britbronco22

Finally got to visit this lounge for the first time on Friday, I was very I impressed overall.

A few comments I'd like to add:
- love the views and the amount of daylight, however it was getting quite hot by noon in April. I hope the air con can cope in the summer.
- the mezzanine is accessible by lift (I hadn't seen anyone mention that)
- the kids zone is aimed at older kids, not really suitable for my 18 month old. Computers and a football table, not soft toys.
- 3 toilet cubicles seems wholly inadequate
- glad to see a baby change in the men's toilet as well (though puts more pressure on cubicles).
- shame lunch doesn't come out until 12, makes it hard to supplement the new meagre Club Europe lunch.

Overall it's a massive upgrade on the old North terminal lounge though imo

BorisBrownBear

First visit to the new South club lounge this evening and I must echo the positive comments. It's nice and spacious and light and airy. As a bonus, Mrs BBB and I currently have the mezzanine completely to ourselves

I still can't say I'm a Gatwick fan, but as much as anything that's simply because it's a third of the way round the M25 for us. The experience so far is very pleasing.

KARFA

I still haven't visited the new lounge yet. Not sure if anyone else has posted any update on the power sockets, have they all been installed now?

aks120

Just visited this and the First lounge - wow what a difference! Very impressive.

Security on the other hand - I would rather have the North security

Regards

Aks120

corporate-wage-slave

Oh dear, what happened?

ChemicalWoody

Just went through myself. The Premium entrance filtered into a section where there was only one lane open.
The delays were at the tray loading point, because everyone seemed to have 4 trays' worth of stuff, and those loading at the positions nearest the scanner were getting frustrated that theirs didn't fit because it was chock full.
This happens at LHR too, but there are fewer entry points (4 vs. 6 perhaps?), plus the staff at LGW seemed to struggle a bit more. Plus it was a bit more of a holidaymaker vibe.
If 2 lanes had been open life would've been a lot easier - I'll optimistically assume they opened another one soon after!

corporate-wage-slave

Oh OK, I had forgotten it was a bank holiday weekend. Still it wouldn't have caught them unawares so both lanes should have been working. My experiences at LGW South have been so positive, along with the First Wing, EDI and NCL, such that when I hit the rest of the world it is a bit of a shock.

aks120

This!

It was utter chaos - a woman shouting that 'they are feeding too many people into this lane' another yelling to hold trays yet did nothing about it. I stood patiently waiting, as directed, until a certain tray had past so that the chap furthest away from the scanner could get his stuff through. When the requisite tray past, I pushed my tray on but then just happened to see that it was pushed back out but the security man. If I had not noticed I would still be waiting, as a lady was when I got to the other side. No warning, no nothing - it was just shoved back onto the metal part. The staff were bolshy, not cooperative and were willing to push a tray back off the belt and leave it there while the owner walked through the scanner (said lady) and she stood waiting for a tray that was never coming! I pointed out that the tray did not belong to any of us and the security lady said 'oh well it can just sit there'!!!!!

The staff were rude and quite frankly bloody useless - plus more lanes should have been open so that the fast track did not continuously feed in so that 'normal' track never got a chance!

Horrid experience.

aks120

mikeyfly

In Club now - First doesn't open until 7am

Appears to be plugs everywhere adjoined to seats!

KARFA

Excellent, thanks.

musehead

Had no problem getting into First/Club lounge with an Iberia Express ticket (on an IB code) the other day. We were travelling as a BA SCH and GCH. It wasn't a simple scan and enter though, the agent had to do something manually on her computer with both our tickets.

Preferred the Club lounge to the First lounge. In future would probably go straight to Club.

mikeyfly

In First lounge now - plenty of plug sockets... and they work ^

KARFA

Excellent news. I am a plug socket fan

The _Banking_Scot

Hi,

I flew back to EDI from LGW last night (1710) and was the first time using the South terminal in years.

Although I had my boarding pass in hand I walked to the BA check in zone and was impressed. It was very quiet at 345pm. Security was quick.
The lifts up to the lounges are much quicker than in the North terminal.
Whilst going into the first lounge I glanced into the Club lounge and it looked busy with lots of people just inside the lounge entrance but a lot of people left after the JFK flight was called. I did see the sign by the entrance to the First lounge saying the First lounge closes at 8pm

The First lounge was quiet and very nice . As I was having dinner later I skipped the food ( noted the sandwiches, salad, soup and the menu and had a slice of cake with Henriot champagne and a coffee.

As a man I appreciated the urinals in the toilets rather than just the cubicles in T5 GF.

I wandered into the club lounge for a few minutes and was very impressed with the lounge especially the mezzanine level which only had 2 or 3 people in it so would be ideal to relax. Did not notice any sandwiches out but did notice the soup.

We left from Gate 11 with the biometric photographs being checked by 1 man at the gate prior to the boarding pass check so a queue built up but there is a separate Priority lane ( not obvious from the walk way as it is just sign posted as you enter the gate area)

Overall excellent Lounges now at LGW. BA have done a great job here. The only problem is the relatively low number of flights ( ie to EDI after 1710 there is nothing till 2115 on Friday)

Regards

TBS

Horatio

Was surprised to see self-pour Castelnau in the LGW south business lounge at the weekend. I thought all 'normal' BA Club lounges only had it on request and I don't remember seeing it the previous times I was in that lounge. Is this an exception to the rule or is this indicative of a wider change? Apologies if I've missed this elsewhere.