Heathrow Terminal 5. Pick a Lounge. Any Lounge…
A Celebratory Trip to Chicago
Contents:
- So, Chicago eh. That’s really different.
- Take the National Express, Manchester Airport, British Airways Terraces Lounge
- BA1385 Manchester Airport to London Heathrow
- T5 – Pick a lounge. Any Lounge – British Airways Galleries South, Galleries T5B
- BA295 London Heathrow T5 to Chicago O’Hare International
- The joy of O’Hare and Crowne Plaza O’Hare
- Experiments with a Canon 40mm lens
- Hyatt Regency O’Hare
- Using Amazon out of your home country in a pinch
- Back to O’Hare, The New AA Flagship Lounge
- AA86 Chicago O’Hare to London Heathrow T3
- Terminal change shenanigans, British Airways Galleries North
- BA1386 London Heathrow to Manchester Airport
- Luggage delivery incompetence, last-minute changes, and CrossCountry Trains home
- Why celebrate?
Coming into Heathrow, I headed off the plane and into the domestic segment of Terminal 5.
Thank you little A320 with excellent crew.
Today, I would be swapping planes in Terminal 5 – so as usual – I followed the signs, this time to T5 Transfers. Normally, one would have to walk around the wrekin to get to the transfer area – but there’s a dedicated transfer area from UK Domestic to another T5 flight
My boarding pass was scanned, and I was allowed through this barrier – and too the escalator straight in to T5 North.
T5 Passenger? This way…
Up we go!
Now, that’s what I call a result!
No re-screening needed (as I had cleared an adequate screening process in Manchester).
Once into T5, I did what I normally would do – head to the Galleries Lounge on the South side of the terminal.
Why? Mostly because the Galleries Lounge North is a pile of rubbish and is far too full, but mainly as I had an appointment with Horselamp
Let’s not beat around the bush – the only reason to spend time at Heathrow Galleries is to say hello to the HorseLamp. Anything else is just a bonus.
To the lounge!
That dress in BA colours again.
Except that rosette made out of Boarding passes is incorrect. BA haven’t had coloured boarding passes for years…
Hello again Horselamp. Don’t look too impressed I’m here again.
British Airways Galleries South
I headed into the lounge, and said my greetings to HorseLamp, and headed in for a bit. With time for breakfast, I made a stop by the food station and grabbed a few bacon rolls. I do wish BA would try something different (say… sausages in rolls), but it’s better than nothing.
The Silver Bar.
Look left.
Papers check. Horrible blue LEDs… check.
Tomato and Cranberry juice.
Apple Juice
Fruit and the bacterial fermentation of milk.
Danish Pastries
Cheese omelette rolls
Bacon Rolls.
The next challenge was to find a seat that had power next to it. Whilst I was fine, my laptop (bless it’s electrons) needs a new battery soon, and thus more power.
Except, I wasn’t going to be that lucky today as the power socket was dead. Onto Twitter straight away to “comment” at BA.
Dear @British_Airways … I love Galleries South (Club). But PLEASE fix the power outlets so they… work please? pic.twitter.com/KDOPsx2hQN
— Kevin-Economy&Beyond (@EconomyBeyond) October 4, 2017
Now, we know some days Social Media can be a slow thing. I had a response in a few minutes, and shortly after – the lounge manager coming to pay me a visit.
Well – it seems the team is on point here – very nicely done BA. Now, be a dear and fix those power outlets when I return next please.
As for the lounge – I do prefer Galleries south to Galleries North – there’s a lot more space around, and it feels more welcoming – if a bit dark in places. That, and a bit more dedication to food too.
With time never on my side, I checked out two things – if there was World Traveller Plus space, and where I would be departing.
Whilst there was WTP space, it was 1) overpriced for the 8 hour 40 segment, and 2) the seat next to me was free – which can be filed under “good enough” for the segment.
I also found that I would be departing from T5B. I can count the times I’ve flown out of C, but never B.
That also means there’s another lounge to visit. Yes, there’s a lounge at Terminal 5 I haven’t been in – and that’s the one on the B Pier.
After gathering my stuff together, I headed past Horselamp (who looked waaaaaaaay to happy at me going), and headed to the shuttle transport.
Don’t look too happy HorseLamp. I will return…
The flip-dot cloud art thing. Still broken.
And of course, advertisers were everywhere.
I love how other airlines drop adverts at the home of British Airways *snigger*.
Hologram information thing.
Arriving at the B Pier, I followed the long-standing advice for those who transit Terminal 5 – don’t bother with escalators – take the lift, and I was soon in T5B.
It’s light and airy (like T5A), but if you know where to go, there’s a very quiet oasis there – and it’s the British Airways Galleries T5B Lounge.
British Airways Galleries T5B Lounge
British Airways Boeing 777.
I was welcomed to the lounge, and headed in. And this lounge has one big positive over the other lounges at Terminal 5 – it’s quiet.
It’s a staging lounge for those who have to head over to T5B early for a flight (Like I did), as such, it’s one of the quietest lounges at Heathrow – and thus the most relaxing.
My sofa set.
Liquid refreshment.
More liquids
Porridge and fruit
As you can see, the food set-up is the same. No bad thing…
Even down to the food items.
I found a set of sofas to slump in, and fired up Cisco Spark to remotely be insulted by co-workers I left behind. I returned the favour, and also made a quick list of phone calls I’d need to make. With boarding approaching, I refilled the water bottle (trust me – this is a continuing theme of this trip), and headed downstairs to the general waiting area.
Heading down – my plane in the far distance.
Main boarding was close to beginning – always a good start.
To the gate!
I headed to the window to work out what plane we had – and yes – it was a Boeing 747. Sadly – it was missing one thing on it – a Gogo 2Ku WiFi dome. That meant I would be sans connectivity.
A Super Hi J Boeing 747 waiting for loading. No Gogo 2Ku dome on it though.
Normally, this would be a relief. Sadly, I knew there was stuff to be done on the work server still. Ho hum.
People of course didn’t know what queue to stand in, so there was a delay passing the boarding pass scan. Eventually, I made it to the head of the queue, and passed through.
It was time to board this Queen of the Skies for the long slog over the pond.
Next: BA295 London Heathrow to Chicago O’Hare International
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Never knew there was a lounge at B satellite cos never flew out from there. Love to try our their new group boarding….wonder how it would feel to do that ‘walk of Shame’…..