Bkk Ba First Class Lounge Vs. Ba's One In London

[corkscrew]

These two first class lounges that BA uses in BKK and at LHR's terrminal 3 reflect the eras of the two airports nicely.

Edited March 25, 2008 by corkscrew

[Ricardo]

BA surely use T4 & T1, not T3, at LHR ? Shortly to move everything across to the new T5 .. the FT week-end edition recently had an article about designing facilities for 'them up-front' too.

[MrsExpat2B]

I don't think BA has any flights out of T3?

[technocracy]

Well I guess both are an improvement on the BA lounge I had the misfortune of being in at Johannesburg the other week! Total shambles! When I arrived there was no food anywhere not even a bag of crisps! I was told there was a delay . . for food . . I mean how can a lounge end up completely bereft of food even bar snacks!?!? About an hour later there were some not so tasty sandwiches and crisps.

To top it off when I arrived in the lounge I checked with them if they make boarding calls - yes was the reply. As the time towards the boarding came I did the normal of just going to ask them what the progress was, she tried to phone the gate - no answer - I thought well I'll go and take a walk looked at a screen outside and the flight had changed gates! Obviously they didn't even have a live screen at the desk showing the flight information!!! I went back and informed her of this and she then phoned the correct gate!

Just to add to the Jo'burg airport experience the gate being used for this 10hr+ flight into KL didn't even have priority boarding for Business or 1st Class passengers! Oh also the gate was in some way open to the elements outside and it was BLOODY freezing - when I was told there is no priority boarding - I just said "I'll be in the lounge come and get me!"

People complaining about Swampy really don't know how good it is incomparison to some!!

[corkscrew]

I don't think BA has any flights out of T3?

BA 207, a daily flight from London to Miami. It has been operating out of Terminal 3 for years.

[corkscrew]

BA surely use T4 & T1, not T3, at LHR ? Shortly to move everything across to the new T5 .. the FT week-end edition recently had an article about designing facilities for 'them up-front' too.

When we return to BKK we'll be able to see Terminal 5. I am looking forward to it.

[dabhand]

If you are flying BA to BKK, latest info is that these flights remain in T4 until 'early 2009' and then move to T3!!

Extract from a BA press release:

The transition to Heathrow Terminal 5

Understanding all our flight moves

On 27 March 2008 our brand new home, Terminal 5, will open. But not all flights will arrive at or depart from the terminal straightaway. There will be a second move taking place on 30 April 2008. In addition to this, a small number of flights will move from Terminals 1 and 4 to Terminal 3, which will become our hub for oneworld® Australasian flights and some European services.

[jrbkk64]

The BA lounge in BKK is actually a Qantas lounge. Qantas uses the same designer for all their lounges around the world. I have not yet been in the QF/BA F/C and B/C lounges. Anybody here who can tell me if they are any good? What about the food? Drink selection?

Edited March 27, 2008 by jrbkk64

[corkscrew]

If you are flying BA to BKK, latest info is that these flights remain in T4 until 'early 2009' and then move to T3!!

Extract from a BA press release:

The transition to Heathrow Terminal 5

Understanding all our flight moves

On 27 March 2008 our brand new home, Terminal 5, will open. But not all flights will arrive at or depart from the terminal straightaway. There will be a second move taking place on 30 April 2008. In addition to this, a small number of flights will move from Terminals 1 and 4 to Terminal 3, which will become our hub for oneworld® Australasian flights and some European services.

You are right. When we fly BA from MIA to LHR we'll land at Terminal 4. The connecting flight (LHR to BKK) will depart from Terminal 5.

[corkscrew]

The BA lounge in BKK is actually a Qantas lounge. Qantas uses the same designer for all their lounges around the world. I have not yet been in the QF/BA F/C and B/C lounges. Anybody here who can tell me if they are any good? What about the food? Drink selection?

The inflight meals are good.

[dekka007]

Corkscrew, is it just me or do I get the impression you like to show off your wealth on TV a lot....

Avatar, Dining at the 5 star restaurants with pictures posted on here daily, Pictures of F class lounges, Pictures of BA First class meals, your email signature stating all the Mercedes-Benz you own around the world......Multi Million Baht condo's your purchasing...The 7000 baht a night weekend away hotels.

Not that I am jealous of course - I earn an ok living as I guess most do on TV

...but your posts just seem to be getting more in your face "Look at me I have 4 mercedes, eat at 5 star restaurants every day and fly British Airways first class, while buying a multi million condo heres the pics which I took while at this 5 star hotel" - Maybe its just the way you like to show wealth I have no idea or maybe its just the way it comes across and thats not your intentions

If I were a psychologist I would say your trying to display your wealth and success indirectly by posting in the context of providing a information service in the posts you make on TV....then again I could be wrong

As my GF said when she saw your posts "This guy is OVER!" (She always reads the threads with pics)

Enjoy the Krug!

Edited March 27, 2008 by dekka007

[geriatrickid]

Probably the best 1st class lounge is SQ in SIN. Back when around the world airfares were cost effective and affordable I got to try out a lot of lounges. The BA lounges were ok but not impressive. Without doubt, the cheapest and crappiest lounges were American flag carriers like UA, DL and AA. I stopped going to them because there was better food available in most airport concourses. TG has some decent lounges depending on the hub, but they pale in comparison to SQ and the declining Cathay.

EVA is what I fly now, and while not as good as say TG or Asiana it's still a notch above North American airlines anywhere in the world. I admit I switched because of the price.

All of the airlines have cut back on food and drink offerings. Cripes I remember flying in pre bankrupt swissair and they were tossing caviar and grav lax caviar about like it was nothing. Only time I ever ate that because I sure as heck wouldn't buy it. Of course way back when, (maybe 10 years ago?) they used to roll around a trolley and serve you from that and you could pick and choose whatever you wanted. Last TG flight from LAX in J, I think my inedible entree was still frozen. As for EVA, it is wise to pack a few snacks even if in Premium Laurel. The food can sometimes border on the repulsive. (Check out the menus this month featuring braised pig trotter or Black Ink Parpadelle Pasta or sea cucumber - yum yum, yech.)

[Governor]

OK, if we are going to show off about lounges, my best experience was when I flew LHR to JFK on Concorde.

The lounge was great and though most of Heathrow was closed because of some technical reason, the driver, sorry pilot, walked through the lounge explaining that as Concorde was not subject to such petty restrictions as technical reasons, we would be departing on time.

I said the lounge was great, well it was comfortable and the food was good, but the BA staff were really snooty and really did not think they were there to take care of their premium passengers.

Never mind we were just about to board our trip of a lifetime and see all the superstars and other famous people on board, who did we see - well no one famous, just many like us who had saved up for their trip of a lifetime. Never mind the trip was good as was the inflight service.

We landed in New York and my wife brought me down to earth by saying, we have spent all that money on a flight, it was noisy, there was no movie and all it means is that we have arrived in New York in time for the shops opening, adding that I wish that we had flown Virgin.

Never mind, into a taxi for the drive to hotel - no limo for us, but as the flight was very fast and as we had effectivly arrived in New York before we left London our suite was not ready at the Waldorf Astoria.

The best lounge I have ever used is the Virgin Cubhouse at Heathrow, and whilst not all Virgin lounges are not up to this standard I wish Sir Richard would start flying to Bangkok, that mightwake the others up.

[jonniebkk]

People complaining about Swampy really don't know how good it is incomparison to some!!

I think most of us are thinking about airports here in Asia (more apt comparison...as the Thais themselves look to emulate their Singaporean, Malaysian, and Hong Kongese peers in most matters) not an airport in Africa. So compared to the local competition, Swampy is in fact at the bottom of the pack...just above Manila and Jakarta What really is sad is that as it was a totally new from the ground up airport...it could really have been great.

Edited March 29, 2008 by jonniebkk

[jonniebkk]

Probably the best 1st class lounge is SQ in SIN.

Surprise surprise!

EVA is what I fly now, and while not as good as say TG or Asiana it's still a notch above North American airlines anywhere in the world. I admit I switched because of the price.

Completely agree...EVA is great value! Great if they fly to where you want to go.

Cripes I remember flying in pre bankrupt swissair and they were tossing caviar and grav lax caviar about like it was nothing.

Possible reason for the bankruptcy?

As for EVA, it is wise to pack a few snacks even if in Premium Laurel. The food can sometimes border on the repulsive. (Check out the menus this month featuring braised pig trotter or Black Ink Parpadelle Pasta or sea cucumber - yum yum, yech.)

Again spot-on. Only weakness is their food...but I will take their B 77,000 return business class fare BKK-SFO anytime over the B 150,000-B 200,000 fares of their competitors. New B-777ERs too on most runs to the US West Coast. Bring your own food, enjoy their drinks and desserts (not bad), and the new flat lie down seats.

One reason for their weird menu items it that they are a Taiwan (i.e., Chinese) based carrier and those Chinese eat some pretty weird things Even their Western menu items are sometimes strange and usually not very good...but saving B 100,000 gives one plenty of money to buy some tasty gourmet food to bring aboard to eat if one so wishes.

Also, their lounges at Swampy and SFO aren't bad...not super luxe but decent food, drink, and reading selections. Taipei lounge, however, is a disaster!

Their inflight and ground service I have found to be very professional too.

Edited March 29, 2008 by jonniebkk

[corkscrew]

OK, if we are going to show off about lounges, my best experience was when I flew LHR to JFK on Concorde.

The lounge was great and though most of Heathrow was closed because of some technical reason, the driver, sorry pilot, walked through the lounge explaining that as Concorde was not subject to such petty restrictions as technical reasons, we would be departing on time.

I said the lounge was great, well it was comfortable and the food was good, but the BA staff were really snooty and really did not think they were there to take care of their premium passengers.

Never mind we were just about to board our trip of a lifetime and see all the superstars and other famous people on board, who did we see - well no one famous, just many like us who had saved up for their trip of a lifetime. Never mind the trip was good as was the inflight service.

We landed in New York and my wife brought me down to earth by saying, we have spent all that money on a flight, it was noisy, there was no movie and all it means is that we have arrived in New York in time for the shops opening, adding that I wish that we had flown Virgin.

Never mind, into a taxi for the drive to hotel - no limo for us, but as the flight was very fast and as we had effectivly arrived in New York before we left London our suite was not ready at the Waldorf Astoria.

The best lounge I have ever used is the Virgin Cubhouse at Heathrow, and whilst not all Virgin lounges are not up to this standard I wish Sir Richard would start flying to Bangkok, that mightwake the others up.

The best lounge I have ever used is the Virgin Cubhouse at Heathrow, and whilst not all Virgin lounges are not up to this standard I wish Sir Richard would start flying to Bangkok, that mightwake the others up.

I totally agree with you...the Virgin Clubhouse at Heathrow is the best.

[PadThaiGuy]

Corkscrew, is it just me or do I get the impression you like to show off your wealth on TV a lot....

Avatar, Dining at the 5 star restaurants with pictures posted on here daily, Pictures of F class lounges, Pictures of BA First class meals, your email signature stating all the Mercedes-Benz you own around the world......Multi Million Baht condo's your purchasing...The 7000 baht a night weekend away hotels.

Not that I am jealous of course - I earn an ok living as I guess most do on TV

...but your posts just seem to be getting more in your face "Look at me I have 4 mercedes, eat at 5 star restaurants every day and fly British Airways first class, while buying a multi million condo heres the pics which I took while at this 5 star hotel" - Maybe its just the way you like to show wealth I have no idea or maybe its just the way it comes across and thats not your intentions

If I were a psychologist I would say your trying to display your wealth and success indirectly by posting in the context of providing a information service in the posts you make on TV....then again I could be wrong

As my GF said when she saw your posts "This guy is OVER!" (She always reads the threads with pics)

Enjoy the Krug!

You failed to mention the Elephant Polo and Hot Air Balloons!

He probably is holding back... he doesnt mention he wipes his but with 100$ bills.....that's a good thing

So, he has truckloads of money.

What's important he knows how to enjoy it. Looks pretty generous too.

I think we should toast his good fortune(if he's buying).

Keep posting Cork.

[CbrLad]

BA surely use T4 & T1, not T3, at LHR ? Shortly to move everything across to the new T5 .. the FT week-end edition recently had an article about designing facilities for 'them up-front' too.

BA is not moving everything to T5. In fact their Australian (and hence BKK) flights will be moving to terminal 3 along with flights to Spain and I think Finland. See T3 will become the OneWorld terminal + Virgin Atlantic. T1 will become Star Alliance, so Thai, Singapore etc will move there and T4 will become SkyTeam and others, with T2 being home to the bull dozer.

You are right though at the moment BA have nothing out of T3.

PS. The lounge at BKK is actually a Qantas Club, that BA uses. Just like in LHR Qantas uses BA lounges.

[RAZZELL]

Enjoy the Krug!

That is so last year

RAZZ

[Hmmm]

The BA lounge in BKK is actually a Qantas lounge. Qantas uses the same designer for all their lounges around the world. I have not yet been in the QF/BA F/C and B/C lounges. Anybody here who can tell me if they are any good? What about the food? Drink selection?

QF/BA BC lounge at BKK is passable. Seems smaller than at Don Muang, which makes it very crowded when the main BA and QF long hauls (LHR-BKK-SYD and back) are both in at the same time, as they are twice each day.

Slightly shorter walk to the usual departure gates than at DM, albeit with two security checkpoints to negotiate.

Food similar to QF lounges elsewhere - salads, sandwiches, cakes, ie better than the usual tea and biscuits in BA Terraces Lounges at LHR.

A dozen or more PCs available, although often all taken. Nice looking showers, although again hard to get one.

[Briggsy]

I might be able to get in one of these places if I can get a job as a cleaner.

[Jack Jones]

The business class lounge at Bkk is better than the old LHR Terminal 1. Good selection of food and drinks, plenty of reading material and internet access. I flew out of there on Xmas Eve last year and it didn't seem to get that busy in there to me. Compare this to the old T1 lounge which was like sitting in the public area.

However, the lounge at T5 is by far superior to both. Haven't had the pleasure of the First Class lounge yet, have to wait until I travel with the boss fot that. The downside is that as mentioned above, BA will not fly the LHR-BKK-SYD route out of here until sometime in the future.