BA503 LIS-LHR Club Europe 8th May 2009

After a few days in Lisbon for work, it was time to head home. Checked in on line, and picked up boarding pass at the airport (following the usual scary Lisbon taxi ride). Travelling with a friend who was in EuroTraveller - asked at Club Europe check-in and was assured that he could enter the lounge as a guest of mine....more later.

Off to security and the use confusion about what to take out / off as part of this! Headed to the Air France lounge (which BA uses) and tried to get in....told firmly that BA does not allow Club Europe people to take in guests unless they are Silver or above......apparently Air France would be happy for this, but BA refueses to pay - does anyone know if this is the case that you can't take a guest in as a BA Blue Card holder when you travel in Club Europe?

Made use of the airport facilities which have improved from when I was last here. Headed off to board, again off stand. Bigger Club Europe cabin on the return flight, although my seat was soooooo worn, it should have been thrown away 5 years ago.

Fast drinks service, then chicken pasta, fruit mousse and cheese. Quick flight back, but it is always annoying when they try and serve tea and coffee just after your hot meal has been placed down.

Overall a pleasant flight and arrived 15 minutes early (would have been earlier if it wasn't for the usual 15 minute circling at LHR and then the bus back from the off stand gate - is BA using off stand for all its short haul flights from LHR?)

quote:Originally posted by gingerflyer
does anyone know if this is the case that you can't take a guest in as a BA Blue Card holder when you travel in Club Europe?



Thanks for your TR.

It is true and the check in agent should have known. Unless you are a Silver or above Exec Club member then no guests are allowed in any BA lounge regardless of what cabin you are flying in.

Hackneyguy

Sounds like the new operation at T3 isn't quite up to par yet. You certainly don't go off stand at T5 too much, though it does happen; never to board a plane as far as I have experienced. Once getting off. This should end once the final satellite terminal opens, in a year or two.

quote:Originally posted by gingerflyer
... LHR and then the bus back from the off stand gate - is BA using off stand for all its short haul flights from LHR?


Yes it is apparently, all from gate 24 are bussed - there's not the number of gates at T3 you see so all BA flights from T3 really have become poor cousins.

Thanks for the return TR, BA really do need to upgrade their CE cabin.


Dominic

[HighFlyer]

The vast majority of my short haul BA flights (from T5 or T3) end up with a bus transfer at some point, usually on landing. I am sick of it, especially at T5 where I guess I expect better as its a new terminal.

HG is spot on with the lounge access. Blue BAEC means nothing for lounge access, its Silver and above that gives you guest priviledges. Even if you fly Club World as a Blue you can't take a guest in - a big difference there to VS.

Thanks,
Sarah

quote:Originally posted by hackneyguy
quote:Originally posted by gingerflyer
does anyone know if this is the case that you can't take a guest in as a BA Blue Card holder when you travel in Club Europe?



Thanks for your TR.

It is true and the check in agent should have known. Unless you are a Silver or above Exec Club member then no guests are allowed in any BA lounge regardless of what cabin you are flying in.

Hackneyguy


I am really not sure about this you can certainly take a guest into the Concorde room with a first class ticket.

quote:Originally posted by jaguarpig
quote:Originally posted by hackneyguy
quote:Originally posted by gingerflyer
does anyone know if this is the case that you can't take a guest in as a BA Blue Card holder when you travel in Club Europe?



Thanks for your TR.

It is true and the check in agent should have known. Unless you are a Silver or above Exec Club member then no guests are allowed in any BA lounge regardless of what cabin you are flying in.

Hackneyguy


I am really not sure about this you can certainly take a guest into the Concorde room with a first class ticket.


Not in my experience - as a BA Premier I can take one guest into the Concorde Room whether I am flying First or not but other First pax can not take guest in now and have seen many turned away trying to do the same.

A ticketed first pax can take a guest into the CR no matter what status they have. I have guested a lot of people in from flyertalk. Both at the old T4 CR and at T5

Thanks for your reply. I stand by what I have posted (and Highflyer) above as that has been my experience and taking guests into the LHR CR is 'supposed' to be a perk of being a Premier (it is allowed in JFK).

Thank you for the TR!

quote:Originally posted by hackneyguy
Thanks for your reply. I stand by what I have posted (and Highflyer) above as that has been my experience and taking guests into the LHR CR is 'supposed' to be a perk of being a Premier (it is allowed in JFK).


I found this on BA.com. It shows without doubt that a guest is allowed into the CR when on a first ticket if you have a gold or silver card.Unfortunately there's no information when traveling with only a blue card,but I can't see this would make any difference as the silver and gold cards are immaterial for CR access.To confuse matters even more I rang 'You First' this morning to be told there is no guest access privilege for F ticket holders unless they hold a prem or Concorde room card.This totally contradicts what BA.com says and my own experiences. [?]