid First). I am meeting a colleague who is arriving on another BA flight scheduled to land at T5, but I have a few hours to kill before his flight arrives. We will both then be on the aforementioned flight to Asia, and both in First.

After he lands, we plan to head out to a pub to watch the Rugby match, have a meal, a few beers, etc. but we really don't want to be hauling our luggage around.

Question 1 - Will there be any issue in me using the T5 BA Arrivals Lounge, instead of the AA Arrivals Lounge in T3? Since I have the time, I was planning to clear customs, take the train to T5, and then meet my colleague once he arrives.

Question 2 - Neither one of us are planning to check a bag, so I will have my carry-on. If I recall correctly, there is a valet luggage check available at the Arrivals Lounge. Would there be any issue leaving our bags there during the day, and then collecting them upon returning to the airport? If not, any other suggestions?

(Alternatively, if the above proves to be a challenge, I'd likely check a bag - but ask AA to not check it all the way through so that I can pick it up in LHR, retrieve a change of clothes etc. to use in the Arrivals Lounge, and then re-check the bag. But, then the question becomes, would BA allow me to re-check this bag around 7 hours ahead of departure?)

Thanks in advance for the help!