Back to O’Hare and the British Airways Terraces Lounge
More Business, More Pleasure.
In this divided trip report
Part One: The Pleasure
- Part 1
- Two o’clock in the morning. I love this time of day. Honestly.
- The Cathay Pacific, American Airlines Lounges… and a five-hour delay
- AA87 London Heathrow to Chicago O’Hare International (Premium Economy)
- Crowne Plaza O’Hare
- A photographer’s paradise? The Central Camera Company
- Hyatt Regency O’Hare
- Airplane Art Extra: From the Balcony of the Hyatt Regency O’Hare
- Back to the Bunny, British Airways Lounge
- BA294 Chicago O’Hare to London Heathrow (World Traveller Plus)
- Wait. My Bag is Re-Flighted???
- Part 2
Back to O’Hare
Peepette would like to travel… ideally not in the suitcase.
I headed aboard the shuttle bus for the 30-minute ride to Terminal 5. Whilst the Hyatt isn’t far away from the O’Hare complex, it does take time to drive around the terminal 1-2-3 complex, go to the pick-up area to pick up more hotel guests, and finally, work its way around traffic delays to Terminal 5.
A bit of United land…
And no, it doesn’t help the Air train system that O’Hare has is out of action.
Terminal 5
Arriving at T5, I was dropped off with my luggage. Thankfully, it was a short walk to the British airways Checkin area.
My bags were accepted for travel, and my details checked. With everything ticked off, I braced myself for the hell of Terminal 5 security.
Why the hell? This can be a good 30 minute plus wait on a bad day.
The day I travelled through, the normal security lines were reasonably filled up, but not bursting to busy.
Terminal 5 Security Identity check queue
It took me around 15 minutes to clear the security hell.
From one hell to another.
With that, I breezed through the Duty-Free area and a chance to get a snack before the flight. Alas, this meant turning left and left again into the windowless box that is British Airways Terminal 5 Lounge.
Also, there’s popcorn if you need it
Not before picking up a bottle of water. Because my other water bottle was back at the hotel…
British Airways Terraces Lounge Terminal 5
I was welcomed into the lounge, with my boarding pass zapped. It seems that one of the flights last night was cancelled – and the plane would be going out full this evening.
And that was reflected in the lounge, which was pretty packed.
And quiet…
For me, it was a chance to grab a snack, a breather and a chance to get a few social media posts out.
The lounge itself – I’ve referred to it as a windowless box that is need of being torn down and started again.
The food options – if you’re just using the lounge and not the pre-flight dining – haven’t got any better, with a few bite-sized sandwiches (along with limited replenishment – especially as when boarding of the flight drew near.
Snacks
Cinnamon Spice crackers. Hmm.
Cleaned out before the flight departure.
Beverages were a mixture of wines, spirits and soft drinks – nothing out of the ordinary.
Wine
But again, we turn to this windowless dark box, and compared to the Air France-KLM Lounge, it pales into awfulness, based on the service options, and the lack of natural light.
I understand British Airways are going to do something about this lounge – and it can’t come too soon
With just under a 45 minutes to departure, boarding was called from the lounge. I packed up what trash I needed to, and headed to the boarding gate.
Boarding was in full swing, with the priority groups called. I headed down the path (passing those on the way through who were waiting for their group, as well as the odd chancer trying to sneak through).
The waiting Queen of the Skies.
Group boarding in process
Through to the gate
With my boarding pass blipped, I was let aboard the waiting Boeing 747-400 bound for London Heathrow.
Next: BA294 Chicago to London Heathrow
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