jdbelfast

last week, having got back from a visit to Australia, I had four hours to kill in LHR before flying to BHD on EI, so went landside and visited the Arrivals lounge. A minor and a major complaint. The minor complaint is that their was no appointment in the Elemis spa for 5 hours. Thre major complaint was the condition of the showers. I've always thought that the showers in the arrivals lounge are pretty poor, being much too plastic. However, last week I was in Orange 2 shower and it was pretty appalling. I took pictures but don't know how to post them on here without putting them on a website first. However, the highlights were
1: in the ceiling there were lots of very small dead flies close to the light
2. The panel above the mirror was loose and you could see dirt hanging diwn from the panel.
3. In the corners of the unit, there was an orange the substance in the corner.
4. In the shower unit, the drainage unit was discoloured and pretty rank.

I realise that the arrivals lounge is a luxury not afforded to many but it the shower section is already showing its age. It looks cheap and tacky and the poor quality materials makes it look pretty disgusting. It seems to me they put in too many showers when actually fewer but better quality would have been much better. Happy to send pictures to anyone if they don't believe me.

rather_be_on_a_griffin

No pictures are needed, it's a truth universally acknowledged.

Combination of poor design choices, material quality and minimalist approach to maintenance and general upkeep (see e.g. Trip reports on the state of Concorde room toilets and seating).

The new AA arrivals facility looks great and it'll be interesting to compare how it fares over the longer term.

jdbelfast

Yes- i had the pleasure of visiting AA arrivals lounge in T3 three weeks ago. so much better than BA in T5.

johnston21

I prefer the bath tubs at T5 arrivals. They're rather large. Not sure if pax other than First have them available...

shefgab

I've used them a few times arriving in Club (and even in Y with a Gold card)....sometimes they say yes straight away, other times i've been given excuses to deter me ("it'll be 30 minutes sir") but only once have I not got one. That being said, the last one I used could also have done with a thorough revamp. 5* is certainly wasn't.

Premier Owl

The showers in B gate lounge are marginally cleaner...

UKtravelbear

I assume you told the lounge / elemis staff about the showers and have since emailed BA as well?

Otherwise just rant away.

hugolover

BA are fully aware of this and have been for years. The lack of action means can only be signification of acceptance and by interpretation contempt for their premium pax.

UKtravelbear

well the more people who contact them the more chance BA will do something about it.

hugolover

We don't know how many people contact them about it, perhaps loads do, but who on earth sees a point sending the same feedback over and over and over. GF food is crap, its actually got WORSE-thats customer feedback for you. I do know the shower attendants receive a lot of complaints. There is a thread I started about the T5A showers where at one point IIRC 11 out of 18 were out of service due to collapsed floors and other issues.

Perhaps an e-petition can be created for the Transport Secretary to write to the BA? Write to our MPs? Again-if everyone contacts their MP perhaps it will be embracing for BA and they will address it?

I heard Señor Cruz was appalled at the state of the CCR-perhaps a lovely shower visit is in order from the Top Man.

UKtravelbear

well you could write to your MP or the transport secretary but the reply would be on the lines of

'nothing to do with us. BA is a private company. Contact them'

brewdog11

Or, Cruz will just close it and say, "problem solved!"