cazoz

I agree that it's neat and tidy having one airline - certainly bringing in AA would be a bit horrendous. And all of BA aren't in yet. BKK needs to be a priority before it dies off completely.

But it's quiet at night and I always thought that JL and QF (pre-EK deal) would add some vibrancy to the evenings in T5, and allow lots of easy BA connections onto those flights and aid restoring Heathrow's reputation abroad.

thundercat

Had a slight typing failure using a tablet, but put right now.

KenJohn

There appears to be a current lack of de-icers at T5 for BA use. That is one advantage to diversification of BA using other LHR terminals.

Elevate

Before I switched my business back to BA/Oneworld from Star Alliance (and therefore had no access to T5 lounges when flying on quick trips in Economy from e.g. Zurich to London) I found T5 to be most uncomfortable. It was often too busy with nowhere to sit and get some peace and relax. The bars were grubby from overuse and the whole thing just felt like a shopping mall on Christmas Eve - yes modern, but really rather tacky.

Now that I have status (and fly Club more) I find it much better than the average European airport. As an example I use Zurich a lot which is great for public areas but very poor in lounge offering. I would say T5 is the opposite.

I would say that as far as BA is concerned (but not the wider world) it is the terminal with the most "exclusivity". I have given up using LCY for BA flights after being lied to by groundstaff there when stranded during bad weather. The LHR ground staff are far more capable during such turmoil.

The worst thing I find about T5 on a regular basis is the disgusting smell of diesel fumes in the hotel bus pick-up or car rental bus pick-up areas. It really must be awful for the health. I feel sorry for the BA crews (who line up waiting for the car park bus) and any frequent travellers who have to deal with this on an almost daily basis.

Apart from emergency earphone purchases from Dixons, and supplies from Boots, I have given up on shopping in T5. The staff at the ground floor duty free area I find to be far too busy inspecting their fingernails and chatting amongst themselves than aiding in consumer decision making. They looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language when I asked for a fragrance my wife liked that she tried in New York. They used to have a good Fortnum & Mason wine selection but that has been pared back to nothing special.

All-in I would say the lounge facilities at T5 were a key part of my decision to switch back to BA.

SpeedBird17Victor

Elevate I guess the Lounges are kind of what i menat most of all anyway. In terms of the fuel smell, you get used to it after 5 mins i find...

PUCCI GALORE

It seems to me that we have the worst of all worlds. Flights strung out over 3 different terminals. Bonkers. All T3 should be moved into T5 and IB can board through A10 and be parked out on remote. Even after all this expense we are still boarding via coach and steps. Connections to and fro Terminals are a nightmare.

Exclusive means excluding others and I think that this nonsense has highlighted the need to make LHR a bit more exclusive and start to shift flights back to LGW. This capacity is unsustainable. I have no idea how to do this but something has to happpen.

NoTiersForMe

I think this is where I show my possibly unsophisticated "wonder of international aviation" baseball cap and think "yes, bring it on, let's mix it all up in the terminal". Do you remember those destination boards which flipped over [click, click, click] revealing not only far flung destinations but the myriad carriers who ferried people of all classes to them? I know it places an obscene burden on the airport authority [so popular on this forum] to manage the diversity with aplomb, but done well doesn't that make everything better -- competition, access to different facilities in our alliance crazed era, mix of passengers on the forecourt blah blah blah. Just sayin'

Separately: I have always loved Heathrow, pre-status, pre-BA. That BA is the primary tenant is an unescapable fact but isn't it all the other folks that push the airport to develop in such a restricted space that make it such an interesting place?

OldHigsonian

I dont get the idea that T5 is exclusive in any good way. What would the other airlines bring that would make it worse?

Certainly if you connect through heathrow then mixing up the airlines a bit would actually improve the experience. No need to connect through T3.

jerumagrinberga

Next time you're there, look up, you'll see cylindrical fans, though they're rarely working.

I personally find T5 much better than T3. T3's central hall/holding pen for masses of humanity/ is particularly overwhelming. That, coupled with the long, long, long, long, long walks to the aircraft(why do American and Air China always have to depart from the end of that hallway!?!) means that BA is better.