herro

Should I then say the United Lounge :-)

No - In my opinion all the major lounges in Terminal 2 are of a very good quality. So in general I do not think you need to worry if this is the first time to Terminal 2.

FlyerTalker01565

It can be either/or. Watch out for T2B as I'm still not sure if that's actually using Gatwick's runways - make time for the walk out there.

I actually like the United lounge the best, but I wouldn't bother if departing from T2A, which has the decent LH lounge - United is in T2B.

cova

Thanks, Is the Singapore Lounge in T2B open? Have a 3 hour connection - so if time will visit all - LH, UA, SQ, AC.

Also - who has the best showers?

Jespersm

I'll go for the UA-lounge - the showers are great there, and they serve real champagne in the bar.

pobbop

My vote too if in terminal 2B. They've also got a serviced bar for cocktails. AC Maple leaf was OK unless you wanted to eat anything and the quality/selection was not good.

LH SEN lounge in 2A serves decent food but feels 'cold' and can be very noisy when busy with the sound of clattering plates and cutlery echoing around the room.

Knobbgb

Has anybody been in the lounges during the late evening? Are they usually busy or quiet?

I take the late Aegean flight to Athens (dep. 22:15) quite often and next time I'm going to try at least a couple of the lounges for the first time as I always arrive at the airport way too early.

I notice that both the UA and AC lounges are open until 22:00 despite both airlines seemingly having their last departures much earlier. I guess there are other quite late *A flights from T2B (SQ, TG, SA maybe others) but I'm guessing the lounges will be quieter than in the middle of the day. I will report back anyway.

Oh also, any feedback on the need to actually show a *G card at any of the lounges? It would be nice if they had automatic boarding card scanners like SAS because 'my' airline (A3) are notorious for not sending out cards in a timely manner (it can take two or three months - I qualify gold this weekend and I STILL haven't received my Silver card from November - but that's for another forum/thread).

On the question of gates - I've arrived at 2T three times on SAS now and we've always parked at A16 or A17 which are directly opposite immigration and VERY convenient. From there you can be outside and heading down to the underground within 4 or 5 minutes of stepping off the aircraft (if immigration is quiet, which it always has been for me).

When I depart in the evening I've seen SAS aircraft parked all along the front of 2TA at 16, 17, 18a, 18b, 19 and 20 but never at T2B. The only shorthaul I've seen at T2B have been Swiss and Germanwings, and always at B46 which is right by where the tunnel comes out, in the corner of that enclosed apron area. Maybe things are different in the mornings.

ObserverA3

I left the LH SEN lounge @2015 yesterday and noticed it becoming quite empty after around 1930.

I definitely had to show my A3 card when entering the lounge on a Swiss flight; I think they asked for it as well when I was on a SAS flight. You might be able to get away with the QR code provided by the app when challenged (I find it faster to just hand over the card so haven't tried the QR code, although I did ask in FRA once and was told they needed the card).

UltraRant

If you don't visit the lounge of the operating carrier with which you happen to have a Gold card, then chances are quite big that you have to show the card itself. Or so is my experience in many airports.

FlyerTalker01565

I've arrived to LHR from both ARN and CPH late at night ending up arriving in T2B. Remember, they use Gatwick's runways for T2B - I'm pretty sure there's around 60 kilometers from T2B to passport control.

To the Swedes and Norwegians: The above after the first period mark is an attempt at being humorous. No, I didn't check Google Maps for distances to Gatwick. I don't need a condescending 4-page explanation of how T2B is, in fact, in LHR. We all know. Thanks!

ObserverA3

I've been annoyed by this as well - my initial thinking was shame on LHR for subjecting passengers to this experience in a brand-new terminal, but now I'm inclined to believe that they offer SAS a rather cheap overnight parking position and SAS, always concerned about passenger experience - no money spared - , gladly takes this option. I mean, why drop passengers off close to flight connections/luggage reclaim, when that means paying for a more expensive gate position, having the aircraft towed elsewhere, or paying for bus transportation if you can save all these expenses and the hassle by leaving it to the passengers to get there themselves?

ScandiGB

Have you considered whether it may just be because the SAS flights are some of the last ones to arrive for an overnight stay?

I do the late CPH to LHR or early LHR to CPH flights weekly, and more than 50% of the time we get to the A gates.

I have made a point of checking when arriving to the B gages if I could see any available A gates, and I have not yet seen any.

ScandiGB

ObserverA3

No I have not - that's a good point. However, would it not still be possible (and highly desirable) to bus the pax to someplace closer to flight connections/luggage reclaim rather than have them start their walk from the plane?

FlyingMoose

Still a minor issue, just fly BA and use functional terminal 5.

I'm far more annoyed with the newfound complete absence of LCY flights from Stockholm or anywhere else in Scandinavia.

FlyerTalker01565

There's about a 98% chance we fly regularly together

ScandiGB

I am fairly sure that all surveys ever done on the topic shows that the worst you can give passengers if you want them to be satisfied is a bus.

At gate T2B 28 and 29 (old t1 gates) they even advertise that they are keeping them open despite a long walk (even additional to normal b gates) to avoid you having to take a bus.

ScandiGB