Boy, that brings back some fond memories of when I first started this flying game as a very young traveller. Thanks for posting. I was a Platinum Elite with them for a few years, enjoyed many free upgrades to their first class cabin on the DC10. It was a very good product - apart from the caviar!

Although a tounge in cheek comment I presume, it is however actually a good point going forward. I'm led to believe that both new Club and First lounges will be operating under usual oneworld access rules. They are not listed on the website yet but am sure they will be in due course.

Off topic but did CO move to the north terminal and have a Presidents Club there? I have a vague memory of flying AF to Strasbourg from there and using the CO lounge.

Showing your age there! Would always thought of you being younger than this post would indicate.

That adds an extra sentimental reason for me to look forward to flying BA out of LGW again (I used to connect from CPH on Maersk to fly with CO!).

I was very young at the time - I did an internship in Denver as part of my degree and then started very regular work trips to the US as soon as I qualified.

For the avoidance of doubt - I am not old! ... and Uncle T is old enough to be my father

Uncle T is old enough to be my father too.... as I posted, recognised the outlook from the lounge.... must be 12 years since I was in there using CO.

Darling - I go back further than Continental Airlines coming to LGW - I am certain that this was The Chieftain Club Lounge before BCAL was taken over by BA and left for the North Terminal in 1988. I am sure that you are right, but I don't think that Continental was coming to the UK then? AA had their DFW flight and Delta was there as well.

This has nothing to do with the Lounge except that I am pleased that it has opened as I am coming up from BOD next week and returning tout de suite. I was so utterly sick of the messy compromise slapped together over at North Terminal. It was when some sassy little Lounge Lady informed me that "You'll be using this Lounge today" - pointing to the pub like horror behind her. "I do not think so" I told her and went to see BA. She was livid but powerless to refuse us. Some individual told us that there was no seating when I could see that the area in the Library window was vacant. Dreadful - utterly dreadful.

What is uncontrolled chaos apart from tautology?

Wikipedia says CO started to fly EWR-LGW after taking acquiring the route through their merger with People Express in 1987. I somehow doubt that they inherited a snazzy lounge from People Express though.

It's time access is reviewed on F lounges. They should be for F ticketed passengers only and Golds purchasing a club / first ticket. The reason for the overcrowding is to many having access.

I had the joy of sitting next to a another Gold yesterday on a LGW flight in economy who bragged he had bought a hand baggage only fare, then from his bag took out cans of drinks/ crisps and even sandwiches he had taken from the F lounge

CO started IAH-LGW flights in 1985 and added EWR-LGW after buying PE. Also maybe to CLE at some points.

In the 70s and 80s I think there were quite a few LGW flights from the U.S.

I believe --

TW to STL.
PE to EWR
EA to MIA (and possibly CO for awhile)
AA to DFW, RDU and then STL after buying TW
NW to MSP, DTW and at one point maybe BOS?
DL to ATL and I think CVG
Braniff on DFW before AA
Air Florida - maybe from MIA and MSY
National before being bought by PA

There was an Admiral's Club there for awhile as I recall.

... and DEN.

good on him

I definitely flew DL on a MD-11 CVG-LGW and also LGW-BOS on a NW DC-10-40!

In this age of BA austerity & cutbacks, that's savvy travelling.

A genuine low-cost Cruz disciple if ever there was one.