Dave_C

There are currently four types of lounge on the BA network, the Concorde Rooms, FIRST lounges, Club Lounges / Terraces, and Arrivals Lounges.

BA has just added an excellent table that shows exactly the entrance criteria for all of their lounges, based on either your status or class of travel. It can be accessed at the following url:
http://www.britishairways.com/travel...e/public/en_gb

There are only two Concorde Rooms on the network, one at LHR and one at JFK. They are only open to people in ticketed FIRST on BA or QF, people who are BA Premiers, Qantas Chairman’s Lounge members or the lucky holders of special ‘Concorde Room’ cards (which cannot be earned and were issued after Concorde’s retirement to its best customers). Guests are only permitted to BA Premiers, and Qantas Chairman’s Lounge and anyone travelling in BA FIRST can also bring an extra guest (regardless of the status/travel class of either person) who is travelling with them.

The FIRST lounges are open to people travelling FIRST, and oneworld Emerald members. oneworld Emeralds are allowed one guest.

The Club lounges (sometimes referred to as Terraces) are open to people travelling FIRST, Club World, or Club Europe and to all oneworld Emerald and Sapphire passengers, and Qantas Club members. AA Admirals Club members are NOT granted access (unless they fulfil one of the other class of travel and/or status criteria). oneworld Emerald and Sapphire members are allowed one guest (subject to capacity). Full fare "Business UK" Domestic travellers are also invited into the Terraces lounges located at most UK airports (currently excluding Inverness, the Isle of Man, and Southampton).

Arrivals lounges are open to people travelling in FIRST or Club World, BA Premiers, BA Golds (on longhaul only), Qantas Chairman’s Lounge and Qantas Platinum members (again from longhaul only), but NOT any other oneworld Emeralds. Premiers and Chairman’s Lounge are permitted one guest.

Some airports have separate FIRST and Terraces lounges, even outside the UK – e.g. Boston. At others, all eligible passengers use the Terraces lounge.

BA Golds and Premier are also allowed to use BA operated Club/Terraces lounges regardless of the airline they are flying on - this is known as "Open Doors". Guests are not permitted.

Qantas Club is a club run by Qantas (not surprisingly!) which was designed to offer lounge access to Qantas fliers in Australia. However, the scheme also allows members to use any BA-operated Terraces lounge in the world when flying on BA. Qantas Club is the ONLY way that you buy your way into BA lounges. Membership is good value if your flying pattern means you never earn enough tier points to reach Silver – it costs about £100 per year (plus a c. £150 joining fee at today’s exchange rate). See the Qantas Club website to apply. Note that it will not get you into lounges at airports where BA shares a third-party lounge, e.g. Paris CDG.

Nearly all BA lounges have WiFi provided by BT OpenZone. As the list will probably get longer, I won't include it here. However here is a link to the AskBA? article that should have the correct info:
AskBA? Answer 2802

Outside the lounges at LHR, there is T-Mobile WiFi access for those of you who subscribe to their service.

BA has a comprehensive list of worldwide lounges on their website, but unfortunately it's rather out of date now. I've included it from completeness though.

They also have a list of all the "Terraces" styled lounges. If you follow this link and then click "Locations".

BA also use contract lounges in many locations. These are of variable quality!

Zone R
Not really a lounge, but a very nice benefit to remember for most of the situations where lounge access is also a consideration at LHR Terminal 1.

If you’re flying in Club or FIRST (or are oneworld Ruby or above) from LHR Terminal 1 you have access to ‘Zone R’. This is BA’s check-in area dedicated to premium passengers and it’s one of the most wonderful innovations BA has introduced for a long time! The special zone is quiet, well-staffed and most importantly of all has its own dedicated security line which deposits you airside in a Duty Free shop about 1 minute away from the excellent BA lounge complex. Although the security line can back up a bit for the early morning rush, it’s still a Godsend and far, far quicker and more pleasant as an environment than the main terminal. Sadly no such clever fast track was introduced when BA revamped the FIRST check-in area at LHR T4…but we all have high hopes and crossed fingers for a ‘Zone R Equivalent’ in T5! Do remember that Zone R is basically in a separate part of T1 to the other check-in desks – follow the signs carefully. For reference, the BA Arrivals Lounge is right next to Zone R too.

Other Notes

At LHR T1 and T4 and at JFK T7, there are Molton Brown travel spas. They offer various free treatments such as massages, facials, etc. They are open to people travelling FIRST, Club World and BA Premiers and Golds (on longhaul). Other oneworld Emeralds, and people travelling in other travel classes are not entitled to a treatment. The MB spa is first come, first served. Flying F does not enable you to jump the queue! Do note that tipping spa staff (or lounge staff, or any other BA staff!) is NOT expected.

When flying with a oneworld partner that uses a non-oneworld lounge in a particular airport, BA Gold and Silver members may not always gain entry to that lounge.

It is also worth noting that, strictly speaking, the BA rules say 'Guests must be travelling on the same carrier as Executive Club member' in order to access any BA lounge.

BA’s own lounge access policy also contains the following useful scenario (thanks to Fraser):

'7. Lounge access for connecting passengers

Passengers travelling inbound or outbound in First, Club World or Club Europe on a British Airways flight have access to the applicable British Airways departure lounge prior to their onward flight, regardless of class of travel - so long as travel is on a BA or oneworld flight.

British Airways lounge access also applies when travelling inbound in First Class or Business Class on a oneworld carrier.

For example: Travel Chicago to London Heathrow on AA in First Class arriving LHR T3, departing on BA ex LHR T1 to Stuttgart in Euro Traveller. Passenger is entitled to use the BA First lounge upon production of their AA boarding stub and onward BA boarding card'

Exceptions

Nice (NCE) – Only oneworld Emeralds and Sapphires are allowed access; NOT Club Europe passengers with no status.

Lisbon (LIS) - oneworld Emeralds and Sapphires are allowed access; Club Europe passengers with no status will require an invitation (usually given at check-in).

Gatwick (LGW) – AA Admirals Club members are admitted when travelling on AA only.

Miami (MIA) – They are just odd here. AA members seem not to be welcome here, in contravention of the oneworld rules.

Hanover (HAJ) - Only oneworld Emeralds and Sapphires are allowed access; NOT Club Europe passengers with no status (although this route has recently been dropped from both LHR and LGW, this information is preserved in case it returns on a seasonal basis).

Geneva (GVA) - Open Doors for Golds on CHARTER flights doesn't apply during the ski season due to lack of space. You're OK if you're on a non-oneworld scheduled flight. Again, this seems to be a bit contradictory to BA's rules.

Tel Aviv (TLV) and Cairo (CAI) - The BA (contract) lounges at TLV and CAI are open to Silvers/Golds/oneworld Emeralds & Sapphire but you must ask for an invitation at check-in if you're not flying in a premium cabin. Showing your card at the lounge reception is likely to prove unsuccessful.

Paris (CDG) - only admits BA J/F and BA Silver/Golds, not other oneworld elites. This is due to it being an Air France contract lounge.

London City Airport (LCY) – this has no lounge at all, for any airlines! However, with a generous check-in closing time it is not necessary to arrive too early.

I’m sure there are more to add in – if there are, please let us know.