MikeBouch

As we have only been fortunate enough to have been in Gallaries Club (North and South) and as we have have our firsT F trip planned in 2018. Can anybody explain the 'point' of the GF Lounge at LHR?

As if you are flying F, you can access the CCR, is there any reason you would elect to visit GF? Or is it just a respite from GC for Gold members not flying F?

Is it worth us visiting both as we did with GC lounges, or should we stick with the CCR?

corporate-wage-slave

From the passenger perspective there is quite a lot in this, there is in many (subjective) ways a bigger jump from Galleries Club to First than from First to CCR. There will be a number of flyers who deliberately try to retain Gold status so that they can use Flounge rather than GC, and now the First Wing. From a BA perspective, it's a key tool in keeping and retaining frequent flyers even when they are flying on domestic services, which until recently didn't have anything other than an economy cabin. THere are also some First passengers not allowed into CCR, if their First trip was not on BA metal for example.

There is no right answer to this, some people with CCR access prefer Flounge due to being self serve, or maybe they are in a bit of a hurry, or meeting up with other lounge users. Or want a go on the Jo Malone grab machine. Or read Le Monde (CCR residents get the Daily Mirror instead). These days a number of First passengers get to Flounge and think they have already reached the Concorde Room, or so I've been told by the Concorde Team who recently rescued a confused but very well known Premiership footballer from the FLounge terrace. But mostly those with CCR access do tend to make a beeline for CCR and stay there, I think it's the sofas that swing it. Unless you prefer self catering I would suggest you go to CCR.

The _Banking_Scot

Hi,

Also people flying in on other OW flights in F will ( ie AA,QF etc ) will get to use GF ( also used by OW Emeralds).

GF is now accessible directly from check in via the First Wing and can sometimes be better if you want self service drinks or meals/snacks without having to wait to have your order taken.

If you are flying F from T3 then there is no CCR but is made up to some extent by the other lounges

If in F I stick to the CCR but otherwise I do not mind the GF

Regards


TBS

whimsey21

Pardon my ignorance CWS, but just what is the "Jo Malone grab machine?" Have I been missing out on something during all of my trips to the Flounge this year?

Jed

GF can get very busy but we really like it. I would go as far as saying that it is the lounge that we are most familiar with worldwide and for that reason, it is also our favourite lounge in the world. Yes, even more so than CX T3, al mourjan in DOH, or the HKG lounges. I guess it's a bit like enjoying one's own home even though friends might have fancier houses.
We like the ease of passage from check in, the self service (especially with young children), and the terrace is a great place to relax.

By all means go to CCR 'because you can' and if you like a sit down meal, it would be better for you.

cupsandsaucers

Remember GF isn't just for Gold and GGL customers but for Emerald OW too.

:D!

Yes but OWE in F or arriving from BA F can also access the CCR

Lefly

See post #6 here A new display for LHR T5 GF - Jo Malone

Globaliser

Back in the days of Terminal 4, it was sometimes said that the first class lounge was basically the designated lounge for Golds flying Club.

I think that there is still some truth in that statement.

Cymro

OW F passengers, assuming 14 per aircraft, are something like:

- 28 QF
- 14 QR
- 28 CX
- 140 AA
- 16 MH (8 F only)

So a maximum of 226 non-BA F seats in a day, doubled for in and outbound, gives you 452. Assuming 80% load, and 1/3 of passengers connecting to or from LHR, that gives you a rough estimate of 120-odd passengers who are eligible for the Flounge but not the CCR on class of travel.

I seem to recall that there are roughly 3,000 golds per day going through LHR on BA (assume 90% in T5). Some of those will be in both groups, but let's ignore that for now, and assuming equal levels of lounge use in both groups, you end up with the Flounge being 96% BA golds and 4% OW F pax even if you ignore any other OW Emeralds who may or may not be included in either group. Those numbers could be way off (not sure if the 3k Golds is BA or OWE, and whether it is departing or passing through) but however you cut the numbers it's hard to imagine that even 10% of passengers are there on class of travel. Perhaps there will be First travellers who either don't know that the CCR exists, or are in a hurry and prefer self service, too...

TyneTraveller

These days it is very much a case of keeping the First name but mainly used for GCH flying in lower cabins, or people who have CCR access but have an excess guest in tow. In the old T4 days, the first lounge access policy was the same, the only difference being that those travelling in first did use it. The old Concorde Lounge (to the best of my knowledge) was only used for those travelling on the Concorde service, and boarded from the lounge directly onto her.

whimsey21

Thanks! Looks like I'll miss it-- haven't been travelling much lately, and my next trip to the GF lounge will be after the 10th. No grabbing for me...