Ok, so I did West coast trip by train (San Diego -> Santa Barbara -> San Francisco -> Portland -> Seattle -> Vancouver) on BA Club out, and First back (good use of 2 for 1, 125K miles and 1300 quid).
So was stuck with the Galleries Club lounge in Terminal 5.
I know not to expect much, but jeez, it was worse than I thought...
I realise that while you have to ask for champers, but tracking down table clearers to do that meant that in effect you hovered by the table cleaners door, and grabbed one on the way out....
I did manage to make a margarita from the bits and pieces there, sticky fingers from squeezing the bits of lime to add the limey bits. I suppose at least there was tequila and cointreau to be able to make it, but hardly the full cocktail experience of the clubhouse.
But it was the food which threw it so badly for me. Basic slop. Baked potato with chili? Pasta and tomato stuff? I believe that was actually the highlight of the day over breakfast at the bit in the middle of the afternoon when there's none... Absolutely totally no desert options as well?
So its not just the lack of pool table, hottub, bar, buffet, shoe shine, served meal and such which was the difference...
I the club lounge back from Chicago, and that was actually better than the T5 options.
Then I thought to consider... Why?
1) Numbers? Must be a about 50 times the amount of people going through that terminal than a typical virgin set of flights. Must be impossible to cater for all the status passengers, including the oneworld ones too.
2) Mix of Long Haul and Short Haul. That to me is the killer. Someone doing a hop to Dublin gets the same as someone who's dropped a few K to fly to west coast US? Sure you'll get the slop. And feel grateful. I think BA could do something there to improve the experience if they separated these two types. Not sure what would qualify.
3) Status getting food. This isn't always true on remote end. Chicago only had food for the ticketed club passengers. Status didn't get you the buffet (I think, its what the lounge dragon said).
4) Making First more desirable? I've really got no reason to fly first from T5 if that's the food which they've deployed they need to improve on. What do they serve in the First and CCR? Canteen food? My god, do FIRST GET SANDWICHES???
We had a late in the day flight, but next time to Honolulu we've got the 9:45am to LAX, and I'll be eating in whatever hotel I'm staying in...
I'd already known that the seat and service onboard was pretty good. But if I was going in blind, I'd have been dreading getting onboard given the pre boarding experience...
So was stuck with the Galleries Club lounge in Terminal 5.
I know not to expect much, but jeez, it was worse than I thought...
I realise that while you have to ask for champers, but tracking down table clearers to do that meant that in effect you hovered by the table cleaners door, and grabbed one on the way out....
I did manage to make a margarita from the bits and pieces there, sticky fingers from squeezing the bits of lime to add the limey bits. I suppose at least there was tequila and cointreau to be able to make it, but hardly the full cocktail experience of the clubhouse.
But it was the food which threw it so badly for me. Basic slop. Baked potato with chili? Pasta and tomato stuff? I believe that was actually the highlight of the day over breakfast at the bit in the middle of the afternoon when there's none... Absolutely totally no desert options as well?
So its not just the lack of pool table, hottub, bar, buffet, shoe shine, served meal and such which was the difference...
I the club lounge back from Chicago, and that was actually better than the T5 options.
Then I thought to consider... Why?
1) Numbers? Must be a about 50 times the amount of people going through that terminal than a typical virgin set of flights. Must be impossible to cater for all the status passengers, including the oneworld ones too.
2) Mix of Long Haul and Short Haul. That to me is the killer. Someone doing a hop to Dublin gets the same as someone who's dropped a few K to fly to west coast US? Sure you'll get the slop. And feel grateful. I think BA could do something there to improve the experience if they separated these two types. Not sure what would qualify.
3) Status getting food. This isn't always true on remote end. Chicago only had food for the ticketed club passengers. Status didn't get you the buffet (I think, its what the lounge dragon said).
4) Making First more desirable? I've really got no reason to fly first from T5 if that's the food which they've deployed they need to improve on. What do they serve in the First and CCR? Canteen food? My god, do FIRST GET SANDWICHES???
We had a late in the day flight, but next time to Honolulu we've got the 9:45am to LAX, and I'll be eating in whatever hotel I'm staying in...
I'd already known that the seat and service onboard was pretty good. But if I was going in blind, I'd have been dreading getting onboard given the pre boarding experience...