Flexible preferences

May I ask, have you flown F from T5 recently subject2load?

The reason I ask is that on both of my visits this year the CCR for me did feel very exclusive, and I don't recognise a lounge that evokes such scorn from you.

It wasn't crowded, the ambiance was quiet and pleasing. I sat by a 'fireplace', and in the restaurant, and by the marble bar with a stunning chandelier above me. I enjoyed discreet but friendly and personalised service, my expresso martini even had a cocoa bean/powder smile on it!

Now, I don't care for the new furniture pictured upthread, but overall for myself and my partner we really did feel the experience was very exclusive. I am generally interested if your own personal experience has been different...

orbitmic

Whilst I think that the CCR is generally fine for my purposes, I guess that 'feeling very exclusive' would definitely depend on what you are used to, and from that point of view, I see where subjecttoload is coming from. If you are used to the likes of the AA Flagship or even JL or CX F lounges, which can be very crowded, then yes, you would probably find the CCR very exclusive. By contrast, if you are used to the AF P lounge at CDG or the GA F lounge at CGK, where you will frequently find no more than 10 people in total in the lounge at any given time and where service is extremely personalised, then you would not find the CCR exclusive at all. It's all a matter of points of comparison.

xenole

Well, the CX F lounges can be used by a OWE travelling on the cheapest economy ticket so can't be classed as that exclusive regardless of whether they are empty or full.

Exclusive to me is where you don't have to fight for seats in a limited space with maybe 50-100+ other people, can relax in peace and tranquillity and so on.

Yes, the CCR might be only for first and CCR cardholders (+ guests), but at times there are far too many in there which makes it little more than a fancier waiting room, not that it probably isn't anyway.
It could be worse though judging by the number of people who stay in GF, being unaware they can use the CCR.

Other airlines such as SQ perhaps don't have 14 or so F seats in a cabin and have a dozen or so flights leaving in the space of a few hours. Therefore they're not going to have all those people hitting the same "exclusive" lounge.

Flexible preferences

I am sure subject2load is capable of speaking for himself! Naturally I agree that context matters regarding opinions on exclusivity, hence my curiosity and question to subject2load, unless you would care to answer that too?

fiona

Now you are just giving them new marketing ideas. Maybe they just need to issue everyone in CW virtual reality viewers.

HIDDY

The CCR could easily become more exclusive just by cutting down the size of the F cabins. Of course F fares will rise and awards will become nigh on impossible to get. I couldn't care less as F travel doesn't appeal to me. However I suspect many on here would be livid especially the 'I only fly BA when I use my AMEX 2-4-1' QR fanboys.

Petrus

Had the pleasure of visiting the new CX J and F lounges at LHR. While the selection of food and drink was more limited, the quality, service and interior was a homerun compared to CCR. And let's not get started on Galleries First...

Oh dropped by the JAL F lounge at HAN also a few weeks back. Put things into perspective.
How about a teppanyaki chef prepping a perfectly cooked piece of quality steak with fresh vegetables, while your shoes get an epic shoe polish that still shines after a week?

I quite like the CCR and enjoy visiting it before a journey. But calling it exclusive or luxurious? Nah. It was the case during the first 5 years or so of operation.

lost_in_translation

The latest CX lounges are where CX really shines to me, why BA can't do something similar design-wise for what is technically a materially more 'exclusive' lounge in the CCRs I have no idea. (Well, I do actually, it would cost money.)

Having spent lots of time in the HND JL F lounge recently (about 10 reasonably lengthy visits in the last month) I don't find it that spectacular, and probably on balance prefer the CCR. The cleanliness and general condition is light years ahead with way better power point provision, but other than the Red Room I don't think it's that attractive as a space. Much better showers and bathrooms. Food choices limited (but do enjoy the Teppanyaki) - on balance CCR food is better. Drinks not bad but not a patch on CCR (better than GF, though, BA take note on the need to provide both decent champagne and crčme de cassis to have a complete drinks selection!). The CX lounge is the hidden gem at HND, similar in design to the J lounge at LHR, but slightly more compact (i.e. light-years ahead of any BA lounge globally other than the CCRs).

GTR56

I admire your motivation to post daily about your unhappiness aimed at those who you perceive to be “exploiting the system” (who gain status legitimately).

I’d have thrown in the towel years ago for something I never used.

Given the sums thrown about the new CW improvements (Ł400-600M) I think its pretty pathetic that BA have spent a few thousand on some new carpet and picking up someone else’s cancelled sofa order from DFS.

It was mentioned a while ago that first was not performing well. I’m no business guru but these “upgrades” to the CCR are not going to make a difference.

The new Wing at T5 is excellent and should inspire future ideas and projects, not cheap upgrades like this.

orbitmic

I fully agree with you. The key is 1) number of seats and 2) whether to limit F to significantly fewer routes on which the airline can generate the sort of yields that one would like from F (which is currently the least profitable cabin for BA if I remember correctly).

For now, the CCR cannot feel as 'exclusive' as the F lounges of some of its competitors just because BA chooses to offer a LOT more F seats than almost anyone else in terms of both routes and capacity. Recent announcements suggest that BA is trying to slowly refocus and have both planes with fewer F seats (789) and more planes delivered and/or retrofitted without a F cabin. Ultimately, this will have a direct impact on the CCR occupancy and indeed, as you say, on the availability of F deep discount sale fares and awards.

HIDDY

I'm not sure it'd be worth BA's while offering such an exclusive product to a minority who are willing to pay a hefty premium for it. I like the balance as it stands.

AdBoy

It really is the invasion of the Tartan cushions inside isn’t it? They seem to be on every chair in varying colours. The Terrace so far has escaped it.

Probably the right choice for cozy Aberdeen... but not for London.

pjh981

I'm going to go against the tide here - sitting in the CCR now and the offending chairs between the bar and the door to the Terrace don't look as bad in the flesh as in the picture in this thread IMO. More importantly, they're more comfortable than those they have replaced. There is also more new furniture of the same design but in more neutral tones scattered around the lounge and on the Terrace - and yes, there has been an invasion of tartan cushions, but at least now, every chair has a cushion, where previously it did not. It is all a matter of taste - but this is a waiting room and not one's home. So, to me, comfort whilst waiting for a flight is key, and any investment in comfort is most welcome.

corporate-wage-slave

Thank goodness for that. I was getting worried for my sense of taste. Two factors need to go with the photo - it was just of a corner and usually lounge photos show a bigger area and the furniture is then blended into a context. Secondly it's just a telephone camera phone in a lounge with fairly low levels of light.

I go back to the T4 Concorde Room, where the seating certainly would not cut any mustard with some of the beloved FTers who have participated upthread. It was very compact, seats were right next to each other and they were of the low armchairs, fairly narrow. A bit like those now used by Air France, or in some parts of Galleries Club. I have a look for some photos of it, here is one example:



taken from this very interesting website:
http://www.concordesst.com/jet_tr/j16.html

There again, in those days it was the passengers who look smart....

CCR New York is fairly close to the look of the very cramped CCR in T4.

subject2load

Sorry for delay, thanks for asking. In all honesty, I suspect you might be reading way too much into my post when you say that I have 'scorn' for the CCR lounge, but let me try to clarify.

Firstly - and as I think is already apparent from my earlier comment - no, I have not used the CCR. I do not have status-based access ; and these days I'm not inclined to book F tickets on BA (largely because I find their CW product rather lacklustre, so it doesn't give me high expectations for their F).

The point I was making was simply that it's hard for me to see the CCR as aspirational, when I read the wide range of negative comments about it from many of those who do have access. I recall seeing some photos of the CCR washroom doors a while back (perhaps now renewed ?) which, along with these latest shots of new furniture, just don't paint a picture of a high quality facility. So when I talked about an 'exclusive facility' it could equally have been an uber-luxury hotel room, an innovative aircraft 'suites' style cabin, a truly special airport lounge etc etc. My point was really about the fact that I simply never get the feeling that I'm missing out by not having CCR access. Nothing about 'scorn'.

As for my use of the word 'exclusive' : this wasn't specifically about the level of occupancy, or how quiet the lounge may or may not be, at any given time. It was more about image and perception. I am aware that many people do enjoy the CCR, and it's clear that yourself are very happy with it - as I think you are with all things BA. Each to their own I guess.

All that said, maybe I should give the CCR a go by booking F with BA. I've actually been considering it for my next trip to Australia. But then I always stop off in Asia en route for a week or so (both ways), and when I remember that with EK I get chauffeured cars at all points (involving as many as eight different FOC transfers to & from airports) - along with a superior hard product, including onboard showers and a bar/lounge area with canapés etc - it doesn't really stack up for me.