How would YOU improve T5 - radical ideas to reboot BA’s “home”
Feb 6, 2019, 11:47 pm
#167
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: UK
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 753
I absolutely hate the walk going the length of the terminal. I am forever having to dodge left and right to avoid bumping into other folks. I compare it to my experiences at Changi Airport in Singapore, where the walking areas are nice and wide and it is a pleasure to stroll along.
My suggestion would be to widen the walking area, by cutting back the retail frontages on both sides.
My suggestion would be to widen the walking area, by cutting back the retail frontages on both sides.
Feb 7, 2019, 6:45 pm
#169
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 494
I absolutely hate the walk going the length of the terminal. I am forever having to dodge left and right to avoid bumping into other folks. I compare it to my experiences at Changi Airport in Singapore, where the walking areas are nice and wide and it is a pleasure to stroll along.
My suggestion would be to widen the walking area, by cutting back the retail frontages on both sides.
My suggestion would be to widen the walking area, by cutting back the retail frontages on both sides.
Another would be a passageway behind the shops. I think some bits of it exist already.
Feb 12, 2019, 8:29 am
#171
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,881
I think alex67500 means the airside smoking facilities which are all outside.
Actually it is a good question, I often see indoor sealed smoking rooms at other European airports like AMS or MUC. Are they juts prohibited in the UK or is it that UK airports choose not to spend the money doing them?
Actually it is a good question, I often see indoor sealed smoking rooms at other European airports like AMS or MUC. Are they juts prohibited in the UK or is it that UK airports choose not to spend the money doing them?
Feb 12, 2019, 8:37 am
#172
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 74
Indoor smoking areas are illegal in the UK, and (I believe) in Ireland
There are some exceptions (e.g. care homes) but very few
In Germany, this law is reserved for the individual Länder, so in Bavaria absolutely no indoor smoking is allowed, including throughout München airport, while in NordRheinWestphalia, there are open doored smoking booths on many indoor train platforms
There are some exceptions (e.g. care homes) but very few
In Germany, this law is reserved for the individual Länder, so in Bavaria absolutely no indoor smoking is allowed, including throughout München airport, while in NordRheinWestphalia, there are open doored smoking booths on many indoor train platforms
Feb 12, 2019, 8:41 am
#173
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,881
Feb 12, 2019, 8:52 am
#174
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: LON
Programs: Mucci, BAEC, Eurostar
Posts: 3,283
Indoor smoking areas are illegal in the UK, and (I believe) in Ireland
There are some exceptions (e.g. care homes) but very few
In Germany, this law is reserved for the individual Länder, so in Bavaria absolutely no indoor smoking is allowed, including throughout München airport, while in NordRheinWestphalia, there are open doored smoking booths on many indoor train platforms
There are some exceptions (e.g. care homes) but very few
In Germany, this law is reserved for the individual Länder, so in Bavaria absolutely no indoor smoking is allowed, including throughout München airport, while in NordRheinWestphalia, there are open doored smoking booths on many indoor train platforms
I think alex67500 means the airside smoking facilities which are all outside.
Actually it is a good question, I often see indoor sealed smoking rooms at other European airports like AMS or MUC. Are they juts prohibited in the UK or is it that UK airports choose not to spend the money doing them?
Actually it is a good question, I often see indoor sealed smoking rooms at other European airports like AMS or MUC. Are they juts prohibited in the UK or is it that UK airports choose not to spend the money doing them?
Exactly. The outside cage at T3 was good enough. The little area next to the buses at connections was more than enough as well. I think it's discrimination, but obviously someone at HAL has a grudge against smokers.
Of course, the ideal one is in the BSL lounge, where you smoke outside on a terrace with a 270-degree view of the apron and runway, but I'm dreaming here :-)
Feb 12, 2019, 10:09 am
#175
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 266
A train running Waterloo-Vauxhall-Wimbledon-Richmond-Twickenham-Feltham, extending the line into a little of Bedfont Lakes Park into a tunnel to the two unused platforms under T5.
Clapham Junction to T5 currently takes an inconvenient, unreliable or infrequent 1 hour, often by bus which is susceptible to traffic. This could be cut to around 20-25 mins with a direct rail link which was vaguely envisioned when T5 was built.
Journeys to T5 would be more reliable, comfortable and easily sustains 3tph with drastically reduced journey times:
Waterloo: 31 mins
Vauxhall: 27 mins
Clapham Junction: 23 mins
Richmond: 14 mins
Twickenham: 10 mins
Feltham: 5 mins
Living in Clapham, journeys to Heathrow are dreadful - I’d take BA from LGW every time except for T3 CX+QF or for the CCR.
Very unlikely to happen for various reasons (Crossrail, LHR expansion potentially de-emphasising T5 etc) and the total lack of ambition and torrid state of investment in the UK - but one can hope.
Clapham Junction to T5 currently takes an inconvenient, unreliable or infrequent 1 hour, often by bus which is susceptible to traffic. This could be cut to around 20-25 mins with a direct rail link which was vaguely envisioned when T5 was built.
Journeys to T5 would be more reliable, comfortable and easily sustains 3tph with drastically reduced journey times:
Waterloo: 31 mins
Vauxhall: 27 mins
Clapham Junction: 23 mins
Richmond: 14 mins
Twickenham: 10 mins
Feltham: 5 mins
Living in Clapham, journeys to Heathrow are dreadful - I’d take BA from LGW every time except for T3 CX+QF or for the CCR.
Very unlikely to happen for various reasons (Crossrail, LHR expansion potentially de-emphasising T5 etc) and the total lack of ambition and torrid state of investment in the UK - but one can hope.
Feb 12, 2019, 10:51 am
#176
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: LON
Programs: Mucci, BAEC, Eurostar
Posts: 3,283
A train running Waterloo-Vauxhall-Wimbledon-Richmond-Twickenham-Feltham, extending the line into a little of Bedfont Lakes Park into a tunnel to the two unused platforms under T5.
Clapham Junction to T5 currently takes an inconvenient, unreliable or infrequent 1 hour, often by bus which is susceptible to traffic. This could be cut to around 20-25 mins with a direct rail link which was vaguely envisioned when T5 was built.
Journeys to T5 would be more reliable, comfortable and easily sustains 3tph with drastically reduced journey times:
Waterloo: 31 mins
Vauxhall: 27 mins
Clapham Junction: 23 mins
Richmond: 14 mins
Twickenham: 10 mins
Feltham: 5 mins
Living in Clapham, journeys to Heathrow are dreadful - I’d take BA from LGW every time except for T3 CX+QF or for the CCR.
Very unlikely to happen for various reasons (Crossrail, LHR expansion potentially de-emphasising T5 etc) and the total lack of ambition and torrid state of investment in the UK - but one can hope.
Clapham Junction to T5 currently takes an inconvenient, unreliable or infrequent 1 hour, often by bus which is susceptible to traffic. This could be cut to around 20-25 mins with a direct rail link which was vaguely envisioned when T5 was built.
Journeys to T5 would be more reliable, comfortable and easily sustains 3tph with drastically reduced journey times:
Waterloo: 31 mins
Vauxhall: 27 mins
Clapham Junction: 23 mins
Richmond: 14 mins
Twickenham: 10 mins
Feltham: 5 mins
Living in Clapham, journeys to Heathrow are dreadful - I’d take BA from LGW every time except for T3 CX+QF or for the CCR.
Very unlikely to happen for various reasons (Crossrail, LHR expansion potentially de-emphasising T5 etc) and the total lack of ambition and torrid state of investment in the UK - but one can hope.
Feb 12, 2019, 11:06 am
#177
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 266
Gatwick Better-Than Express trains (ie almost all other Southern trains, which are more frequent, take around 200 seconds longer to get Victoria for less money) do 😉... only 24 minutes Gatwick to Clapham Junction.
Gatwick to Heathrow could be cut to a reliable 55 minutes with one change of train, fully wheelchair and luggage accessible.
Gatwick to Heathrow could be cut to a reliable 55 minutes with one change of train, fully wheelchair and luggage accessible.
Feb 16, 2019, 11:10 am
#178
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: BA GFL GL (Emerald), *A GOLD LH SEN; SkyTeam AF S
Posts: 15
Agree with most of this, but it is unforgivable (all CAPS UNFORGIVABLE) that pax coming from BA and AA flights in Terminal 3 in the morning have NO FastTrack transfer. This is likely going to be much worse after Brexit as the option of going through immigration and the First Wing landslide will no longer (likely) be viable.
Feb 16, 2019, 11:18 am
#179
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: BA GFL GL (Emerald), *A GOLD LH SEN; SkyTeam AF S
Posts: 15
With BREXIT looming, fix the airside Fast Track security (to First Wing standards)
With Brexit looming many pax, when transferring in the morning from BA (T3), CX, AA flights, will no longer want to use the trick of going through immigration and then back to airside via the Gold/First Wing. Why did they do it - because there is no functional Fast Track security for transfers at T5. This needs to get fixed.
Mar 20, 2019, 5:17 am
#180
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: BA GGL, GfL, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Lifetime Globalist, AllAccor Diamond, Marriott Ambassador Elite
Posts: 1,040
One thing that did strike me whilst killing time in the CCR yesterday was how much space in the south lounge complex is wasted. Surely the kitchens could be moved upstairs to the GC lounge level? There is room to build up, even with the slope of the roof, without taking away any of the GC floorspace. With intelligent use of dumb waiters, a ton of terrace and internal space could be released to the CCR and GFL.
