First Wing at T5
Mar 8, 2019, 4:44 pm
#931
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 698
If you have no bags to drop off, but still want to 'use' all the features of the First Wing, I would suggest going in, taking some flavoured water and a cold towel from the attendant, sitting down for a moment by the flowers and gently rearranging your carry on bag whilst you look around and enjoy the semi-seclusion and pleasant air of exclusivity.
Once ready, (perhaps after a second cup of that delightful cucumber water) saunter over to a free desk and get a hard copy of your boarding pass from one of the agents. Enjoy the same premium chit chat you would if checking in a bag. At this point you can glide over to the eligibility check before security, having seen, been seen and seen it all!
On your next visit you won't notice much difference between this and regular check-in, so you may as well appreciate it all first time..
Once ready, (perhaps after a second cup of that delightful cucumber water) saunter over to a free desk and get a hard copy of your boarding pass from one of the agents. Enjoy the same premium chit chat you would if checking in a bag. At this point you can glide over to the eligibility check before security, having seen, been seen and seen it all!
On your next visit you won't notice much difference between this and regular check-in, so you may as well appreciate it all first time..
Mar 8, 2019, 11:42 pm
#933
Join Date: May 2016
Location: London WC1
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 437
My wife got told yesterday at the First Wing that per the rules she had to go over to Fast track security, despite telling the assistant that she was a GCH! This was at the desk at the entrance.
Mind you, when I was Silver I was asked on two separate occasions if I was being guested when I was travelling in First...
Mind you, when I was Silver I was asked on two separate occasions if I was being guested when I was travelling in First...
Mar 9, 2019, 2:28 am
#934
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,964
My wife got told yesterday at the First Wing that per the rules she had to go over to Fast track security, despite telling the assistant that she was a GCH! This was at the desk at the entrance.
Mind you, when I was Silver I was asked on two separate occasions if I was being guested when I was travelling in First...
Mind you, when I was Silver I was asked on two separate occasions if I was being guested when I was travelling in First...
Why was she even engaging with the agents at the podium at the entrance anyway? They have never asked me about my eligibility when entering and the limit of my conversation with them is usually just to say hello and how are you as I walk past.
Mar 9, 2019, 2:47 am
#935
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: London, United Kingdom
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold;BA GGL; hhonors lifetime diamond; Marriott lt Gold; IH Plat Amb; Amex Centurion
Posts: 4,739
My wife got told yesterday at the First Wing that per the rules she had to go over to Fast track security, despite telling the assistant that she was a GCH! This was at the desk at the entrance.
Mind you, when I was Silver I was asked on two separate occasions if I was being guested when I was travelling in First...
Mind you, when I was Silver I was asked on two separate occasions if I was being guested when I was travelling in First...
Mar 9, 2019, 4:37 am
#936
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,719
sounds very odd that they would send her away as a gch.
Why was she even engaging with the agents at the podium at the entrance anyway? They have never asked me about my eligibility when entering and the limit of my conversation with them is usually just to say hello and how are you as I walk past.
Why was she even engaging with the agents at the podium at the entrance anyway? They have never asked me about my eligibility when entering and the limit of my conversation with them is usually just to say hello and how are you as I walk past.
Mar 11, 2019, 3:17 am
#937
Join Date: May 2016
Location: London WC1
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 437
Yes, really odd. She doesn't really 'get' all the status stuff - happy for me to sort it out - so wasn't 100% sure that travelling Y she could use the First Wing, and very much not being a DYKNWIA didn't want to cause a scene.
Re proof of status she would have had her BA app and the boarding pass shows status (and, shh, a gold card bag tag*) so no excuse. I think I'll drop a line to BA as it's pretty sloppy.
Agreed - I try no to engage with them at the entrance either beyond a polite greeting.
I've told my wife for next time!
*In BLQ yesterday we were asked for proof of status on entrance to the lounge, despite the app showing it, and a cursory look at the bag tab was sufficient. Not sure what that added to reassure him...
Re proof of status she would have had her BA app and the boarding pass shows status (and, shh, a gold card bag tag*) so no excuse. I think I'll drop a line to BA as it's pretty sloppy.
Agreed - I try no to engage with them at the entrance either beyond a polite greeting.
I've told my wife for next time!
*In BLQ yesterday we were asked for proof of status on entrance to the lounge, despite the app showing it, and a cursory look at the bag tab was sufficient. Not sure what that added to reassure him...
Mar 11, 2019, 3:31 am
#939
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12,258
Mar 11, 2019, 4:06 am
#940
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: London, ARN, HEL, ..... or MAN
Programs: BA GGL / GFL, Mucci Diamond!, HH Diamond, Radisson Premium, IHG Gold, Hertz Gold
Posts: 5,895
Mar 11, 2019, 4:13 am
#941
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: LHR & JER
Programs: BAEC Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 253
I think you can only take two through normal fast track but as it doesn’t spit you out into a lounge YMMV with more.
Mar 11, 2019, 11:45 pm
#942
Join Date: Jan 2005
Programs: BA Gold, VS Silver, Marriott Ambassador, HH diamond IHG plat
Posts: 637
Must be just those NCL agents. Yes, it has always been a single ticket for an evening arrival in T5, Sofitel, early AM departure from T5 on a single booking. It did seem odd but maybe I just got the wrong agents
Mar 12, 2019, 12:30 am
#944
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: BA exec, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 556
My wife got told yesterday at the First Wing that per the rules she had to go over to Fast track security, despite telling the assistant that she was a GCH! This was at the desk at the entrance.
Mind you, when I was Silver I was asked on two separate occasions if I was being guested when I was travelling in First...
Mind you, when I was Silver I was asked on two separate occasions if I was being guested when I was travelling in First...
MrsT (Gold) was told on Sunday night (coming off long haul onto the shuttle) at the First Wing entrance to use the Fast Track as the wing security was busy, she phoned me and I told her to show her gold card/ boarding pass (again) and continue through to the wing security, she was through into GF in 5 mins.
Last edited by Telecasterman; Mar 12, 2019 at 12:39 am
Mar 12, 2019, 1:58 am
#945
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: 63,804
I've checked with one of the Swissport agents in NCL and she was mystified by your post. The default is to through check to the final destination, and on request they'll arrange an overight collection at T5. It's possible that there was a Swissport agent more used to another airline who handled it, Swissport handle all of NCL with the exception of non apron handling for Jet2.