Lounge overcrowding is a problem around the world, but nowhere have I seen it as bad as in London. My recent visit to the British Airways’ Galleries South Lounge in Heathrow Terminal 5 is the perfect example.
Here is how British Airways markets its Galleries lounge:
When you enter our Galleries lounge you are greeted with calm and tranquil surroundings, featuring Osborne and Little exclusively designed fabric, fine wines or ask for a nicely chilled glass of champagne. Your quiet time before your flight will be time well spent.
(bolding mine)
I’d say “clam and tranquil” or “quiet time” are not the words. Quite the contrary, it took me 10 minutes to find a seat with a power outlet. Literally 10 minutes…I am not exaggerating. Don’t believe me? Take a look at these pictures:
No Solution
The sad thing there isn’t a crowding solution. It is what it is. BA has a huge concentration of flights from Terminal 5 (not that the T3 lounge is any less crowded). And unlike other airports, there is no quiet gate area here, as the gates are equally packed. I also checked out the Aspire Lounge, a Priority Pass lounge, and it was just as crowded.
There are simply too many premium or status-holding passengers on BA…the lounge felt like a department store a few days before Christmas. The only thing BA could do to help travelers like me is to ensure there is access to power outlets at every seat. Currently, the majority of seats do not have plugs nearby…that is simply unacceptable.
CONCLUSION
And so I guess I write this post more to express my love-hate relationship with BA. While so many love to knock BA in all areas, I actually enjoy flying them both on longhaul and shorthaul flights (not in economy class). Its current business and first class seats are not cutting edge, but still comfortable. It’s just such a shame the very design flaw of T5 will likely always lead to horrible lounge overcrowding.
Is the only place to find some peace and quiet in T5 in the Concorde Room?
Certainly a measure of a good economy for sure.
Looks like a pretty nice lounge to me.
You had a very specific need (seat near an outlet) and there wasn’t one available although from your pictures there are plenty of seat available that are not near outlets.
Overcrowding “of the seats near outlets”…sure…but overcrowding in general…no
It’s 2019. The vast majority of people getting on or off an intercontinental flight are going to find benefit from a plug to charge cell phones, tablets, computers, etc.
I’d call someone who wouldn’t find benefit from a power socket the very specific and unusual case.
Flying premium work lounge access and don’t have a small power bank too charge a phone? Are you kidding me?
I am paranoid. I travel with backup power for my phone and computer. I also plug in my devices when I sleep on planes. But if I am in transit, I do not want to see my laptop drain, which drains quickly…
Totally agree, to label something abysmal due to individual want (not need, you could easily carry a 30,000mah powerbank around) is pretty unfair towards the provider.
Perhaps my pictures don’t do justice, but the lounge was absolutely packed and anything but tranquil. I could have taken many more pictures, but did not want to violate the privacy of others. The open seats were few and far between.
I’ll post a review of the lounge later in the week but spent over an hour in the lounge waiting for the perfect time to get pictures of lounge amenities without too many people in them.
T5 is always busy, from your pictures there are empty seats, how. Much room do you need. A chair a drink and some food Enjoy
I need a power plug and don’t want my knees against the person next to me.
This is why I view lounges as not a necessity. True, a little food is nice. However, in many airports, there’s a quiet gate somewhere.
Normally I would agree, but at Heathrow T5 I also cannot think of any quiet gate area.
This review is rather kind to the Galleries South in Heathrow. I passed through there, coming and going and both times it was packed. Seats were hard to find. It was generally messy. Food and beverage was of a mediocre standard. It took almost an hour to get a shower on my return leg. I ended up leaving the lounge and hanging out elsewhere because it was just so crazy in there. Forget finding 2 seats together. My travel companion on our way out got there an hour in advance my fight and was lucky to find/save me a seat. The spa treatments at Elmo’s were limited to an uncomfortable masage chair.
It’s not a perk I’ll count on in the future.
It was crowded when we were there too. However, we lucked out and scored seats on the mezzanine with nice views of the runway and alley. Moreover, the lounge’s croissants scored a 4/4 on my official croissant taste metric, i.e., a CTM score of 4. Finally, they also had free beer and wine!
Was Galleries North also as busy? Alternatively, you could have gone to the Galleries lounge in the B satellite. It’s usually much less busy. But frankly, I see a lot of empty chairs where you wouldn’t have had to rub knees with the person next to you. Granted, there may have not have been any seats next to a power port in the South lounge but didn’t you have access to one on the airplane if connecting? Or if your trip was originating from terminal 5 why didn’t you charge your phone beforehand?
I carry with me a power outlet splitter so multiple people can plug into a single outlet. Great for airports. I have them for the US and Europe. I would think they’d have them in the UK, too.
+1 on the Galleries North suggestion. We haven’t ever experienced a problem for the two of us there, even looking for outlets. Much bigger and less congested feel.
Next time.
report back!
I happen to use that lounge almost monthly, and quite honestly I find the offerings rather good. True, there is a shortage of universal power outlets (a/k/a a shortage of planning!); but otherwise there are some very nice benefits: First of all, OW Emerald FF’s can check in at the beautiful (and never crowded) BA FIRST section at the end of that T5 hall. Next, there is a fully dedicated Security line directly connected to thsee check-in desks, and upon completing Security it brings you directly into the lounge itself! Next the food and drink offerings are almost copious… no matter which time of the day or night… and when they are out of anything, the staff is generally very responsive to amending the situation. The only problem that I personally have there is when some of the #@&$%’s in the room are shouting on their phones; at which point I feel forced to say PLEEEEASE, until they hopefully calm down. But in reality, I’d be happy if BA would ever bring the level of this lounge’s services onto their airplanes!!
If you’re checking in at the First Wing why would you go to Galleries South ‘almost monthly’? The First Wing deposits you directly into the First Lounge, the premise being that if you are entitled to use the First Wing you are also entitled to use the First Lounge.
They should announce the flights departing from Pier A earlier – as the lounge in Pier A is very good but always empty .
That will clear out the lounge a bit in the main terminal.
If this was overcrowded, how do you defined lounge in Ngurah Rai, Bali?
+1. Is that REALLY the most crowded lounge that you’ve ever experienced? Good for you, man! I’ve seen much worse, and I don’t travel anywhere near as much as you.
This is pretty much every united or delta lounge that I have experienced when transferring in the US. One of the reasons I deplore transferring in the US so much because most of the lounges are just selling passes instead of limiting for loyalty level. Leaving just the option of polaris type lounges, which require ticket types I can’t always purchase. EU is next on this list and within a year or so every carrier lounge here will be full too.
Overall lounges have been steadily degrading in quality and actual space available the last few years.
Should have checked your Instagram messages an accepted my invite to guest you in the CCR.
This one may be your kind of article. May (PM) needs to include this in her talks, clearly. Hard (shareholder base) exit.
https://www.ft.com/content/3da640e2-2ee4-11e9-8744-e7016697f225