Dave_C

Heard from a reputable source, the CWLCY arrivals service at the Radisson is no more.

The cabin crew PAs have been altered to remove it.

Make of that what you will, in the context of all the others cuts. Not even the flagship route is exempt from the axe.

headingwest

Gets grimmer every day. I'm sure this cut will make the corporate bookers think very hard.

windowontheAside

Interesting.

Although from my POV, having tried it once, I wouldn't bother again. Might work well for some but it was too far and too much faff. Shame there there isn't a more convenient (and presmumably cheaper?) option.

FrancisA

Always a bit of an anomaly, was it actually much used?

BA have been getting rid of arrivals lounges for years to little protest. Who remembers the JNB or LGW arrivals lounges, both of which were in hotels like LCY?

IMHO if the usage doesn't merit it, cut it is the right decision.

FrancisA

About what exactly? Taking another airline that flies from the USA to LCY? Err. Or about rerouting to LHR to use the arrivals lounge there? Err.

I really think that this decision will do little more than cause a ripple in FT, largely amongst people who never actually used this, but can't miss an opportunity to bash BA for any decision however rational.

hugolover

It wouldn't cause a ripple if BA pulled a particular BEVVIE from the onboard bar if said BEVVIE was only popular with a certain number of pax.

But it would still affect those pax and prove to be a disappointment.

With each cut, more & more pax are dissatisfied with the product depending on their tastes and interests.

Oaxaca

I've used it on a number of occasions. It used to work quite well for me coming off BA2, could have a shower and breakfast and be at my office near the City by 9am. I don't fly to NYC as much as I used to, but if I had to work in London after coming off the flight, this would make me think twice about using LCY.

My experience was that 4-8 people would be using it coming off the flight. The service is still being advertised on ba.com.

headingwest

If you're are referring to me, then you're right I never use it, but I'm sure there are plenty of corporate passengers who do before doing business in London.

But perhaps you're right, this is a good move by BA to help them on their new trajectory.

TabTraveller

Shame. A leisurely shower and brekkie before heading over to the wharf was a nice benefit of the service. Sure I can go shower and eat elsewhere. And sure, I'll probably still fly CWLCY for the decent sleeper service and proximity. But it leaves a sour taste...

Cymro

It's not an issue for me because I live and work around the southwestern quadrant of the M25, but business class without the arrivals lounge is not the same.

I realise this is LCY only, for now, but if I was flying in from NY and visiting a client, or worked for a company that didn't have a shower facility on site, it would affect my decision of who to fly with.


(While that might force me into LHR if I was going to central London rather than Canary Wharf, but it would also remove part of the uniqueness of the BA proposition - so why not fly with someone else entirely and just land at LHR an hour or so earlier? I assume that UA and DL/VS have arrivals lounges...)

Sure, I can probably find a day room somewhere for relatively low cost, but that adds extra time to the journey so I may as well go to LHR.

crazy8534

Reading this as I wander past a long line of EK limos waiting to collect their newly arrived J and F passengers...

QF Lad

Quite right, based on what their customers tell them and on customer demand, BA are to remove this service.

They are doing it for us and our sakes.

headingwest

Exactly, and if enough passengers do that it might affect the viability of the LCY service.

ringingup

I'm really disappointed. We'll be flying back to LCY on the babybus in less than a couple of weeks and we were counting on going to the Radisson to have a shower before heading to work.

Hoch

Perhaps they'll replace it with something or somewhere else. Otherwise, this is really another way to slowly wind down the service after the TP reduction enhancement.

H