P_M

This is a rare privilege for me but through the magic of frequent flyer miles I will be flying First Class from the US to Naples. I will be flying into LHR and making the dreaded airport change to LGW but I think it will be an easier process as a First Class passenger.

I've been to the biz class lounge at LGW but is there another lounge for First? If so please tell me about it. I looked at BA's web site but I didn't find any info specific to LGW regarding a First Class lounge.

I would also be interested in any info about an arrivals lounge at LHR.

Thanks in advance.

MmePerdu

Is there such a thing as an arrivals lounge? I was under the impression that all upper class lounges were on air side for departures only. I'll be interested, too, to find out.

Jeff_Costa_Rica

You don't say who you're flying US-UK.

American?

http://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInforma...als_lounge.jsp

British Airways?

http://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/...rivals-lounges

An arrivals lounge is a place for passengers to freshen up, shower, eat after a long-haul flight. They're not commonly found at most airports, and they're open only to premium passengers.

Jeff_Costa_Rica

For Gatwick, go to this page:

http://www.oneworld.com/ffp/lounge-access

Type in "London Gatwick" and you'll see which lounges BA operates there.

BA is famous for what everybody calls its "dragons," who scrutinize your credentials carefully to see if you qualify to get in. Make sure you do meet the criteria.

P_M

Thanks very much for the info. I'm flying AA to LHR then BA to Naples.

P_M

Jeff, I have checked these links and this is some great info indeed, I appreciate your time and effort. I checked the qualifications and since I am a First Class passenger I should have no trouble slaying the dragons.

MmePerdu

I think any time you pay for a business or first class ticket, it includes the lounges. When I've bought business class tickets through a consolidator, even though deeply discounted, they qualified. Once a friend and I were upgraded to business class, I don't know why, but it didn't include the lounge between flights, the dragons were quick to inform us.

Even when I'm forced by circumstances to fly steerage, I occasionally treat myself to a day pass, after a long flight before going on, if I can have a shower. Well worth the $50 or so they charge when there's enough time.

Gardyloo

The AA arrivals lounge is landside at T3 at Heathrow. It's very nice, with good showers.

At LGW you won't have access to the BA First lounge as you'll be in Club Europe (business class) to Naples; first class isn't offered intra-Europe, and your first class passage on AA won't matter. The business class lounge at LGW is quite acceptable, however.

How much time do you have between flights? I wouldn't want the joys of the AArrivals lounge to make you late for your Naples flight.

Just as a note, the AA and BA arrivals lounges are not covered by the Oneworld reciprocal lounge agreement, i.e. where status (OW Sapphire or Emerald for business lounges, Emerald only for first) matters. You have to have physically flown in a premium cabin in order to get admitted.

P_M

Hi Gardy, if all goes on schedule I will have about 7.5 hours between flights so there s/b plenty of time for lounging around. That's disappointing about the First lounge at LGW but I still can't complain.

DonTopaz

When you reach Gatwick, you should ask if you can have access to the First lounge. The rule reads that passengers traveling in long-haul F and connecting the same day to short-haul business-class on any OneWorld airline have access to the F lounge. The rule is a bit ambiguous -- sometimes the "same day" is interpreted as meaning that an overnight flight doesn't count (because you boarded it the previous day), and sometimes the other way round.

P_M

I was thinking the same Don, my ticket is First Class so I s/b allowed into the First lounge. I will report back after my trip as to whether or not they let me in. If I end up in the biz class lounge that's OK too.

P_M

*********UPDATE********

Don Topaz, you win the prize!! I am sitting at the First Class lounge at this very moment. It's a lot smaller than the biz class lounge but very quiet. I did stop by the Arrivals lounge at LHR, it was so nice to have a shower upon arrival.

This is my first time to do an airport change in London. It was very easy as a FC passenger. When we landed at LHR I used the Fast Track line for customs, then upon arrival at LGW there were no lines at check-in or security for FC. The bus ride wasn't bad as it's a Sunday morning there was no traffic. All that said I would hate to do this when flying coach as those lines were quite long.

Thank you all for your good advice.