While everybody seems to like to ..... about how this will not be attractive to people coming from London, May I remind you that there are actually people outside of London, yet even the UK who have a wish to go to US from time to time?
And that STN is a perfect spot from so many places to fly into London for the connection with much cheaper airlines?
While I do not mind the transfer through LHR (yes, I know) it would actually in my case be saving me an hour to start my travel to STN through direct connection with Ryanair from my home town. Heck, it is nearly as time consuming to go from STN to LHR as it is to get to HAM.
Now: pay a travel bus to HAM (1:15 to mostly unconvinient times), wait in HAM, go through LHR or step into the bus every 15 min, drive 20 min and be done to go to STN is a difference, not only in price.
Going from STN to the US with waitover in STN though without a lounge is tough - not so much about the "selection" because the lounge in LHR T3 is nothing to write home about either BUT for the kind of guaranteed seeting places where you just can sit down and spend time.
I somehow doubt that W. will be happy about that unless AA manages to have a certain area available for their passengers and pay for it.
And while the people connecting through STN may not mind so much the W. I somehow doubt the Biz class will take that with a smile.
In the longer run they need a space for it or cooporate with somebody, but maybe they rather test first how this biz goes. And in the end - if they reduce the price for not having a lounge available for premium classes and status pax, then I am all for it.
