Covid-19 : BA network lounge closures, effective 17 March
 

From 17 March to further notice South complex only
club lounges at T5A North and T5B closed

Thanks for that, it was inevitable at some point. My understanding is that CCR and Flounge continue to be open, and no changes at T3 or LGW.

Thanks.

Will north security be open, or just south security and TFW?

not sure on security but would be surprised to be honest

Wouldn't this be a good opportunity to do the lounge refurbishments and deep clean/renovation of the showers?

Should close them all
and just keep the CCR Open 😉 for everyone and drop the entry requirements to silver and above

That would cost money and I would imagine BA won't spend on what are in effect non essentials at the present.

Also hard just to turn on the tap for workers doing either of those activities.

T5 north today
 

Lovely and quiet. Or sense of impending doom depending on your outlook.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...ceef8e01fd.jpg

No changes at T3 or LGW to date, or any of the UK regions for that matter. With MAN switching terminals in the near future I wouldn't be surprised if something gives there at some point soon.

The BA lounge in Brussels was also closed on Saturday, until the 3rd of April. (for Now)
Instead we could use the Diamond lounge, which was nice!

Nice to see Galleries Club North has received some of the new-style furniture.

I was there yesterday... never seem both lounges so quite. sad

I’m just here in T5. I can confirm that both north and south security open. First Wing security is open I was the only one going through however an older couple was taking their time to put things back in their bags. First class lounge quite empty. CCR not busy at all. I haven’t checked the business class upstairs.
interesting fact that as it should be the busy period both scanner lane were open in the First Wing. I would thought one would be closed.

Heathrow Express running short trains as well. Not many people using it though. The two trains I’ve seen both had configured business first in the Paddington end.

Yes I thought so too. How new is it? Normally far too busy to contemplate the terrace so no idea how long it has actually been there!

Not sure, I haven't been in a Club lounge in T5A for some time - although if BA don't grant status extensions I may well find myself there this year!

CCR closing
 

Just heard from the bartender from CCR that the lounge is closing for at least 30 days.

Very sad.

LGW Flounge was closed today.

Confirmed: CCR now closed
 

Here today and CCR closed and FLounge very quiet at 07:00. Some advance notification would have been nice, although they did email saying my flights were operating.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...b6f5577a1.jpeg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...6d05b719c.jpeg

This makes me sad. :(

Looks like there will be a few occasions coming up I won’t be able to use my newly minted CCR card and I won’t make renewal next year. Truly first world problems but annoying nonetheless.

Why are people "sad" at the closure or under-utilisation of a couple of airport lounges? I genuinely don't understand it, as the closures barely register on my list of things to be sad about. (Although I do accept that it's a perfectly valid topic for discussion here).

It is about the people who work there.

I'm sitting at 4515 points. My 500-TP trip in May is canned, and I have a feeling my 500-TP trip in July will also be canned. Collection year ends 8th August. I was confident of renewing, but there is a tiny element of sadness that I might not reach 5000 due to COVID-19. I do like the CCR, and hope it comes back into service.

I know it's a first world problem, don't get me wrong. I hope the staff there are all being looked after.

CCR Lounge Closure Notice

I love how the lounge closure notice gives instructions to CCR users on how to get to the South Lounge complex.

Poor wee lambies, they must be completely lost. Perhaps BA should provide a sedan chair service to shuttle them down?!

This is ironic for me. My points posted today which took me to 5030TP. First time hitting that mark since joining the club in 2002! That was 18 years in the making!

Hope everyone stays safe, and gets back to where they need to be until we get to the other side of this.

For those who are feeling withdraw symptoms

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...81f8aa0b8b.jpg

Many of the lounge staff have been given 30 days of unpaid leave, on a moments notice.

Perhaps that realisation, which is happening to many, is why we care.

M

Concern for the welfare of staff who might lose their livelihoods is perfectly normal. But the posts I was referring to seemed to express sadness at the simple fact that the lounges were quiet or closed, which is the reason I wondered exactly why people were sad.

Makes me sad too looking at that. Reason why, it's an image showing the state of the world that an international airport in London has pretty much closed. Who would have thought just a few weeks back.

Hope the guys who work there are ok, if they read this, hi!

It’s regrettable that they used “Regretably”. It kinda looks a bit like “canceled”.

Snide comments like yours really don't help anyone.

There would be complaints from people if BA hadn't put the directions on the poster.

Not every F passenger is a regular flyer or familiar with the various ways to get to the lounges.

I know it may come as a surprise to some FTers, but there is more to LHR than the CCR. I don’t see the image as dramatically as you do.

The only 2 times I can remember anything so dramatic concerning airport operations at LHR is first gulf war and 911.
EDIT. This related to airport operations, not whether those two events were more or less significant.

Without wishing to labour the point, I don’t see the closure of the CCR as dramatic. It’s a symptom of the wider situation, which one may or may not wish to call dramatic, but in and of itself doesn’t say much about LHR being open or closed.

Okay. The picture itself, out of context says nothing.

But unless you are from Mars we all know the context.

I don’t think it was snide. It was funny.

I don't think it was funny, it was snide.

Those of us who visit the CCR regularly very much find those images dramatic. Why? Because it reminds us of our friends who work there and who have been laid off, without notice or pay, for at least 30 days. Of course there are many people being adversely affected by this situation but please forgive us if we share our feelings and concern for those people we know and care about.

The written language is not as explicit as a face to face conversation where tongue in cheek comments can appear more obvious. Whilst we're all in lockdown and feeling withdrawal symptoms from our travels, frustration will make you see messages in a more negative light. Once you're aware of that, read the messages again, the tone might change as you read it.

My 2 cents.

Edited to add: with the message above in mind, I wish the moderators of this wonderful board the best of luck, and thank them for the thankless tasks they have to perform at the moment. Stay strong and I hope I can buy you a drink as a thank you someday.