Vinotraveller

ajeleonard

Car drop off an hour before at the far end of T5
Through First Wing
Skip the lounge (room with chairs in that serves chain restaurant quality food...)
Pop into Smythson to buy something
Arrive at gate after everyone else has boarded
Door closes behind me

Convenience and predictability are what's important to me. I spend a large part of my working life in nice hotels/restaurants/events so I don't consider any aspect of it to be 'chic'

simonsmith

T8191

At the lower end, we have a rare LHR departure in a few months after a night-stop. 1100 flight, will aim for taxi to to reach the F Wing around 0900, providing time for breakfast in the FLounge before boarding [yes, we're in J]. It's likely to be a B-gates departure, though ... hmmm.

subject2load

simonsmith

For those travellers that are not regulars in F I doubt that it is really the free food and drink, it is I think, more the overall experience that I am sure dwindles after regular exposure to the CCR. The business class flight i remember the most vividly was my first op up on KLM for instance. The buzz of that first flight in business class was great. Travelling regularly in business class now it just all taken for granted. For some one whos usual pattern of travel is being sat at the gate the CCR lounge is a rather thrilling experience. people watching , being looked after, rather nicer champagne than one would normally drink etc.

Flyiboy

As I will be doing FIRST in August to JFK and IAD, I did notice that there is a dedicated YOUR FIRST for folks that travel in FIRST.. Could be helpful booking a cabana or a Spa treatment
(your date of travel is between 28 days and 48 hours away)

https://www.britishairways.com/trave...d=youfirstform

NWIFlyer

My CCR visits are still comfortably in single figures, even with visits prior to ex-EU positioning/re-positioning flights by dint of the same day F flight.

The first time I baked in a 5+ hour layover from an EU arrival, partly because there were two of us and we both wanted to maximise the chance of a pre-booked Spa appointment, and partly because we wanted to allow a bit of leeway in case of flight delays.

As it was everything ran pretty much to time and we probably ended up with slightly too much time - four hours would have been enough. On our subsequent visits we've cut that back a bit as well, although I doubt we'll ever get to the regulars' sub-60 minute timetables.

As the OP is originating from LHR, some of our considerations don't apply, so personally I would have thought between 3 and 4 hours would be ample - it gives a bit of flexibility in dining if you want to use one of the booths (which I'd encourage, having had to eat on one of the low tables in the past), time to plan in a couple of Spa treatments if it's not possible to get adjacent slots, and a leisurely transfer over to the B or C gates.

Well, that and it'd probably be a while before I got tired of LPGS and some of the wine selection ...

thebigben

Haven't flown first but I have access to similar pre-flight amenities as Gold. My routine is as follows, it's a very leisurely pace but that's how I enjoy it. I like being in the lounge and having a drink while watching planes go past.

- Arrive about 3 hours beforehand. If you take a cab be sure to request to be dropped off at the end of the platform, it's right in front of the First Wing.
- Check-in, drop my bags, go through security.
- Go to the Galleries First lounge entrance and enquire which satellite the flight might be using (T5B lounge has a spa and showers that see much less use! However, I don't really like the lounge better than Galleries First, let alone the CCR).
- I go to the spa to enquire about treatments (although you can do this in advance since you are flying in F, in case they tell you there's no availability do try on the same day).
- Go to the lounge and have a nice meal, usually my spa treatments are within an hour of requesting them so that works out great.
- Go to the spa.
- Go back to the lounge for drinks, and probably work on personal projects with my laptop.
- About 1:15 before my flight is scheduled to take off, I'll ask for a shower. If there's a queue for T5A, T5B is an option, although it's usually not a problem.
- When the gate is announced, I'll start walking towards it.

Jimmie76

Personally I like to get to the airport quite early just in case. However I often travel with somebody who doesn't and would rather get there much later. You might as it's your first time want to spend a bit longer there. The breakfast is quite good and I prefer to eat there than at home because i would rather spend the time checking my packing etc. You can also do a tour of all the BA lounges although I did this just to see what the Flounge was like. I've also kept the kept the hand luggage on the terrace whilst my companion goes shopping in Duty Free and vice versa.

noFODplease

I am flying in First on Tuesday with someone who has never been in that cabin or in the lounges. Our flight is at 16.45 - given that lounge time will end at 16.00, our plan is to arrive at 11am. I can hear the gasps of shock from the frequent fliers but our approximate flow is thus:

11-12: Terrace
Coffee, array of Viennoiserie, possibly some kippers; read the daily papers front to back and ease into the day

12-12.40: Spa
Gasp at the new Kelly Hoppen stool coverings. Two massage treatments in succession

12.40-13.30: Bar
First glasses of champagne arrive and are drunk. Second glasses follow and are swiftly despatched

13.30-14.30: Restaurant
4 course lunch with wine tasting

14.30-15.15: Terminal
Luxury shopping where we will probably buy absolutely nothing

15.15-16.00 Terrace
Dessert, espresso martinis or possibly coffee

16.00 Leisurely departure for gate.

I don't see much leeway here for arriving any later!

ratypus

Each to their own is the moral of the story, I suspect - it depends what time of day I am flying, and why....with a mid-morning or lunchtime departure, I don't leave much time to spare as I would rather have a more leisurely early morning at home with the family; with a Sunday night departure, I might get there 2-3 hours early to have something to eat and enjoy the last of the weekend....equally, if I'm flying on holiday I might allow more time sit with friends/family and have a few drinks; if I'm flying for work I tend not to drink whilst I'm travelling so that time is slightly pointless!

just do whatever feels right and enjoy - at the end of the day, the CCR is nice and may be a swish novelty if you haven't done it before, but it's not really an attraction / destination in and of itself (very few airport lounges really are...maybe the LF/AF First Class Terminals, at a push) - so just spend however long there you feel enhances your journey and be happy with that - there's no right or wrong way to do it!

nydave11

For a noon flight:

6:30 AM wake up and hit a small tab of crystal meth to get things going after a night of drinking and dominatrix submission.
7:30 Quick massage. Usually prostate.
8:30 Ride my llama to the airport to avoid parking fees. Park the llama in the South American camelid lot. I used to ride my kangaroo but the marsupial lot is jammed in the morning.
9:30 Moan in delight as I opt out of security and get a full grope. If the screener is good, try and get their number.
10:30 Wash down a Perconax delight. That's a Percoset, a Xanax and a shot of rye. In December swap the rye for eggnog.
11:30 Saunter to the gate singing the theme song from the Brady Bunch.

But that's just me.....................................

Flyiboy

LTN Phobia

3 hours before many of the long haul flights.

Why? In case there is a massive VAT refund queue. It can take up to an hour.

Probably not a reason you were expecting

But besides that, at least that is stress-free, and I get to do more shopping should I wish to do so. Lounge is secondary to shopping, but if you want to have a relaxing 3-course meal, allow an hour so you don't feel stressed that you may need to head out to the gate soon.