Originally Posted by
PoincianaKings
If your flight is less than 2.5 hours from LHR- so most of the major Europe destinations- you don't get lounge access even in CE. That would be kind of similar to the US (note entry requirements are worse in the US). You then introduce 'grab and go' type operations, again like the US, and you, somehow, make priority security more efficient. That way you push people towards the American attitude on short haul flights of arriving pretty late in the day. To me, having been in the US for the last 7 years, it is madness that people arrive at LHR for a 1-2 hour hop into Europe, some 2-3 hours before hand and spend a large chunk of that time in the lounge.
Fair point if you’re originating in London. But what about those connecting from a domestic or short-haul destination to another short haul destination and have no choice but to spend 2-3 hours at the airport during your connection? That approach could also seriously degrade the long haul connection proposition. Imagine travelling CW from LAX or SIN connecting on to a short haul CE flight to be told “no lounge access for you”
Originally Posted by
EsherFlyer
At busy times Silver could be allowed to overflow into GF, and Gold in CCR
.
Somewhat tongue in cheek (while imagining said movement assisting enjoyment of the LPGS), but if filtered by something like BA status only, possibly booked in high-J / with over 1000 TP it might nudge a few to want it more often, and book higher earning flights.
You joke, but that happened to me recently. I landed at LHR in May during the lift/escalator to transit meltdown, so had to abandon plan A of heading to the T5B lounge. Went up to GC south to be met at the top of the escalators by a lounge manager who said the lounge was at capacity and he couldn’t let anyone else in. Asked to see our boarding passes and walked us down to GF.