Upgrades to AC's in BOS and LHR coming this year
Jan 26, 2009, 3:47 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP,2MM, DL Gold,Starwood PLT
Posts: 3,876
Upgrades to AC's in BOS and LHR coming this year
According to AA CFO in the earnings call, Cap Ex for this year includes upgrades to these clubs.
On the bad side, looks like the domestic 757 won't be getting upgrades this year. Only the 18 converting to International were mentioned.
On the bad side, looks like the domestic 757 won't be getting upgrades this year. Only the 18 converting to International were mentioned.
Jan 26, 2009, 4:18 am
#2
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: BFS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 144
LHR Long overdue.
Jan 26, 2009, 4:35 am
#3
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LAX
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 107
LHR upgrade already started.
Jan 26, 2009, 4:43 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: ORD
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Posts: 3,876
Let's hope the LHR remake includes the FL...also known as an Ethan Allen showroom from the 80s.
Jan 26, 2009, 5:00 am
#5
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP (1.7MM), US Silver, PCR Plat, HHonors Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 120
The LHR AC has been under renovation since early Nov. 2008. The AAngel had said they hope to be spruced up by March-April.
I have to agree on the LHR FL - it was an underwhelming experience when I visited the FL. Convoluted layout with small spaces and the breakfast spread was pretty average fare. The admiralsclub wireless is not available - they provide you with wireless logon cards which expire in 1 hour - which is irritating if you are planning to stay for a few hours. Once the AC is renovated, I would much rather spend time in the AC than the FL when at LHR.
I have to agree on the LHR FL - it was an underwhelming experience when I visited the FL. Convoluted layout with small spaces and the breakfast spread was pretty average fare. The admiralsclub wireless is not available - they provide you with wireless logon cards which expire in 1 hour - which is irritating if you are planning to stay for a few hours. Once the AC is renovated, I would much rather spend time in the AC than the FL when at LHR.
Jan 26, 2009, 5:21 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP,2MM, DL Gold,Starwood PLT
Posts: 3,876
The LHR AC has been under renovation since early Nov. 2008. The AAngel had said they hope to be spruced up by March-April.
I have to agree on the LHR FL - it was an underwhelming experience when I visited the FL. Convoluted layout with small spaces and the breakfast spread was pretty average fare. The admiralsclub wireless is not available - they provide you with wireless logon cards which expire in 1 hour - which is irritating if you are planning to stay for a few hours. Once the AC is renovated, I would much rather spend time in the AC than the FL when at LHR.
I have to agree on the LHR FL - it was an underwhelming experience when I visited the FL. Convoluted layout with small spaces and the breakfast spread was pretty average fare. The admiralsclub wireless is not available - they provide you with wireless logon cards which expire in 1 hour - which is irritating if you are planning to stay for a few hours. Once the AC is renovated, I would much rather spend time in the AC than the FL when at LHR.
Jan 26, 2009, 5:56 am
#8
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And at least one retrofitted 757 will be flying domestically in the near future, see the thread on TB.
Jan 26, 2009, 7:43 am
#9
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: All over
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Posts: 6,828
I went to the AC and FL in LHR a few weeks ago and they were both being renovated. It appeared more work was being done to the AC then the FL at that point. Looking forward to the changes.
Jan 26, 2009, 8:31 am
#10
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Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: MSY (finally); previously NYC, BOS, AUH
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I haven't been to either the AC or the FL at LHR for years -- not since I discovered the CX lounge. Given the offerings at the CX loung, it's hard to imagine that any amount of "sprucing up" would entice me back.
Jan 26, 2009, 9:09 am
#11
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Seriously, unless they do something monumental at the LHR FL, why should it matter whether they refurbish or not? There's really no reason to go.
Cheers.
Last edited by brp; Jan 26, 2009 at 9:14 am
Jan 26, 2009, 9:37 am
#12
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: NYC
Programs: BA, UA, DL
Posts: 201
With the move of Qantas and Finnair, and some BA flights, to T3 in about one month, oneworld lounge space will be at a premium. BA and Qantas are building a new joint lounge pavilion but it will not be ready until 2010. It is quite possible that the willingness of CX to admit other oneworld elites will reduce significantly. Even if it does not, the lounge will certainly be much more crowded.
I for one am very glad that AA is finally beginning to make an effort with its LHR operations. BA ground handling is terrible but their lounges are massively nicer than AAs. The FL will never be the Concorde Room but it certainly can be the equivalent of Galleries First. This may well be badly needed given the likely lounge overcrowding that we will see this year.
I for one am very glad that AA is finally beginning to make an effort with its LHR operations. BA ground handling is terrible but their lounges are massively nicer than AAs. The FL will never be the Concorde Room but it certainly can be the equivalent of Galleries First. This may well be badly needed given the likely lounge overcrowding that we will see this year.
Jan 26, 2009, 9:44 am
#13
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Cheers.
Jan 26, 2009, 9:44 am
#14
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On my last visit to the CX lounge (Monday, Jan. 5, late afternoon), the F lounge was more crowded than I ever recall it being (not uncomfortably crowded, like the FL sometimes is, but more crowded nonetheless). I don't want to attribute this fact to anything in particular, as it could have been due to any number of causes (e.g., maybe I just happened to hit a heavily booked CX flight, or perhaps more AA flyers are aware of the CX lounge option).
I hate to even suggest such a thing, but I could see it making sense to change the OW rules to add a presumption that passengers use the lounge of the airline they are traveling, and allowing access to other OW lounges only if the OW carrier a passenger is traveling does not have a lounge at a particular airport. I have no reason to believe this change is even contemplated, and I very much hope it never happens, but I could see such a rule making sense.
I hate to even suggest such a thing, but I could see it making sense to change the OW rules to add a presumption that passengers use the lounge of the airline they are traveling, and allowing access to other OW lounges only if the OW carrier a passenger is traveling does not have a lounge at a particular airport. I have no reason to believe this change is even contemplated, and I very much hope it never happens, but I could see such a rule making sense.
Jan 26, 2009, 12:26 pm
#15
Senior Moderator and Moderator: American AAdvantage & TravelBuzz
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^ re: BOS upgrade.
Overall, it's not that bad of a lounge. A little dark for me, but it could use a little work to better connect the old FL where the showers are with the regular AC.
Overall, it's not that bad of a lounge. A little dark for me, but it could use a little work to better connect the old FL where the showers are with the regular AC.