Lounge access at T5
Nov 17, 2014, 3:23 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 9
Lounge access at T5
I am travelling to IAD to BOM, connecting in LHR (T5). From IAD to LHR, I am flying in business & then LHR to BOM is premium economy. I have a couple of questions:
a) Since I am travelling on business into LHR, would I have access to T5 Galleries lounge in LHR?
b) I do attain Silver status with the IAD to LHR flight. I need 140 tier points which this flight gives me. But I believe it does not get applied to my account right away (takes a day or two). Has anyone had this situation? Would like to know the BA staff at the lounge handle this
Appreciate the response
a) Since I am travelling on business into LHR, would I have access to T5 Galleries lounge in LHR?
b) I do attain Silver status with the IAD to LHR flight. I need 140 tier points which this flight gives me. But I believe it does not get applied to my account right away (takes a day or two). Has anyone had this situation? Would like to know the BA staff at the lounge handle this
Appreciate the response
Nov 17, 2014, 3:25 pm
#2
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Vancouver, CA
Programs: AC 35K
Posts: 671
I am travelling to IAD to BOM, connecting in LHR (T5). From IAD to LHR, I am flying in business & then LHR to BOM is premium economy. I have a couple of questions:
a) Since I am travelling on business into LHR, would I have access to T5 Galleries lounge in LHR?
b) I do attain Silver status with the IAD to LHR flight. I need 140 tier points which this flight gives me. But I believe it does not get applied to my account right away (takes a day or two). Has anyone had this situation? Would like to know the BA staff at the lounge handle this
Appreciate the response
a) Since I am travelling on business into LHR, would I have access to T5 Galleries lounge in LHR?
b) I do attain Silver status with the IAD to LHR flight. I need 140 tier points which this flight gives me. But I believe it does not get applied to my account right away (takes a day or two). Has anyone had this situation? Would like to know the BA staff at the lounge handle this
Appreciate the response
b) Not exactly relevant for lounge access (see a), but your status should change within 2-3 days. (Provided you meet the 4-flight minimum)
Nov 17, 2014, 4:13 pm
#4
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 43,353
So in answer to your questions, and in addtion to theultimateflyer's comments:
a) Yes you do get access to the GC lounges, there is a GC North and GC South in T5A, and a GC in T5B. Bear in mind this access is not based on the oneworld connecting flights rules which wouldn't be applicable here since they cover connecting long haul from or to a domestic/short haul only. The access is based on BA's more generous rules which allow an inbound CW passenger with no lounge access oneworld status connecting on to a Y or WT+ long haul flight to access the lounge based on the inbound flight. Here is a copy of an old BA handbook which explains the policy:
b) Generally points take at least 24 hours to post (more if from an outstation) and your status takes at least another 24 hours to update from one tier to another. You would not be silver when you land in LHR, or indeed when you land in BOM. However, based on the positive answer to a) there isn't any need to worry about this since you will get lounge access regardless of not being silver.
a) Yes you do get access to the GC lounges, there is a GC North and GC South in T5A, and a GC in T5B. Bear in mind this access is not based on the oneworld connecting flights rules which wouldn't be applicable here since they cover connecting long haul from or to a domestic/short haul only. The access is based on BA's more generous rules which allow an inbound CW passenger with no lounge access oneworld status connecting on to a Y or WT+ long haul flight to access the lounge based on the inbound flight. Here is a copy of an old BA handbook which explains the policy:
b) Generally points take at least 24 hours to post (more if from an outstation) and your status takes at least another 24 hours to update from one tier to another. You would not be silver when you land in LHR, or indeed when you land in BOM. However, based on the positive answer to a) there isn't any need to worry about this since you will get lounge access regardless of not being silver.
Nov 17, 2014, 4:55 pm
#6
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 43,353
I think the main problem is from or to domestic when connecting to or from a CE flights, especially where the booking is an RFS. The OP is inbound in CW and this seems to be less of an issue - there seem to be fewer reports of lounge access incorrectly being denied for this situation so I would not suggest that the OP expects the worst.
Nov 17, 2014, 5:10 pm
#8
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: MAN/BHX
Programs: ABBA
Posts: 6,027
Ba lounge agents are a law unto themselves. They once threatened someone arriving off an AA-F flight with arrest when she tried to get into GF. The domestic debacle is well known here too.
You're relying on Ba rules for access - one world rules only allow the incoming class to be respected when flying onward in short haul.
You're relying on Ba rules for access - one world rules only allow the incoming class to be respected when flying onward in short haul.
Nov 17, 2014, 5:12 pm
#9
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: MAN/BHX
Programs: ABBA
Posts: 6,027
Oh and where are my manners. Welcome to te Ba forum, the biggest and best in the whole of flyertalkium. Forgive the brief welcome, I'm writing on a phone, should be trying to sleep, and have to be at the airport in less than 6 hours.
Paging CWS...
Paging CWS...
Nov 17, 2014, 5:20 pm
#10
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Krakow
Programs: BAEC Silver, Miles and More(FTL), IHG(Platinum), Accor, HHonors(Diamond), SPG, Hertz Five Star
Posts: 6,165
So in answer to your questions, and in addtion to theultimateflyer's comments:
a) Yes you do get access to the GC lounges, there is a GC North and GC South in T5A, and a GC in T5B. Bear in mind this access is not based on the oneworld connecting flights rules which wouldn't be applicable here since they cover connecting long haul from or to a domestic/short haul only. The access is based on BA's more generous rules which allow an inbound CW passenger with no lounge access oneworld status connecting on to a Y or WT+ long haul flight to access the lounge based on the inbound flight. Here is a copy of an old BA handbook which explains the policy:
b) Generally points take at least 24 hours to post (more if from an outstation) and your status takes at least another 24 hours to update from one tier to another. You would not be silver when you land in LHR, or indeed when you land in BOM. However, based on the positive answer to a) there isn't any need to worry about this since you will get lounge access regardless of not being silver.
a) Yes you do get access to the GC lounges, there is a GC North and GC South in T5A, and a GC in T5B. Bear in mind this access is not based on the oneworld connecting flights rules which wouldn't be applicable here since they cover connecting long haul from or to a domestic/short haul only. The access is based on BA's more generous rules which allow an inbound CW passenger with no lounge access oneworld status connecting on to a Y or WT+ long haul flight to access the lounge based on the inbound flight. Here is a copy of an old BA handbook which explains the policy:
b) Generally points take at least 24 hours to post (more if from an outstation) and your status takes at least another 24 hours to update from one tier to another. You would not be silver when you land in LHR, or indeed when you land in BOM. However, based on the positive answer to a) there isn't any need to worry about this since you will get lounge access regardless of not being silver.
According to the above, if I arrive at TXL on a Club Europe flight and am getting on an Air Berlin flight (any class) then I should be able to use the lounge in TXL. Is this true as the "manage my booking" lists lounge access for the BA flights but not for the air berlin flight
Nov 17, 2014, 5:26 pm
#11
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 64,302
Welcome killerrock
Oh yes, welcome killerrock, welcome to the BA Forum, welcome to Flyertalk and thanks for the interesting question. I hope that you will enjoy being here and that you will continue to post. This particular combination of flight classes is perfectly rational (bed at night, seat during the day) but it's perhaps unusual so it would be interesting to hear your experiences.
My suspicion is that you would be allowed access, if BA metal, since you do have Arrivals lounge access, and it would be a bit daft to use the relatively expensive Arrivals lounge (expensive to BA that is) if the relatively inexpensive Galleries Club was closed off to you. Certainly you would need to show both arriving and departing boarding passes. Under oneworld rules, however, you definitely would not have access.
My suspicion is that you would be allowed access, if BA metal, since you do have Arrivals lounge access, and it would be a bit daft to use the relatively expensive Arrivals lounge (expensive to BA that is) if the relatively inexpensive Galleries Club was closed off to you. Certainly you would need to show both arriving and departing boarding passes. Under oneworld rules, however, you definitely would not have access.
Last edited by corporate-wage-slave; Nov 17, 2014 at 5:41 pm
Nov 17, 2014, 5:29 pm
#12
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 64,302
Is this only true at heathrow?
According to the above, if I arrive at TXL on a Club Europe flight and am getting on an Air Berlin flight (any class) then I should be able to use the lounge in TXL. Is this true as the "manage my booking" lists lounge access for the BA flights but not for the air berlin flight
According to the above, if I arrive at TXL on a Club Europe flight and am getting on an Air Berlin flight (any class) then I should be able to use the lounge in TXL. Is this true as the "manage my booking" lists lounge access for the BA flights but not for the air berlin flight
Nov 17, 2014, 5:31 pm
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 9
Thanks for the welcome folks. Appreciate the response CWS. I an suprised that the policy is not clear on this, as I guess this must happen often. Given the depth of experience on this site, was hoping to find folks who have been thru the grind.
Nov 18, 2014, 1:27 am
#14
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: CBG
Programs: BAEC Silver; M&M FT
Posts: 233
Is it that bad? I have a couple of AB domestics coming up starting in TXL, and I'd definitely take the nice BA lounge over any AF lounge or AB "exclusive waiting area" any day ...
Nov 18, 2014, 2:00 am
#15
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 64,302
The Air France lounge is arguably better, it's not so decrepit that's for sure. Golds and higher seem to be welcomed, Silver and non BAECs are often invited to go upstairs to Air France. They know they need to admit BAECs so it's not a high push, but I've seen it happen and staff have explained it is due to payment issues internally within the airport. The Exklusiver Wartebereich is luckily barred to BAEC members!