British Airways

[Butts]

Unlikely, I have no status with Virgin.

My mistake I thought PE would afford Lounge Access on Virgin, but as with BA it doesn't.

You may be upgraded to Upper Class at the gate if really lucky - the magic bleep

 

[TravelDream]

Still managed to get into BA lounge at T3 even with a Virgin ticket, though obvs a BA booking overall. I'll have to call up for original route credit for Avios and TPs but honestly it's been easy if not a little knackering sorting it out.

I quite literally shuddered at this.

With BA status on a OW itinerary and in T3, the last place I would visit would be the BA lounge.

The Qantas lounge and the Cathay Pacific lounge both just next door are FAR superior in every way possible.

I'd generally recommend the CX lounge for food and for most of the day. Though it can get crowded at times as everyone in the know goes there and not to the BA lounge. For late afternoon/ early evening when the Qantas flights leave, the restaurant and bar at the Qantas lounge are simply fabulous.

 

[signed]

and there are apparently no agreements between BA and Air Canada

If the ticket isn't in a single PNR (Passenger Name Record) for both flights, they're indeed on their own as BA only is obliged to carry them to London, but from what you write, that's not really the fault of BA, to be honest, they would have carried them down to London, even though delayed, but they don't have to carry them all the way to Vancouver.

can likely get a full refund of that BA leg and maybe some £220 in UK261 however.

If anything, your travel agent may be responsible for those costs as they probably sold them a self-connection (make sure to read the terms). Booking on the airline website is guaranteed less hassle.

I wouldn't expect a founding OneWorld alliance carrier booking connections with a founding Star Alliance carrier.

 

[nlogax]

quite literally shuddered at this.

The idea that settling for a BA lounge gave you cause for literal revulsion made me chuckle. Not every journey affords the time or desire to seek out the best available lounge when sometimes you just want to get from A to C via B with the minimum of fuss.

 

[zero]

The idea that settling for a BA lounge gave you cause for literal revulsion made me chuckle. Not every journey affords the time or desire to seek out the best available lounge when sometimes you just want to get from A to C via B with the minimum of fuss.

It's a lot easier to find and get to the QF and CX lounges than the BA one!

 

[Butts]

Personally I find the AA Lounge often the quietest and it provides a reasonable level of sustenance.

With regard to the "Fabulous Qantas Restaurant " - Can you get a steak in there ? - No CX - No BA - No AA- No

Not a sniff of one even in the F/Gold Sections = a complete joke !!

 

[DanNCL]

Yet BA is bolstering its US flight frequency come next year. They should be removing destinations and reducing frequencies to improve reliability, not operating to the very limit and having to cancel flights.

They are removing destinations - Beijing is going and Islamabad is moving to Gatwick. Kuala Lumpur doesn’t resume until next year and Bangkok when it resumes will be from Gatwick so the winter schedule at Heathrow doesn’t put as much pressure on the long haul fleet as the current schedule does.

 

[Huntergreed]

Pretty shocking experience boarding today at Heathrow.

They invited groups 4-9 who had a carry-on to check this in (which was a very large proportion of the flight) - they then let them through to jetbridge whilst keeping groups 1-3 at the gate as well as the remainder of groups 4-9.

As a result, the flight was well over half full by the time I (group 1) had boarded. A fellow group 1 passenger asked about this at the gate and the gate agent said this was “BA Policy” to board in this order - is this true?

 

[Watershed]

Pretty shocking experience boarding today at Heathrow.

They invited groups 4-9 who had a carry-on to check this in (which was a very large proportion of the flight) - they then let them through to jetbridge whilst keeping groups 1-3 at the gate as well as the remainder of groups 4-9.

As a result, the flight was well over half full by the time I (group 1) had boarded. A fellow group 1 passenger asked about this at the gate and the gate agent said this was “BA Policy” - is this true?

Absolutely not policy. Those checking in carry-on items are sometimes granted group 3 boarding, though IMHO it should be between group 3 and 4. But they should not be given priority over group 1-2 passengers - that is the whole point of being in group 1/2 (or indeed 0).

Unfortunately BA seems to have little interest in ensuring their boarding agents - even the in-house ones at LHR - comply with the correct boarding procedures; it is a complete lottery as to whether groups are called individually and in the correct order.

Up to you if you want to follow it up - I usually just moan about it on the rather long Flyertalk thread dedicated to the topic...

 

[cactustwirly]

Pretty shocking experience boarding today at Heathrow.

They invited groups 4-9 who had a carry-on to check this in (which was a very large proportion of the flight) - they then let them through to jetbridge whilst keeping groups 1-3 at the gate as well as the remainder of groups 4-9.

As a result, the flight was well over half full by the time I (group 1) had boarded. A fellow group 1 passenger asked about this at the gate and the gate agent said this was “BA Policy” to board in this order - is this true?

Yeah that's normal for busy flights, they give priority boarding as an incentive to check in hand luggage.

 

[TravelDream]

. Not every journey affords the time or desire to seek out the best available lounge when sometimes you just want to get from A to C via B with the minimum of fuss.

The three lounges are in a row next to each other. Not much seeking out to do.

If you had very little time, I would recommend just going to the Cathay lounge.

Personally I find the AA Lounge often the quietest and it provides a reasonable level of sustenance.

With regard to the "Fabulous Qantas Restaurant " - Can you get a steak in there ? - No CX - No BA - No AA- No

Is steak the definition of fabulous?
I haven't been in the lofty heights of a first lounge so can't say what's there.

I will have to check out the AA lounge when I am next in T3. I'm pretty sure I've been in, but can't remember it.

 

[jonnycoleraine]

Pretty shocking experience boarding today at Heathrow.

They invited groups 4-9 who had a carry-on to check this in (which was a very large proportion of the flight) - they then let them through to jetbridge whilst keeping groups 1-3 at the gate as well as the remainder of groups 4-9.

As a result, the flight was well over half full by the time I (group 1) had boarded. A fellow group 1 passenger asked about this at the gate and the gate agent said this was “BA Policy” to board in this order - is this true?

I'd wager you all landed in the destination airport at around exactly the same time.


I've been group 1, group 9, and everything in-between. I've never seen the attraction of spending longer sitting on the plane.

Amusing to watch the masses swarm the gate agents the minute the flight opens. Sit back, finish the beer and enjoy the madness. I have a seat, we'll all arrive together, good luck to them all

 

[Watershed]

I'd wager you all landed in the destination airport at around exactly the same time.


I've been group 1, group 9, and everything in-between. I've never seen the attraction of spending longer sitting on the plane.

Amusing to watch the masses swarm the gate agents the minute the flight opens. Sit back, finish the beer and enjoy the madness. I have a seat, we'll all arrive together, good luck to them all

The main advantage of boarding early is that you can guarantee getting your belongings into an overhead locker above your seat - which avoids having to 'swim upstream' against the tide of disembarking passengers to retrieve them after landing.

The secondary advantage is that, although short haul aircraft seats aren't usually particularly comfortable, they tend to be better than standing around at a gate where - especially at the likes of Heathrow T5 - you will struggle to find a seat.

Whilst I'd love to arrive at the gate at the last minute and walk straight on, boarding very rarely runs to schedule so I'd most likely be standing around for ages waiting for my turn.

 

[jonnycoleraine]

The main advantage of boarding early is that you can guarantee getting your belongings into an overhead locker above your seat - which avoids having to 'swim upstream' against the tide of disembarking passengers to retrieve them after landing.

The secondary advantage is that, although short haul aircraft seats aren't usually particularly comfortable, they tend to be better than standing around at a gate where - especially at the likes of Heathrow T5 - you will struggle to find a seat.

Bag in the hold for me, can never be bothered carrying it and mucking about with 100ml liquids.

Most gates I've been to, even Heathrow, tend to have some sort of seating where you can keep an eye on gate proceedings, I guess if not then the plane might be better

 

[Watershed]

Bag in the hold for me, can never be bothered carrying it and mucking about with 100ml liquids.

Most gates I've been to, even Heathrow, tend to have some sort of seating where you can keep an eye on gate proceedings, I guess if not then the plane might be better

Equally I can't be bothered with queueing to check in bags and later waiting for checked baggage to appear (or not...) at the carousel. Swings and roundabouts, I suppose!

I always have a liquids bag with <100ml items ready to grab next to my travel gear, so although the restrictions are a minor annoyance, they really don't impact me significantly. The biggest impact is just that I have to empty and later refill my water bottle.

There is seating at LHR T5, but it was once aptly described as a shopping centre that happens to have a few flights departing. The layout reflects that philosophy and there is nowhere enough seating for all passengers at any of the gates. Other airports may be different but that's the terminal I use the most.

 

[nlogax]

Equally I can't be bothered with queueing to check in bags and later waiting for checked baggage to appear (or not...) at the carousel. Swings and roundabouts, I suppose!

Same. Have two multi-week trips next year and have a slight huff at the prospect of taking the Big Case with all the related checked baggage faff. Though I suppose there's entertainment to be had with tracking smarttagged baggage when the case hasn't made a tight connection that I've only made by running the full length of DFW.

Not that I'm bitter or anything.

 

[Bald Rick]

My recent experiences of checked bags have been fantastic. No queuing to drop them, and usually arriving within minutes of my arrival at the carousel. At JFK T4 recently my bag was on the carousel a good hour before I got to it thanks to US immigration.

 

[RailWonderer]

There is seating at LHR T5, but it was once aptly described as a shopping centre that happens to have a few flights departing. The layout reflects that philosophy and there is nowhere enough seating for all passengers at any of the gates. Other airports may be different but that's the terminal I use the most.

The other Heathrow Terminals, especially 3 are just as bad. Dingy T3 with its low ceilings and corridors where shops are plonked everywhere make for the worst terminal experience. Napoleon was right - England is a nation of shopkeepers.

 

[Butts]

The other Heathrow Terminals, especially 3 are just as bad. Dingy T3 with its low ceilings and corridors where shops are plonked everywhere make for the worst terminal experience. Napoleon was right - England is a nation of shopkeepers.

At least T3 has a good selection of Lounges - Not just BA

Both T3 and T5 could do with a smoking cage !!

 

[TravelDream]

Terminal wise, I'd say from best to worst are T2 - T5 - T3 - T4.

T2 is the best for both design and functionality. T4 is a very long dingy overcrowded corridor.


Lounge wise, it really depends what you have access to.
It can also affect your view on the terminal greatly if you have access to a nice lounge. Qatar's T4 lounge is very nice for example so people who use that might have a different view of T4.

 

[Tetchytyke]

My experience of bags recently with BA hasn't been too bad. The queues to use the self-drop aren't long at T5, although the self-serve machines are painful to use. Delivery has relatively speedy at T5, City, Hamburg, and Ibiza.

Compare to Menzies Aviation at Ronaldsway (Isle of Man Airport) where, on Saturday, it took them forty- yes, FORTY- minutes to deliver my bag off the Loganai Manchester flight. The distance from the plane to the baggage carousel is less than 100 yards.

 

[TravelDream]

Bags are always a bit of a gamble.
I prefer to take hand luggage only if possible, but I am not a super light packer and I like my products so even a week away usually requires a checked bag.

The worst I have had is about two and a half hours at Hong Kong. Half the bags were delivered, but there was a problem opening one of the BA A380 cargo doors.

Though I suppose I have been lucky. I have checked luggage hundreds of times, many of which have been connections, and I have never had a bag lost (I am touching wood as I type). I've only had a bag delayed once and that was due to a delayed incoming flight meaning we ran for our connection. The bag arrived the next day.

 

[nlogax]

I was one of the thousands of members of the general public who volunteered to test the rebuilt T2 shortly before it opened in 2014. Weirdly enough I remember the baggage system testing was one of the least satisfactory parts of the process.

In the rare times I’ve needed to pick up bags at T5 it’s been a positive experience.

At JFK T4 recently my bag was on the carousel a good hour before I got to it thanks to US immigration.

Try arriving into JFK T8. By the time you emerge from immigration (three and a bit hours my most recent experience) your bag will have become sentient, leapt off the carousel and hopped into a taxi thinking you’ve abandoned it.

 

[AlastairFraser]

Try arriving into JFK T8. By the time you emerge from immigration (three and a bit hours my most recent experience) your bag will have become sentient, leapt off the carousel and hopped into a taxi thinking you’ve abandoned it.

So transiting through Shannon or Dublin are perhaps better options, on the way there at least.

 

[nlogax]

So transiting through Shannon or Dublin are perhaps better options, on the way there at least

Sure, with Aer Lingus though I wish I'd been able to give BA001 a go.

 

[Butts]

Sure, with Aer Lingus though I wish I'd been able to give BA001 a go.

Even if you had to wait 3 Hours at immigration it would still have been quicker !!

 

[RailWonderer]

Try arriving into JFK T8. By the time you emerge from immigration (three and a bit hours my most recent experience) your bag will have become sentient, leapt off the carousel and hopped into a taxi thinking you’ve abandoned it.

I haven't flown to the US since I was a kid so I'm not sure why it would take that long. You arrive, head through passport control and then immigration, then baggage control I assume, so what takes up all the time, queueing, or the checks? Also are they short staffed and is there enough space and waiting lines? I'm just wondering how it's acceptable for immigration to take that long.

 

[nlogax]

I haven't flown to the US since I was a kid so I'm not sure why it would take that long. You arrive, head through passport control and then immigration, then baggage control I assume, so what takes up all the time, queueing, or the checks? Also are they short staffed and is there enough space and waiting lines? I'm just wondering how it's acceptable for immigration to take that long.

Queueing for the checks. T8 was a mixing bowl of a lot of incoming flights at that time of the evening. By my reckoning at most a quarter of the booths were being worked at any one time. For the majority of the time, far fewer than that.

 

[najaB]

You arrive, head through passport control and then immigration, then baggage control I assume, so what takes up all the time, queueing, or the checks? Also are they short staffed and is there enough space and waiting lines? I'm just wondering how it's acceptable for immigration to take that long.

In short, they don't care about getting people through immigration quickly since it's the USA and it's New York: people should be grateful to even get the opportunity to enter. "Give me your tired, poor huddled masses..." and all that.

The last time I went through immigration at JFK was in 2017 and it took considerably longer then that it did in Atlanta the following year, and in Los Angeles in 2020. Dallas took about maybe 15 minutes in the queue this year. My most recent visit to the States involved pre-clearance in Dublin so I've no comment on Chicago.

 

[nlogax]

Tonight's adventure on BA274. It's been a very long evening already.