virtualtroy

This siteis unloved by BA for all but the routes of the greatest strategic (revenue) benefit to its good self. Mods feel free to merge this into any more pertinent thread.

Anyone care to help out and supplement the low level of information provided with:

Location
Whether separate J / F sections / lounges are provided
Shower facilities
Who the lounge is op by, where a third party / contract arrangement
Any other supplemental info eg range of newspapers / mags available, any special services offered to premium pax, etc.

So my starters for 10:

LHR T3
- Lounge op by CX
- Showers available
- Free wi-fi available
- Good range of international magazines and newspapers
- Separate J and F sections

TXL (Berlin Tegel)
- Landside (each departures area has its own passport control and security procedures)
- Free wi-fi (though never works)
- Around 4 terminals with online access (typically 1-2 operational)
- Reasonable range of English and German-lanuage newspapers, some magazines
- Smoking room, segragated from the rest of the lounge (formerly the VIP room)
- Area for families with children (formerly the smoking room)

SYD (Sydney)
- Use of QF F lounge for BA Golds (and OW equivalent) and those travelling in F
- Treatments offered, though like LHR these can be hard to come by within a couple of hours of flight
- Pre-flight dining: unrestrcited to anyone eligible for access to the lounge. Unlike BA equivalent, where offered, you aren't restricted to flights leaving after a certain time, though the menu may differ slightly by time of day. If ordering cooked food, allow a reasonable amount of time before your departure, to allow it to be prepared. Unlike the CR this involves cooking it, rather than waiting for the microwave bell to ping (and still take as long as if it were cooked to order).
- Good selection of Oz-centric reading matter, international titiles poorer

MEL (Melbourne)
- See SYD above

BUD (Budapest)
- Lounge op by MA

HEL (Helsinki)
- Lounge op by AY
- Two sections: J (BA Silver/ CE) and long haul premium (BA Gold / OW equivalent)
- Free wi-fi throughout

MAD (Madrid)
- Located in satellite terminal, same point at which IB / LA long haul flights depart from
- Free wi-fi throughout
- Shower facilities (also available for BA flights)
- Reasonable selection of mainly Spanish-language newspapers and mags
- Smoking area

NAP (Naples)
- Contract lounge, landside
- Outside terrace (smoking area)
- Basic drinks / snacks selection
- Even more basic selection of reading material

TLV (Tel Aviv)
- Third party lounge airside op by Dan Hotels (shared with many other airlines)
- Separate J / F (by invitation) sections - the F room is just a room without lots of other people in it
- Basic selection of food, drink to local tastes
- Basic selection of mainly Hebrew newspapers and magazines

ARN (Stockholm)
- Third party lounge op by AY, airside
- Separate sections for everyone and BA / OW equivalent Emerald
- Little to distinguish between them, other than one is less crowded than the other
- Smoking room in main (J/C) section, not sure if it's still there

TLS (Toulouse)
- Single airside contract lounge shared by all airlines with pax eligible for access
- A deeply depressing place, but less depressing than the rest of the airport
- There is champagne in the fridge and there are terminals with internet access

KRK (Krakow)
- A similarly deeply depressing third party box of a place airside
- Anyone have anything else to add?

ZRH (Zurich)
- Third party 'Bellevue' lounge airside in sattelite terminal from which BA flights leave
- Somewhere to smoke

TIP (Tripoli)
- Third party longe shared by most departing airlines
- Segragated smoking room
- Basic selection of mainly Arabic-language newspapers / magazines
- Great Arabic coffee and some interesting (bottled) juices; the snacks are not to be recommended unless your constitution can withstand it

CAI (Cairo)
- Third party lounge shared by many departing airlines
- Area which BA pax have access to split into J / F sections with little to distinguish them apart from the stains to the soft furnishings (and they're probably worse in the F section)
- Nescafe whenever you want it

DAM (Damascus)
- BA only codeshares on this route now with BD
- Access for eligible pax to the main lounge
- Selection of drinks, table service
- Smoking area
- Small selection of mainly inflight magazines and a limited selection of Arabic-language newspapers

HKG (Hong Kong)
- Jointly op by BA / QF
- Separate F / J sections
- Reasonable selection of English-language reading matter (predominantly British and Australian dailies, some periodicals)
- Free wireless internet throughout
- Showers (though not terribly inviting)

- BA Silvers / Golds / OW equivalents also eligible to enter the altogether more agreable and much more spacious CX Wing or The Pier, with their respective J / F sections. NB The Wing is closer to gates for departing BA flights, but still around a 20 minute walk from them:
- Wide selection of international newspapers and magazines (mainly English and Chinese language)
- Showers in both sections; baths (Cabanas) in F section
- Wide range of drinks and food: noodle bar in J section; sit down self-service restaurant in F section
- Free wireless internet throughout
- Games consoles downstairs in J section
- Smoking Bar (also downstairs) sadly now just a non-fumar bar: if you want a cig you'll need to go to one of the sin bins outside the lounge

Eric Cartman

Virtualtroy, I hope you are speaking from personal experience! I have searched both the QF and BA websites and cannot find anything stating BA F class customers can use the Qantas First lounge. Can any other BA F pax share their experiences? Or maybe provide a link to a page that I can print out in case I am challenged trying to enter?

OPebble

airreview.com in the BA section has a comprehensive review of BA and includes lounges with pictures. Some information is a bit out of date, but nonetheless gives a good overview.

Flying Winemaker

This is useful information. Maybe it could be incoporated into the Lounge thread in the Ultimate Guide?

Here is my first contribution:

BOD (Bordeaux)
Third-party lounge (ask for entry code at check-in)
Airside (after security but before passport control)
Small selection of drinks + a kettle for making tea/coffee
Some current French newspapers + old Daily Mails
Free Wi-fi Internet access

virtualtroy

Hi Eric Cartman unlike BA's policy on the CR, the QF F lounges may be used by pax departing same day on any OW carrier, whether holding a F BP or OW Emerald status. This is consistent with access to other OW carrier F lounges around the world and isn't changed by the new QF F lounge concept in SYD and MEL.

You're right about the info not being explicit, it seems to have disappeared from both the BA and QF sites during recent *enhancements*. Given that BA doesn't even mention the CR in its own lounge guide, hardly surprising.

Unlike those ticketed in F with a QF flight number, what you won't get it a phone call a day ahead asking if you'd like a spa treatment booking (so if you want one of these, leave more time than you ordinarily would if you want to stand a chance of getting one), the curbside valet service and the escort from check-in through security.

If your ticket conditions allow, you may wish to consider switching to the QF flight number to enjoy these extra perks. On the kanga route the JSA makes this relatively easy on most flexible paid fares, though IME the switch is often best done at an airport ticket desk, rather than with a call centre.

And, yes, this is based on experience rather than hearsay. Sorry it doesn't help you out in terms of something you can print out (well you could try, but I doubt my post would cut much mustard with a lounge dragon challenging you on access rules!)

Thanks for your post, it would be great if a few more BA FTers would think about contributing too...

TravellerFrequently

In May, I flew back from SYD on BA in F and used the excellent First lounge without any problems.

Airy, spacious with a good restaurant. I did not use any of the spa facilities but certainly enjoyed a meal before the flight.

srt8

I always find the Oneworld website quite useful for lounge info.

http://www.oneworld.com/ow/ffp/loung...search#Lounges

virtualtroy

Agreed, it's become a much more useful resource than it has been in the past. However, a) it's only as good as the info provided by member carriers to keep it up-to-date -- I find first-hand reports from FT fare more timely and valuable; b) it doesn't include anything beyond very basic info, hence the rationale for this thread

LHR Tim

Well from memory last month:

Two Lounge Choices: Millennium (op by Malev) or Platinum (has a BA sign in front).

Both Lounges airside and on upper level in B Gate area. That may change as it looks like there is some construction going on.

Millennium:

Operated by Malev. Decor - 1970's Communist with hints of Formica. Dull. Dark. High windows. Limited comfortable seating -- seems to be largely tables and chairs.

Limited selection on snacks (dry, horrid puff pastry thingy's). Peanuts. Makes the selection of snacks at a United Red Carpet Club seem like a Las Vegas buffet.

Drinks: Hungarian Wines (Red or white - both function equally well as paint stripper). or Hungaria Sparkling wine - you'll have sampled this on your Malev flight. Think Listerine with hints of wet chihuahua.

Platinum Lounge

Across the hall from Millennium Lounge. Has a BA sign on it. Just look for the the cloud of smoke from all the staff smoking just outside it. There is no smoking in the lounge, but if you fancy a ciggy, just breath in when someone trying to blag their way into the lounge tries to come in.

The lounge is shared by several airlines (LX, DL, TK, BA, and LY, to name but a few). Plus it is a Priority Pass lounge. In other words, it can get crowded. Though looks like on the plus side, no regular MA pax are allowed. They have to suffer in the other lounge.

Decor, well not brilliant, but decidedly brighter and lighter. Some large sofas that face each other. Space could be bigger, but at least you won't want to slit your wrists, like you would in the Millennium lounge.

Decent selection of two day old foreign press.

Same selection of dried out puff pastry, with the addition of some with tomato paste on them. Also some pre-packaged biscuits and other cheap carbohydrates -- yes, forget the Aitkens diet here.

Similar painter stripper, er, I mean, wine selection as other lounge. They did have some more soft drinks.

Wifi available for charge. Get info at front desk.

nbevan

When I was last in these lounges wifi was charged.

The CX lounge had free wired internet.

G-BOAC

If you ask at the desk at HEL, they'll give you a free code these days ^

virtualtroy

Definately free and wireless. Perhaps you were picking up another provider, rather than the free network offered by CX?

Flying Winemaker

BOM (Mumbai)
- Third party lounge (though I gather this is a temporary arrangement)
- Airside (After immigration and security, turn left towards Gate 10. It is called the Premier Lounge.)
- Limited drinks selection (Jack Daniels, Gordon’s Gin, Tonic, Bacardi, Finlandia Vodka, Old Monk Rum). No wine. The soft drinks cabinets and coffee machine have been imported from the old Clipper Lounge.
- A drab selection of snacks looking as old as the UK newspapers on offer (three days)
- No Internet connection, no toilets. Power points are available along the right-hand wall (as you walk in).
- BA ground staff will inform PAX in the lounge when it is time to board.
- Like the rest of India nowadays, No Smoking anywhere in the airport!

LHR Tim

But is the little lounge mouse stil there??

G-BOAC

re HEL, you might want to make it clear there are (seemingly) thousands of lounges there! The one mentioned above is the International one, after Passport Control. Typically where you'd end up on the BA flights certainly. However, there are several in the Shengen area after security too, plus the Domestic lounge down the other end of the airport.

Domestic - tiny, very small selection of snacks (e.g., mini sandwiches) and drinks. Better than nothing

Upstairs just opposite main security from the AY/BA desks - AY lounge is newly refurbished, bright and clean, snacks and booze but no spirits

Upstairs to the left just before Passport Control - not been in there (AY lounge) for ages actually, but last time I was it so-so, but did have spirits.

IIRC there is another lounge upstairs opposite main security which is not the AY one but is the Priority Pass/other lounge, and which also features the BA logo for access. I am guessing that is what BA provide for non-status J pax, like AY have the Servisair one at LHR. It is, however, many years since I've been in there.

I swear HEL must have the most lounges per square foot in the world for one airline/alliance!