Zacnlinc

My recent stay at BA F lounge (T3) was a total crap shoot!

I arrived during the morning rush (Friday) and found the place overcrowded and in chaos. There were used dishes on nearly all available tables and I witness people clearing tables and placing the dishes on already cramped tables full of dirty dishes.

There were "managers" rushing to/from places looking for people to bus the tables in vain. I ended up sitting on a sofa with five other chairs surrounding a coffee table that was stacked with dishes. Soon, five other guest joined me and we just dealt with the stack of dishes that we also ended up contributing to during the 30 minutes I stayed before exiting the lounge. This experience was on my outbound light from London to Dubai.

For the inbound flight from Dubai, I just opted to visited AA FL and was just as equally disappointed. Such a tiny room with everyone staking claims on every bit of real estate that they could. Wish I had visited QFL or CX FL instead.... Ugh

celtic_warrior

On my most recent visit to the lounge, I noticed several members of staff were just going through the motions and disappeared frequently. I felt sorry for the two members of staff who appeared to be doing everything.

Maybe the lounge managers, you witnessed on your visit, should have cleaned a few tables and set an example?

ayearinmx

If anyone wonders why USB plugs aren't working in the CX lounge in T3 (the ones that slide out of the chair-side tables) ... I just saw a lady trying to jam her European plug into them, with a look of confusion as to why it wasn't working.

I did try and explain but gave up when she grabbed the male end of a USB cable and said that it didn't fit either.

gypsyjaney

After much planning and conniving I finally made into the BA F lounge at T3 earlier this month, en route to CPT. I found myself underwhelmed by the offerings (ok, it was still the tailend of afternoon tea time) só I decided to console myself with bubbles and headed with anticipation for the champers. Could not believe my eyes when I lifted the bottle and saw that It was - Canard Duchene. While not expecting LPGS -, I had assumed that the fizz on offer in F would at least be an improvement on the normal bucket & Spade beverages that BA are so fond of treating me to in J. Sadly, I overestimated them.

So, on to Qantas, but no champagne there, only ‘bubbles’. I thought I might try a glass of quality Aussie Chardonnay instead - and was poured a glass of Shiraz. The waitress serving behind the bar looked blank when I protested, until I explained that Chardonnay is usually white.... it was Cathay who finally came up trumps with Laurent Perrier in their F lounge (also Lanson and a pink champagne that I forgot to note the name of). So despite a F ticket, it was a J lounge that won the day! The food was the best as well.

TGLoyalty

Any reason you didn’t visit the CX F lounge?

fruitcage

What exactly was the reason why you couldn’t believe your eyes when you saw Canard Duchene?

HIDDY

I've never been disappointed by any Champagne or wine offering whenever I've been fortunate enough to fly F or J with several airlines. It helps when you know sod all about the subject.

Infinite Possibilities

I was pleasantly surprised by the Jeepers Rosé when I tried it on my last F lounge visit. Overall, I think BA’s F lounge wine offering is fairly good, especially when you consider how many people they are serving.

_nate

Canard Duchene, while not expensive, is a very nice champagne.

Misco60

I didn't know what Canard Duchene was, but a quick bit of Googling reveals that it gets generally very good reviews and costs about 30 euros a bottle. One of the reviews I read summed it up as not worth going out of your way to find, but it's a very enjoyable glass. I dont think that's bad for a champagne being given away free at an airport.

drvannostren

So, I just kinda did this as well. First time ever flying BA F (only ever flown one F before and it was United "true" F back in the day, not amazing) also never flown BA J, I'm a Star Alliance flyer.

T3 LHR-YVR I had read the lounge reviews, I knew about CX F... went to all my lounges. First off T3 btw...yikes, made me feel like a cleaner EWR, people hanging off the walls. Way too many folks and not enough places for them to be.

AA F - Lol, how pointless is this place? There was actually a decent number of people sitting in there, which surprised me, since I presume most if not all of them would have access to at least some of the other lounges and all of them are within a 2 minute walk from each other. I didn't check out the J part of the lounge, but it had to be better. Honestly, I'm sure having an F lounge is just a prestige thing for AA to go along with their seldomly used F product. Really what this space should be used for is an upgraded dining area or bar or shower area for the J lounge. Honestly, I walked in and almost laughed. Grabbed a diet coke baby can and a magazine and walked out, only took 200ml to see the whole lounge. Quite a waste of space and for the life of me, I can't imagine why you'd spend any time in there.

QF - I was a bit confused by the Qantas lounge, I thought there was an F lounge, which I guess I figured out there isn't, it's all just one. I was directed upstairs, but I noticed a downstairs dining area, no one really there, though tables were reserved for some reason. The layout was decent, but this also was a rather unimpressive space. The bar was nice, but there seemed to be a lack of desk/table type seating other than the upstairs eating area, where the buffet was pretty weak. Bailed on that.

BA F - Didn't check out the J pat, gotta be honest, I was surprised at how weak this lounge was, BUT imo, it was probably the best one. The buffet had the best spread, I had a pretty nice burger at the dining area that came rather quickly (though the service left something to be desired), decent variety of seating, decent views. My biggest complaint was that maybe it needs a bit of a refresh and that there's a wine bar, a champagne bar (I think) then a spirits bar...seems to me that the bars at both ends of the room, the wine and spirits one could've been both, so you don't have to cross the entire room to get a spirit. Pretty small complaints though.

CX F - Honestly, I didn't really see what all the hubbub was about. I mean if you wanted a nice asian meal, I get that. The rest of this area was fairly small and didn't really hold any special appeal to me. Spent a little time in there before going to the J section which I preferred. Lots of table seating in the eating area, decent amount of seating in the lounge area, nice views and I enjoyed the lounge chair with mini tables, love those kinda things.

In the end though, it left me wondering why all these airlines have their own lounges? I'm sure they each make a little bit of money. I also know that socially most of us kinda like to stick to things familiar to us...like an American wanting "American food" or a Brit wanting proper British tea, or a Hong Konger wanting their famous type of noodle dish. But we're all also aware as travellers that those aren't always things you're gonna get when away from home.

Long story short, I totally get why BA has a lounge, it's their hub, but it seems to me OW could just have a really big kick ... lounge and do away with all this other nonsense. Maybe make something great. Instead, what you get is 4 equally kinda mediocre experiences.

Also, I mean these are obviously way better than United clubs, or Air Canada lounges for the most part, but as international lounges not just F ones, I expect a bit better, so they live up to THAT expectation, but nothing more really.

corporate-wage-slave

Thanks for that detailed overview as a semi-outsider, I wonder if it deserves to be in the main T3 lounge thread. I share a lot of your sentiments here too, I think it's good assessment. You may have been slightly harsh on the AA First lounge, their actual food provision can be fairly good within the limited menu and once the main AA rush is half over it has some merit. But to clarify the Qantas quote above, they use the downstairs section later in the day when the lounge gets a lot more busy and there can be a bit of an atmosphere then too. They reserved signs are just to hurry you up the stairs.

Andriyko

I used to love Champagne but after I discovered that there was so much better sparkling wine in this world, I can't stand it.

Agree. I guess it's just one of those things that gets hyped on Flyertalk and then it just becomes something one must believe it lest others should be appalled that you don't find 'the best T3 lounge' all that special if anything special at all.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the lounges! A bit harsh there on the AA one.

Smid

Why is often rated the best?

1) Quiet. Probably only one. Except the AA F or the CX J can be quiet.
2) Self pour champagne. Only BA F has this too, and a better Champers in both CX J and F.
3) A la carte food. Though the restaurant is too small, I tend to order in J and take a buzzer with me to F. Too much of a faff to sit in the crowded restaurant or wait if I have an hour.
4) View of the planes. CX seems to win with this one, though there's spots in BA F, right? Not been if CF.

Other facts why not? Spirit selection. Not my bag. Probably better in other lounges. Gin for QF for sure. Fancy Johnny Walkers in BA F.

CX F ticks all my boxes. Though CX J would if there was self pour champers or general booze, but never had problem being served quickly at the bar.

icegirl

I totally agree but the problem is the ghost town that is T1 that should have been demolished years ago when it closed and to extend T2 in its place. T3 would then be replaced by a satellite terminal rack to support either T5 or 2.