Thanks! I’ve asked my question there.

 

Clearly they are not actually loosing out on their business class transfer traffic.

Where are these oh so discerning US travellers going to go instead? To KL/AF/DL where they will have to queue in a tensa barrier maze outside the KLM Crowd Lounge to get in? To Lufthansa where they will be sent to the Schengen side....wait for it....ASPIRE lounge!

 

You mean they don�t like a regular economy seat with middle seat that might or might not be blocked depending on how screwed up flights are? The nerve of travelers wanting premium experience the airlines market and charge for!

 

Oh, this is so disappointing. Agree that the BA lounge went downhill when a different caterer took over but the view was good, the info on (delayed) flights was useful and at least the lounge was open until the last flight left. Does the Aspire lounge still close at 21?

 

Fully agree with many here that the loss of a dedicated lounge - especially at such a busy outstation - is yet another enhancement, for sure. However, I�m inclined to think it will have remarkably little effect on that section of the market (connecting traffic apart) that seems willing to pay for a seat in the CE cabin almost regardless of the paucity of the overall product package - and even for such short sectors as LON-AMS.

BA management may be many things, but they are far from stupid when it comes to filling their aircraft. They have learnt, over many years, how they can chip away at costs, and even where that results in a degraded customer proposition, the bookings still flow in.

Such an approach would not necessarily work for many hubs around the world but one as strong as LHR offers a lot of commercial protection ; this in turn emboldens BA to push their luck constantly : you have only to look at the ongoing substandard catering in long-haul J (which basically resembles what many carriers provide in economy) for a standout example : with load factors & fare levels as high as they are, is there really any incentive - or even a need ? - to improve the quality of the meals �.. ?? Same applies where lounges are concerned.

 

They will go direct with AA from the USA. AA is definitely upping their game in terms of transatlantic business class. USA passengers are traditionally used to poor transatlantic from AA, but AA have improved a lot and BA have got worse. The BA Club Europe is much worse than they expect for premium short haul compared to the USA in terms of space and comfort. The Heathrow transfer experience is also much worse than it used to be.
On balance I think USA passengers will not be attracted to BA nearly so much now as they used to be.

 

And BA will be totally fine with that because transatlantic AA/BA traffic is completely metal neutral and all the profits are shared out between the member airlines of their North Atlantic Joint Business Venture setup. Proposing to jump ship from BA to AA is not the threat you think it is I'm afraid.

 

Sigh.Another race to the bottom then? ...
I had thought the AA improvements were to bring their service more in line with BA's. Ah well ...

 

I took a photo of the sign which is a bit more nuanced than just �exciting plans�.

Notably, the presence of the BA Logo, the implication that BA are working on the development plans, and that BA expects us to be excited about them (why would BA find an expansion to Aspire exciting?).

It also states that the Aspire lounge is available �in the meantime�, which implies that the Aspire lounge (expanded or not) is not the final product for BA pax.

Maybe plans have changed since this sign � but as it�s the only info we have and has been referred to multiple times, I thought it worth highlighting the exact contents.

 

Wonder if AMS is hurting because of direct Eurostar trains? I guess a long taxi to the (in)famous Polderbaan doesn�t make flying more attractive�

 

Ah the BA lounge will be missed.....

The Bifi sausages & chocomel drinks were partly cause of my established hirsute and rotund form due to the weekly commute.
Those were the good days with improved catering.

The newer BA lounge soothed the OneWorld nerves when the JL's sakura lounge (remember that one ! ) closed at AMS .

 

Agree with this. Just done an AA transatlantic and their hard product and food are better than BA (and have been for a few years IMO). This does not include new club suites, which I have not tried, but the AA transatlantic J class seat is bang on in my opinion.

 

Aspire lounge today. Packed inside, a large queue stretching to the lift outside.

https://instagram.com/stories/straig...d=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

 

looks very grim. BA should be ashamed, but of course they won�t care�

 

there's still only 3 direct trains (maximum) per day - and up to 38 daily flights (all airlines and all airports) so I wouldn't lay the lounge closure at the door of Eurostar...