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Economy Class & Beyond

You are here: Home / Trips / Chicago and Hamburg 3 / TRIP REPORT: More Pleasure, More Business – Back to O’Hare and the British Airways Terraces Lounge

TRIP REPORT: More Pleasure, More Business – Back to O’Hare and the British Airways Terraces Lounge

01/05/2019 by Kevincm

 Back to O’Hare and the British Airways Terraces Lounge
More Business, More Pleasure.

More Business More Pleasure header

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

a suitcase with a stuffed animal on top
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 white car parked in front of a building
A bit of United land…

And no, it doesn’t help the Air train system that O’Hare has is out of action.

a group of people in an airport
Terminal 5

Arriving at T5, I was dropped off with my luggage. Thankfully, it was a short walk to the British airways Checkin area.

people standing in front of a counter

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.

a group of people in a hallway
Terminal 5 Security Identity check queue

It took me around 15 minutes to clear the security hell.

a man with luggage in a airport
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.

a bucket of popcorn in front of a sign
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…

a sign in a building

a sign in a building

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.

a group of people sitting in chairs

a hallway with tables and benches
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.

a group of bags of chips 
Snacks

a bag of chips with a label 
Cinnamon Spice crackers. Hmm.

a trays of pastries and sandwiches on a glass shelf

a table with food containers and spoons

a group of bowls of fruit

a counter with plates and plates on it 
Cleaned out before the flight departure.

Beverages were a mixture of wines, spirits and soft drinks – nothing out of the ordinary.

a group of bottles in a metal container 
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.

a group of people standing in a line

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).

a plane parked at an airport

a plane parked at an airport
The waiting Queen of the Skies.

a group of people in an airport
Group boarding in process

a group of people standing in a line
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


Welcome to Economy Class and Beyond – Your no-nonsense guide to network news, honest reviews, with in-depth coverage, unique research as well as the humour and madness as I only know how to deliver.

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