EXCLUSIVE: New Terminal 5 Priority Pass landside lounge now open

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• Brian says:

  10 Jul10 July 09:17

  I was in the lounge on Wed/Thurs, thanks to my Platinum status. I thought the food offering both in the evening and at breakfast was a bit limited, though adequate for my purposes. Drinks selection was fine – though I can’t comment on the alcohol, since I don’t drink it! For me, the major selling-point of the lounge was its quietness – there were several people in the evening, but it wasn’t crowded, despite it being the alcohol period, and I was the only one in the morning!

  As others have commented, I’m not sure it would be worth going out of one’s way to get to, however.

• Sue says:

  10 Jul10 July 09:52

  Agree with others that hope the lounge will not be overrun with Priority Pass users. Have paid extra for a room with lounge access at the Sofitel in the past and have always enjoyed it but it can even now be difficult to find somewhere to sit.
  Even hotel guests have to pay £25 to access the spa area if no treatment is booked.
  Not happy that Sofitel have done this.
  Might have to get a Priority Pass myself for use when staying at the hotel and just book a standard room. Assume it could be used to gain entry to the lounge for up to 5 hours in the evening and then for up to 5 hours the next morning for breakfast?

  • Rob says:

    10 Jul10 July 09:54

    Once a day should be ok, yes – can’t see why not.

  • Bob says:

    10 Jul10 July 12:16

    I wonder if a lot of lounge access was given through free upgrades to platinum Accor I status Platinum Amex holders… And now that they’ve cancelled the free status for Accor, they’re seeing it as replacing the benefit to Plats in a way which raises some revenue (from the PP people)? In which case other top Accor hotels might do something similar (and Amex should encourage them to, to sweeten the Plat deal)

• John says:

  10 Jul10 July 09:59

  Free breakfast every day if you live near T5???

  • Barry cutters says:

    10 Jul10 July 11:57

    Or if you work at heathrow

• mark2 says:

  10 Jul10 July 11:28

  Should I assume that with the Platinum card Priority Pass I will need a boarding card for entry, at least at airport lounges. Or are they all past security?

  • Rob says:

    10 Jul10 July 11:39

    Past security, yes. Before security (ie this one and Plaza Premium Arrivals in T2), no.

    I have used Plaza Premium before when I was at Heathrow for a meeting.

• Bob says:

  10 Jul10 July 12:13

  Totally OT, but I figure headforpoints readers might know – is there a best place to buy Bose noise cancelling headsets (QC35)? They seem to be exactly the same price everywhere I look…

  • Jovanna says:

    10 Jul10 July 12:39

    They were under £200 in the Bose store at Ashford Designer Outlet last weekend but I can’t recall how much, off the top of my head and I could be getting confused with a similar pair. Give them a call – 01233 649800 or 01233 898470?

    • Robert says:

      10 Jul10 July 13:45

      Very much doubt the QC35 would have been so discounted considering they are brand new.

  • Rob says:

    10 Jul10 July 13:00

    Amazon had a Bose deal on Prime Day last year so worth looking on Tuesday.

  • Bob says:

    10 Jul10 July 13:06

    Thanks for the replies! 🙂

  • CV3V says:

    10 Jul10 July 16:04

    Amazon Prime this Tuesday – on offer last year with a big discount but they were for certain phones, not iPhone, which i think will relate to the compatibility of the inline volume control.

    I don’t need headphones, but will be looking out for the Johnie Walker Blue they had on sale last year!

  • World Traveller says:

    10 Jul10 July 22:55

    Bose, like Apple keeps a firm grip on their retail prices, and retailers are not permitted to discount their products. This means the prices will be same wherever you buy them.

    The Bose outlet stores are a bit of a scam, most of what they sell is brand new at regular retail price, with a little bit of cheaper discontinued products.

• Max says:

  10 Jul10 July 13:18

  Are there any good offers on lounge access at LHR T5?
  I don’t have a PP or any other passes at present

  I was wondering if Barclays Travel Plus pack is any good.

  For £13.50 pm you receive:
  1. Worldwide Multi-Trip Family Travel Insurance for you and your family
  2, Access to more than 800 airport lounges worldwide (you get 6 passes per year)
  3. UK and European RAC Comprehensive Breakdown cover

  • Rob says:

    10 Jul10 July 14:22

    No, for one simple reason. The only 3rd party lounge is the tiny Aspire one. That has a capacity of 40 (?) people. The chance of you getting in via a pass is relatively slim because pre-bookings get priority.

    Once the new 200 seat Plaza Premium lounge opens there will be a lot more flexibility.

    6 Dragonpass passes for (£13.50 x 12, assuming you don’t cancel) is a bad deal if you don’t need breakdown cover or travel insurance. Cheaper to pay as you go.

    Best value is to pay £800 in the next Qatar sale for an ex-Europe business class return to Asia, get 560 tier points and thus BA Silver, giving you T5 lounge access for you and a guest for up to 23 months!

    • Nick says:

      10 Jul10 July 14:41

      Hopefully that sale will be soon Rob.

  • CV3V says:

    10 Jul10 July 16:06

    This one is a favourite of Harry, I think he said you take out the account then cancel it later on but retain the lounge passes.

    • harry says:

      10 Jul10 July 16:10

      Not exactly – DP/ Barclays are now cute at cancelling any unused passes when you stop paying. Get round it by phoning DP as soon as you sign up for the Travel Pack, explain you’re travelling soon and need the passes right away. They’ll email you 6 passes, each with a unique code valid for 12 months.

      • Max says:

        11 Jul11 July 10:39

        Good point Harry 🙂
        Thx

• Nick says:

  10 Jul10 July 14:43

  Has anyone used any lounge at Birmingham International via their PP card? I’ll be there in September.

  • Gavin says:

    10 Jul10 July 16:40

    I’ve used No 1 (not sure if it’s PP), it’s ok, very good Bloody Mary from the bar staff. A few bits of food to pick at, and one free food order with entry.

  • radiata says:

    10 Jul10 July 17:32

    I have a PP but entered the BHX No 1 courtesy of QR a week ago as flying in J. Informed at the door upon enquiry that PP holders were being turned away as lounge envisaged being filled to capacity that morning (presumably with airline and paid booking passengers).

    The Aspire Lounge at BHX – not visited on the day – said also to accept PP.

    • Fenny says:

      10 Jul10 July 17:40

      If you have one of the PP packages that includes 10 lounge entries valid for 12 months and you keep getting turned away and can’t use the passes, what can you do? I’d be a bit miffed in that case.

      • harry says:

        10 Jul10 July 17:48

        You can book/ reserve entry to No1 for £5 http://www.no1traveller.com/reservations

        • Fenny says:

          10 Jul10 July 18:01

          So you have to pay for the membership with inclusive passes *and* pay to reserve a place?

        • harry says:

          10 Jul10 July 18:11

          Can’t blame No1, they are not a charity.

          Incidentally, I posted a link to show how you can get PP memberships with a very nice discount (on the European sign up sites, if anybody is interested).

          I think the Premium package was about £200 instead of £259 – and similar savings on the other levels.

        • Nick says:

          10 Jul10 July 18:42

          Exactly.

        • Rob says:

          10 Jul10 July 21:27

          You don’t HAVE to, but you do if you want to guarantee entry with No 1.

          This is logical. They have x spots per hour. If they sell them all, they are full and there is nothing they can do when you turn up with your PP. If you want to guarantee a spot you pay £5.

          It seems reasonable to me. They can’t offer free reservations because you may not turn up and, once your spot is reserved, they will be turning down bookings from paying customers.

        • harry says:

          10 Jul10 July 18:43

          So who are you blaming? No1 or PP?

        • harry says:

          10 Jul10 July 18:47

          ‘The system! Keuh keuh!’

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