LHR Clubhouse from Heathrow Express

Hello all!
First Post. I would like to ask the knowledgeable folks here about coming in from Central london. How will I get the full Clubhouse experience with the curbside pick up and check-in and all that jazz? Will I have to come in by Car? Or is it possible to walk over from the Heathrow Express to the upper class wing.

Thanks everyone in advance.

[honey lamb]

Hi and welcome to V-Flyer.

To answer the latter part of your query first, the Heathrow Express disembarks passengers for T3 (and T1) at a point where you exit at the subway between T1 and T3. You have to the walk to T3 and into the terminal building to where Virgin Atlantic check-in area is located in Zone A. If you choose this option you then go in a lift next to the check-in area which leaves you next to the private security channel. You scan your boarding pass to enter. Once you have passed through security you arrive in the main terminal area and slap bang into the middle of Duty Free! You have to go through this to the departure gates area and from there to the Clubhouse which is in Area H

You can come by private car but you have to call and book the slot and give details of the car. You just can't pitch up and get access. If you choose this option then you will be checked in there and it is part of the security wing and at the opposite end of the area where you enter from the main terminal. From there your journey to the CH is as is described above.

In other words, there is no direct access either from the train or the car to the CH. You have to battle your way through the departure lounge - as do passengers for any other airline lounge in T3

[buns]

Hi and welcome to V-Flyer

Perhaps the first things to point out are that to get to the Clubhouse, you must first get through the security checks (which are much quicker with the VS Private Security Channel) and make your way past all the retail distractions in the Departure Terminal, before climbing the hallowed stairs to the Clubhouse which is situated overlooking the airport apron.

Thus, if you are arriving by car (and not the Chauffeur driven Car service which as comes as part of paying £3,000 + for a full Upper Class Ticket) you will have to check in in the Terminal before being directed (if you have a UC Ticket that is) to the Private Security Channel upstairs



But then i see that HoneyLamb is , as always, quick off the mark here ):

buns

HL and Buns have you sorted there

You have to battle your way through the departure lounge - as do passengers for any other airline lounge in T3

On this point, when T2 opens, all lounges will be accessed after walking through duty free, even if coming from a DTCI/private security type area. This is so the highest paying passengers are more likely to spend money in duty free raising income for BAA. Unless any airline pays BAA a very hefty surcharge to be able to bypass it that is, but I dont know of any.

Thank you all for such detailed responses. I am thoroughly looking forward to my experience now!

Maybe its just me, but I prefer checking in the old fashioned way!

Perhaps its just that I love going up the lift!

This is so the highest paying passengers are more likely to spend money in duty free raising income for BAA. Unless any airline pays BAA a very hefty surcharge to be able to bypass it that is, but I dont know of any.

Well no one is forced to spend any money in DF

I thought that Maxjet paid so their pax didn't have to walk through the shops at Stanstead. Maybe that's why they went broke?

This is so the highest paying passengers are more likely to spend money in duty free raising income for BAA. Unless any airline pays BAA a very hefty surcharge to be able to bypass it that is, but I dont know of any.

Well no one is forced to spend any money in DF

I thought that Maxjet paid so their pax didn't have to walk through the shops at Stanstead. Maybe that's why they went broke?

Yes no one is forced. But if you walk through DF you are more likely to buy something than if you went straight to the lounge.
In T5, BA have paid for direct access to the lounge from security for F passengers, so it can be done, just not yet heard of any airline offering BAA a similar amount of money at T2.

I thought that Maxjet paid so their pax didn't have to walk through the shops at Stanstead. Maybe that's why they went broke?

In which case they wasted their money. No doubt things will change, but currently (and for the past few years) when you get through security @ Stansted you can beat a path to the gate without having to go through any duty free outlet. They hang around the edges, touting their sleazy wares but as long as you keep your eyes straight ahead you're fine....

[

Yes no one is forced. But if you walk through DF you are more likely to buy something than if you went straight to the lounge.

I can safely say that in my last 4 visits to LHR (at least) using T1, T3 and T4 that I did not partake of any of the DF offerings (and that includes having a longer stroll going back to DF after visiting the lounge). Maybe I just have the willpower to resist !

[

Yes no one is forced. But if you walk through DF you are more likely to buy something than if you went straight to the lounge.

I can safely say that in my last 4 visits to LHR (at least) using T1, T3 and T4 that I did not partake of any of the DF offerings (and that includes having a longer stroll going back to DF after visiting the lounge). Maybe I just have the willpower to resist !

Your point being?

Your point being?

No one forced me to buy anything in DF which seemed to be one of the implications earlier on in that BAA forces pax to walk through DF and hence spend money they somehow don't want to spend.

and there in my naive way I simply thought it was so that all passengers had to pass through passport control and the (now defunct) shoe carnival

Your point being?

No one forced me to buy anything in DF which seemed to be one of the implications earlier on in that BAA forces pax to walk through DF and hence spend money they somehow don't want to spend.

I can't see any such implication, the words "more likely" were used, not "forced".

Just because you don't buy anything in DF doesn't mean everyone that goes through LHR doesn't. DF is designed in a way to get maximum revenue, like any shop/shopping centre.

My original point was that BAA don't like premium cabin pax bypassing DF as they theoretically have more money to burn. That is why they wont let airlines have direct access from security to lounges, unless a very hefty fee is paid that will cover the loss in revenue from DF.