First time in LGW First lounge - Disappointed.
May 10, 2018, 7:50 am
#46
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: UK - Hampshire & London
Programs: Mucci de Guardian des Celliers des Grands Crus 1e Classé, plus BAEC.
Posts: 2,738
I am sure that in some bling-bling Gulf State someone would prostrate themselves before personally slaughtering a lamb to roast at my will (providing that my husband ordered it for me). So I’m happy with the LGW Flounge as to me it is an airport lounge and not the airside of the Dorchester Hotel.
May 10, 2018, 8:41 am
#47
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 6,349
May 10, 2018, 8:43 am
#48
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: GLA
Programs: BAEC: Silver. Nothing else as TopCashBack trumps all hotel programs
Posts: 801
May 10, 2018, 8:55 am
#49
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 1,167
most Golds/OWEs don't actually get there through TP runs or "cheap" fares (outside the parallel universe of Flyertalk...)
and those that do have probably just about spent enough time flying (even if its on cheap fares) to be classed as 'frequent flyers'...
and those that do have probably just about spent enough time flying (even if its on cheap fares) to be classed as 'frequent flyers'...
May 10, 2018, 9:33 am
#50
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 344
I've been to both a few times. I think the Club lounge is great at LGW but prefer the First lounge as:
- table service / food to order is pretty good: I like the BA burger before a flight
- better drink offering: nice champagne on free-pour
- quieter: always pretty quiet in my experience which at peak times is definitely not the case in the Club lounge...also, because it's predominantly GCH/OWE rather than true 'First Class' there are very few people in there for whom the lounge is a novelty or treat: so people (by and large) behave a bit more normally...whereas in Club I've been subjected a few times to the stag/hen do type groups attempting to drink the bar dry, the guy making several phone calls basically just to tell people he's "in the lounge" (yawn) etc etc., the people tutting at the mere thought of my (very quiet, well-behaved) toddler being in the lounge at all - I will get flamed for this but at least in the Flounge everyone is a frequent flyer and by and large is a bit more normal about the whole thing
- table service / food to order is pretty good: I like the BA burger before a flight
- better drink offering: nice champagne on free-pour
- quieter: always pretty quiet in my experience which at peak times is definitely not the case in the Club lounge...also, because it's predominantly GCH/OWE rather than true 'First Class' there are very few people in there for whom the lounge is a novelty or treat: so people (by and large) behave a bit more normally...whereas in Club I've been subjected a few times to the stag/hen do type groups attempting to drink the bar dry, the guy making several phone calls basically just to tell people he's "in the lounge" (yawn) etc etc., the people tutting at the mere thought of my (very quiet, well-behaved) toddler being in the lounge at all - I will get flamed for this but at least in the Flounge everyone is a frequent flyer and by and large is a bit more normal about the whole thing
This. Summed it up perfectly for me.
I'd add one thing, the general good behaviour of the passengers in GF and the fact that there is less of them allows the staff to go the extra mile consistently in my experience.
Genuinely really great staff, especially when compared with their LHR counterparts. Ordering table service in LHR is a chore. In Gatters it's a pleasure.
I've also seen staff there go over and above including on one occasion for myself personally.
Single reason I strive for gold.
May 10, 2018, 9:36 am
#51
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: GLA
Programs: BAEC: Silver. Nothing else as TopCashBack trumps all hotel programs
Posts: 801
This. Summed it up perfectly for me.
I'd add one thing, the general good behaviour of the passengers in GF and the fact that there is less of them allows the staff to go the extra mile consistently in my experience.
Genuinely really great staff, especially when compared with their LHR counterparts. Ordering table service in LHR is a chore. In Gatters it's a pleasure.
I've also seen staff there go over and above including on one occasion for myself personally.
Single reason I strive for gold.
I'd add one thing, the general good behaviour of the passengers in GF and the fact that there is less of them allows the staff to go the extra mile consistently in my experience.
Genuinely really great staff, especially when compared with their LHR counterparts. Ordering table service in LHR is a chore. In Gatters it's a pleasure.
I've also seen staff there go over and above including on one occasion for myself personally.
Single reason I strive for gold.
May 10, 2018, 9:53 am
#52
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 1,683
I recently returned from a ARN HEL LHR JFK LAX SFO, all in business, return which netted 880 for around £1200 I think, booked a while ago, so that's sub £2.5K for gold if you were so inclined. You could do it for around £1.5K with 2 x the complex multi-hop LAX to PTY fares always being mentioned in the TP run thread.
Relatively that's cheap.
Relatively that's cheap.
May 10, 2018, 11:16 am
#53
Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Morbihan, France
Programs: Reine des Muccis de Pucci; Foreign Elitist (according to others)
Posts: 19,180
I ask them for items on the men - my husband who shares a DNA structure with a hog and who does not (thank God) read Flyertalk, loves Burgers and Chips so they get ordered. Before 12.00, he loves the bacon rolls with Brown Sauce.I went to a rather expensive Parisian cookery school when we first married and I do some days wonder why I bothered.
The staff are in the Business Class Lounge as ell, and will get you a glass of Champagne if you ask.
Fancy you not seeing the staff - quite rum.
.
May 10, 2018, 11:20 am
#54
Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Morbihan, France
Programs: Reine des Muccis de Pucci; Foreign Elitist (according to others)
Posts: 19,180
@ PUCCI GALORE - I’m really not quite sure how best to respond !
But let me confirm that I would certainly welcome the opportunity (should you ever be so gracious as to accord it to me) to convince you that visiting the dark side is a far more pleasant experience than you seem to imagine it might be.
By way of added reassurance / encouragement, you will be delighted to hear that within the Gulf it is no longer necessary to dodge camels on the runway when boarding aircraft. Well ...... at least, not if you’re in F class (as I know you would be of course).
I regularly flew into DXB in my BCAL days, and oddly enough we told the juniors that it was their job prior to boarding, to go out to the runway and shoo the animals off. Some actually believed us - but flying was so much more fun back then.
May 10, 2018, 11:22 am
#55
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: GLA
Programs: BAEC: Silver. Nothing else as TopCashBack trumps all hotel programs
Posts: 801
Honestly Love That almost beggars belief. They're everywhere as a rule. They clean up, stock up and take orders. Indeed I'd go as far as to inquire at what time you were there. It's not that I don't believe you, but that's extraordinary.
I ask them for items on the men - my husband who shares a DNA structure with a hog and who does not (thank God) read Flyertalk, loves Burgers and Chips so they get ordered. Before 12.00, he loves the bacon rolls with Brown Sauce.I went to a rather expensive Parisian cookery school when we first married and I do some days wonder why I bothered.
The staff are in the Business Class Lounge as ell, and will get you a glass of Champagne if you ask.
Fancy you not seeing the staff - quite rum.
.
I ask them for items on the men - my husband who shares a DNA structure with a hog and who does not (thank God) read Flyertalk, loves Burgers and Chips so they get ordered. Before 12.00, he loves the bacon rolls with Brown Sauce.I went to a rather expensive Parisian cookery school when we first married and I do some days wonder why I bothered.
The staff are in the Business Class Lounge as ell, and will get you a glass of Champagne if you ask.
Fancy you not seeing the staff - quite rum.
.
May 10, 2018, 1:05 pm
#57
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: London Stratford, E7
Programs: BAEC Gold! Thanks to FT
Posts: 3,385
My observtion of the Club side was a step up from other Club lounges. Whilst I’ve not visited at breakfast , the buffet breakfast at GF is a definite step up along with the menu items. The all day dining options if on par with GF would be a real enhancement in my eyes
May 10, 2018, 1:11 pm
#58
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Lon
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 151
Another vote for the staff being what make the difference in the LGW F lounge. Light years ahead of those at LHR, and I’ve always found them friendly, attentive - much easier to get attention than in the CCR let alone GF at LHR. The menu breakfast there has always been better than at LHR too.
i only travel out of LGW in the morning if that makes any difference.
Also so worth highlighting that the are not the only staff who are friendlier at LGW. Security a zillion times nicer than at Heathrow.
i only travel out of LGW in the morning if that makes any difference.
Also so worth highlighting that the are not the only staff who are friendlier at LGW. Security a zillion times nicer than at Heathrow.
May 11, 2018, 2:59 am
#59
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: BAEC Gold, EK Skywards (enhanced Blue !), Oman Air Sindbad Gold
Posts: 6,399
@ PUCCI GALORE - I’m really not quite sure how best to respond !
But let me confirm that I would certainly welcome the opportunity (should you ever be so gracious as to accord it to me) to convince you that visiting the dark side is a far more pleasant experience than you seem to imagine it might be.
By way of added reassurance / encouragement, you will be delighted to hear that within the Gulf it is no longer necessary to dodge camels on the runway when boarding aircraft. Well ...... at least, not if you’re in F class (as I know you would be of course).
Thank you.
May 11, 2018, 3:08 am
#60
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: BA, Hilton
Posts: 2,092
Nothing to complain about per say, just an observation that I had in my head expected something "special" above and beyond the club lounge. Isn't that the point of it? To reward their very best customers. I guess it has the potential to be quieter so some, if not many will prefer that. But I'm not fussed. Not trying to sleep in the lounge anyway.
I happen to think the club lounge at Gatwick is actually really nice, so still plenty happy with that and BA's offering there. Just thought the First lounge would be a "wow" moment.
I happen to think the club lounge at Gatwick is actually really nice, so still plenty happy with that and BA's offering there. Just thought the First lounge would be a "wow" moment.
Certainly if you've framed your expectations in terms of differences from the LGW Club lounge, then you and others have put your finger on it for my money. Once you discount the differences in the food and drink offering as you do (quite reasonably so, if they are not relevant to you) there probably isn't that much left overall to differentiate. I think that speaks more to the excellence of the LGW Club offering tho, rather than a particular failing of LGW F. It (LGW Club) really is a very pleasant space. I notice some posters in this thread have expressed a preference for LGW First over T5 GF and some have expressed the reverse. I wonder if anyone would make a case for the T5 Club offerings being better than the LGW one. Maybe - taste is personal after all - but I'd be surprised if it was many.....
Tho I will add a "me too" for the views at LGW F Lounge, if you can get one of the seats facing the runway. Oddly therapeutic watching a giant A380 come into land, it seems at times almost to "hang" in the air.....