The Club Galleries lounge...

Ok, so I did West coast trip by train (San Diego -> Santa Barbara -> San Francisco -> Portland -> Seattle -> Vancouver) on BA Club out, and First back (good use of 2 for 1, 125K miles and 1300 quid).

So was stuck with the Galleries Club lounge in Terminal 5.

I know not to expect much, but jeez, it was worse than I thought...

I realise that while you have to ask for champers, but tracking down table clearers to do that meant that in effect you hovered by the table cleaners door, and grabbed one on the way out....

I did manage to make a margarita from the bits and pieces there, sticky fingers from squeezing the bits of lime to add the limey bits. I suppose at least there was tequila and cointreau to be able to make it, but hardly the full cocktail experience of the clubhouse.

But it was the food which threw it so badly for me. Basic slop. Baked potato with chili? Pasta and tomato stuff? I believe that was actually the highlight of the day over breakfast at the bit in the middle of the afternoon when there's none... Absolutely totally no desert options as well?

So its not just the lack of pool table, hottub, bar, buffet, shoe shine, served meal and such which was the difference...

I the club lounge back from Chicago, and that was actually better than the T5 options.

Then I thought to consider... Why?

1) Numbers? Must be a about 50 times the amount of people going through that terminal than a typical virgin set of flights. Must be impossible to cater for all the status passengers, including the oneworld ones too.

2) Mix of Long Haul and Short Haul. That to me is the killer. Someone doing a hop to Dublin gets the same as someone who's dropped a few K to fly to west coast US? Sure you'll get the slop. And feel grateful. I think BA could do something there to improve the experience if they separated these two types. Not sure what would qualify.

3) Status getting food. This isn't always true on remote end. Chicago only had food for the ticketed club passengers. Status didn't get you the buffet (I think, its what the lounge dragon said).

4) Making First more desirable? I've really got no reason to fly first from T5 if that's the food which they've deployed they need to improve on. What do they serve in the First and CCR? Canteen food? My god, do FIRST GET SANDWICHES???

We had a late in the day flight, but next time to Honolulu we've got the 9:45am to LAX, and I'll be eating in whatever hotel I'm staying in...

I'd already known that the seat and service onboard was pretty good. But if I was going in blind, I'd have been dreading getting onboard given the pre boarding experience...

The thing is, T5 Galleries Club aren't actually that bad when you compare them to the vast majority of executive lounges in most airports in the world.

Trouble is, we've been spoilt by the Clubhouse and, increasingly, by the ME3 and Asian airlines which put BA to shame. Even the United lounge in T2 is better IMHO. But compare them to the average Admirals Club, Sky Club or United lounge in the US or to the shared lounges in most European airports, and Galleries Club is ok.

One of the main problems is it's horrendously crowded for much of the day. There's much debate on Flyertalk about how BA could solve that - eg barring certain short haul pax (which US airlines tend to do) or removing the +1 privilege. BA have, this week, announced a refurb programme for their LHR lounges which would be welcome.

(As for dessert there is - or was when I was last there - ice cream in GC South by the way, albeit hidden away nowhere near the rest of the food).

The first lounge and CCR are a lot better although the gold/first lounge can get busy at times. I would always advise long haul CW travellers to use the lounge in 5B. It's usually a lot quieter. I agree the foods not club house standard,but I believe it's the sheer volume of passengers that prevents it getting any better. It will be better for golds and OWE when the new private security channel is completed leading straight into the gold first lounge. Once you experience a VS clubhouse most business class lounges will be a let down including the Emirates business class lounge at Dubai

3) Status getting food. This isn't always true on remote end. Chicago only had food for the ticketed club passengers. Status didn't get you the buffet (I think, its what the lounge dragon said).

On BA pre flight dining is only be for those in CW because the 296 (I assume that's the flight you were on) is a BA sleeper service. if you have BA status but are in WT or WT+ you don't qualify.

It's what happens at JFK too a couple of years ago I was allowed in - it's a slightly separate part of the lounge with it's own guardian - because I was in CW but someone I overheard wasn't because he was in WT+ but Gold. He had to make do with the food in the food area which tbh looked quite nice - sandwiches, soup and cheese and meats etc

No offence but it I find it sad that the lounge experience pre-flight seems to more important than the flight to some nowadays. We try to arrive at the airport at the last possible baggage drop time & spend the least amount of time on the ground there as possible. If the lounge is so important then perhaps just be grateful that you have access to one, especially if you have flight delays, I'm sure there are lots of people who would be happy with just that, rather than how good the food & drink may be.

SNOMO

Totally agree. At the end of the day, a lounge is just a waiting room.

But airlines actively promote their lounges as part of the 'experience' and they should make sure the services provided match the advertising.

If someone chooses to arrive at the airport close to their flight that's their prerogative but many people don't have that option due to eg connecting flight or train time or simply don't feel comfortably turning up at the last minute.

On BA pre flight dining is only be for those in CW because the 296 (I assume that's the flight you were on) is a BA sleeper service. if you have BA status but are in WT or WT+ you don't qualify.

It's what happens at JFK too a couple of years ago I was allowed in - it's a slightly separate part of the lounge with it's own guardian - because I was in CW but someone I overheard wasn't because he was in WT+ but Gold. He had to make do with the food in the food area which tbh looked quite nice - sandwiches, soup and cheese and meats etc

BA294, so the earlier flight. I'd have been fine being on the later one, I had 6 hours waiting for my connection at heathrow...

There didn't appear to be food apart from this too. So no sandwiches, soup, cheese and meats...

No offence but it I find it sad that the lounge experience pre-flight seems to more important than the flight to some nowadays. We try to arrive at the airport at the last possible baggage drop time & spend the least amount of time on the ground there as possible. If the lounge is so important then perhaps just be grateful that you have access to one, especially if you have flight delays, I'm sure there are lots of people who would be happy with just that, rather than how good the food & drink may be.

Flying economy eh?

There is no way I'm risking a skin of my teeth rush through security (especially when it sometimes gets massively blocked) and run through to the gates as late as possible. I find it sad that people seem to want to do this. Even if I lived near the airport, I'd not be doing that.

I plan to check in 3 hours before an international long haul flight. This gives me plenty of time for things to go wrong, traffic jams between hotel and airport, long lines at security. They often call such flights as much as an hour before departure, and last call them as much as 45 minutes before the departure (I've always taken departure time not as doors close, but as wheels off the ground).

So I have time in the lounge if things go well. So pre flight becomes important.

I also find it incredibly bizarre that there seems to be an attitude we should feel blessed that we've been given a lounge before this international flight we've potentially spent several thousand pounds on.

And almost trollish that we shouldn't be complaining that we're reduced to the same sort of food and service provided to a silver card holder travelling on a 45 minute flight to Paris.

Sure VS have set a very high standard in lounges, but BA's is so far off that it was quite a shocker. I know that domestic US don't provide lounges. However, I'm not flying domestic or in the US. My comparison is Priority Pass lounges which BA is barely better than (more booze selection, a bit more food, but not much).

Also "No offense but" means "Offense".

Like "I'm not racist but..."

I would say that the club lounges are far better than 99% of PP lounges...

Yes the food offering looks bad (it really does!) but does taste very nice. BA's issue is the vast numbers.
As PaulS has said the T5B is often quieter (not always), was there with 5 others in January, was wonderful!

The CCR is far better than the Galleries lounges, but still easy to get bored and end up doing a lap of T5 (it's a nice terminal!), I get bored in the T3 CH but would not do a walk around T3 unless there was something I wanted to buy.

For me, lighting and ambience (eg. background music, smells) are as important as food and drink; maybe more important.