DrAJ

We have a ATL in 1st that felt too good to be true as a redemption booked a few weeks back. As of today its the 1st time I've noted its now departing from T3. So no ccr. Yes there is cathay etc. but have been to the business side before and suspect it isn't the hoped for jump between galleries club and ccr...

The _Banking_Scot

hi

If in first you will get access to the Cathy First lounge with its dining room

Regards

Tbs

AirbusA350

Whilst I haven't experienced CCR recently, CX F is great IMO, also you have the secondary choice of QF lounge too and they have a dine-in restaurant also (closed for a few hours in the afternoon but open at other times). If you still had space and time to kill, you can then go to BA F in T3 if you fancy (though I do not recommend it to anyone when other superior options exist, however, if you've got a lot of time to kill and are twiddling your thumbs, then you might as well milk your benefits to the max lol) and have further QR code ordered food from there. Additionally if you have Amex Platinum, there's the Centurion lounge too which has a great food buffet offering too. So despite lack of CCR, I would still think that the potential access to 4 lounges, potentially 5 if AA also opens (and 6 if you count the AA Arrivals lounge), I still would want to be flying out of T3 any day compared to T5! I personally think you stand to gain more

Safe travels.

TedToToe

I'm guessing the shorthaul moves back to T5 for the winter are due to capacity being available, but it's strange that BCN keeps yo-yoing between the two.

JayMR

After the dystopian free for all last week at CDG, much of my anticipation for a December return flight from LHR to ATL was utilizing the First Wing at T5, which I have not experienced before. After making the reservation, I see that for now the flight is scheduled to depart from T3, which is a first for me on BA long haul.

Is there any equivalent to the First Wing at T3? I suspect not with the small number of long haul flights. How bad is the queue for mid morning flights?

AirbusA350

The First Wing is nothing special at all trust me and for reasons I've mentioned above (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/34196023-post198.html) about the excellent lounge propositions you will have access to in T3, you are, IMO, a lucky person to be flying from T3 instead of 5. If you're imagining it to be anything akin to AA's Flagship First check-in at LAX where it's extremely quiet, personalised escort to security etc, then you'd have been very disappointed at the end result you would have received at LHR T5 First Wing. There are priority check-in desks at T3 though which you will have access to, however, as you have guessed, in general BA's operation is rather small in T3 and it isn't required. The only real draw for The First Wing is the direct access to the lounge at the end of it. T3 lounges after going through fast-track security are a matter of 2 - 3 minutes walk if you're slow.

Also, not sure if you've been aware but it isn't an uncommon occurrence for The First Wing's queues to snake around the terminal whilst the desks for the rest of the muggle world are flowing quicker/smoother lol!!

All the best and make the most of your T3 experience

corporate-wage-slave

No First Wing in T3, there is Fast Track. Queues vary from long to short, it's more about whether you are close to UK school holidays and day of the week, but in the absence of specifics you can assume 10 - 20 minutes to get through.

JayMR

Thank you for your replies! Right now it's a 777-300 without Club Suites/new First Class but we'll see if that changes by December. Either way It will be a pleasure.

AirbusA350

If the new Club Suites rollout is to go as per schedule, then there's a high likelihood it will be a refurbished aircraft as all 777s are due to be completed by the end of the year supposedly

KARFA

BCN is noted as being T5 from October, but as reported in another thread it’s already showing as T5 this summer, so has the move already happened?

layz

Yes. Saw a sign for it last week.

PUCCI GALORE

I am not a T3 fan - all those dingy corridors where the check-in desks are seem so depressing. it is more like a rather Italian train station. Bu contrast, the CX Lounge is excellent and I have to say the F Lounge is better than the BA offering. Thus will I use the BA Lounge for very early morning departures and CX for the rest of the day. I understand that they are the Lounge accommodating AA pax at this time. I was greeted most warmly and loved the seats looking over the tarmac. I saw that there was a choice of Champagnes with Laurent Perrier being the most popular because it was a brand that most people knew. In fact there was a Grand Cru Champagne from Bouzey (no I am not making that up) which was delicious - utterly delicious.

In short T3 is showing its age but I am seduced to the dark side by the CX F Lounge. Yes there is a Fast Track security and I might add that I found the personnel there most pleasant and agreeable.

peter.r.erskine

Not sure if there is an up to date wiki, but LIS now out of T5 as well. Was hoping my June flight would be T3 as a lowly Silver here.

Oops, should have read wiki more clearly.

AirbusA350

Yes. BCN is T5 now and will be till end of S22 before it moves back to T3. Wiki is up to date and accurate. Funnily enough and ironically, any signage that says otherwise at LHR is likely to be wrong as I suspect updating the signage has a lag due to the need for it to be done manually!

Nonethless for any clarification of doubt, I’d always recommend anyone to check the following links closer to their flights just to be sure:
https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...rport-terminal
https://www.heathrow.com/at-the-airp...which-terminal

KARFA

Ah, apologies, I read the wiki the wrong way around as BCN moving to T5 from October. Time for another trips to the opticians!