Coronavirus: British Airways closing some Heathrow lounges from Tuesday

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• Matt says:

  16 Mar16 March 23:29

  Anyone else noticed that the biscuits in the lounge have lost all their flavour in the last couple of days..?

  • Riku says:

    17 Mar17 March 04:35

    I stopped eating them when they switched from individually packaged biscuits to loose ones in a jar. I’ve seen too many people put their hand into the jar.

    • Tony Barber says:

      17 Mar17 March 05:57

      Ah, that explains it. The loss of taste is because everyone’s started washing their hands recently.

      • The Original David says:

        17 Mar17 March 07:33

        Haven’t we done the tongs vs hands debate before? Putting your hand into the jar to take out one biscuit is way more hygienic than touching a greasy pair of tongs that have been handled by 40 different people in the last hour.

        • Qfx says:

          17 Mar17 March 08:14

          But you have to use your hand to take the lid off the jar, then typically its the same hand that goes in the jar = just the same as using tongs or not using tongs.

          Wrapped biscuits were better for a few reasons, but if you put your hand in a jar to take out a wrapped pack, then you will touch the other packs too with that same hand, so you will contaminate the other packs. So do you need to wipe down the pack after you pick it up?

          Dont get me started on petrol pumps….

        • Shoestring says:

          17 Mar17 March 09:22

          yep petrol pumps dead nasty for bacteria and potentially viruses – just back from filling up with diesel (92.8p/ litre @Morrisons today) & shopping up – my routine is quite strict about no touching the credit card machine, don’t take the receipt etc but you can’t avoid the petrol – so no touching face then wash hands when home

          not panic buying but 20 bags of pasta seemed reasonable plus the basics longlife milk, flour, eggs, sugar plus a load of ready meals – idea being I won’t have to do daily shopping, so fewer chances to catch anything, not bothered about shops running out but #cantbetoocareful

        • Sandra says:

          17 Mar17 March 13:22

          “pussy cat” virus and all that…

• stevenhp1987 says:

  16 Mar16 March 23:59

  8 articles in one day… Is this a record?

  On topic, makes sense giving how empty it will be.

  • Rich says:

    17 Mar17 March 00:06

    And it’s only Monday…

  • ChrisBCN says:

    17 Mar17 March 07:22

    There’s a lot of impact of this virus despite what others would have you believe!

• TGLoyalty says:

  17 Mar17 March 00:33

  Perhaps the perfect time to do those refreshes

  I don’t believe they were overhauls so not so capital intensive

  • ChrisC says:

    17 Mar17 March 04:44

    But still an expense they may not want to shell out now if they can avoid it.

    Plus long lead time for everything they want to replace – you ain’t going to get a couple of hundred chars and tables etc in a short space of time.

    Ditto large amounts of carpet and other floor coverings etc

    • Lady London says:

      17 Mar17 March 16:43

      If they paid for existing labour with existing to deep clean everything including steam cleaning all fabrics and carpets it would probably make the place lighter as well as cleaner and that might be enough.

• CChan says:

  17 Mar17 March 00:36

  Should I cancel my Amex Platinum charge card, or is there any way I can pause the membership for a few months since I might not have the opportunity to use any of the benefits for months?

  • S says:

    17 Mar17 March 02:14

    >is there any way I can pause the membership for a few months

    No.

  • Rob says:

    17 Mar17 March 07:54

    Fair point. Open a free Amex Rewards card to preserve your points then cancel Plat. No issue taking it out again later.

• S says:

  17 Mar17 March 02:26

  Definitely refused in the US as no airports have sterile international zone.

  Canada – it depends.

  • Aaron says:

    17 Mar17 March 02:40

    In Toronto, terminal 1 has an international sterile zone (Air Canada is terminal 1). I can’t speak to the rules re transit and covid, but it would appear your best bet vs USA.

    • Aaron says:

      17 Mar17 March 02:42

      To be very explicit, you still clear customs in T1; but you don’t enter the non-international part of the airport (ie to leave you need to clear passport control).

• Yawn says:

  17 Mar17 March 03:30

  No advice, just wanted to say good luck. Hope you get home safe and sound.

• Lyn says:

  17 Mar17 March 04:48

  What a nerve-wracking situation for you. Sorry I don’t have any actual advice, but just a couple of thoughts, and lots of good luck wishes.

  Re the US – I don’t personally believe that US immigration understands the concept of “flexible”. However, as far as I understand it, the US ban isn’t against UK citizens, it is against anyone that has been in the UK/Ireland or Schengen in the two weeks preceding their flight. So if you left the UK more than two weeks ago you might be OK? Unless there a ban against arrivals from Colombia?

  On the other hand, the Canada ban seems to be actually based on citizenship/residence, with only Canadians and Americans allowed in. My guess is your problem could be actually being allowed to board the Air Canada flight leaving Colombia, whatever the transit situation in Canada (which I unfortunately know nothing about).

• FCP says:

  17 Mar17 March 05:42

  Avianca direct to London? Iberia or Air France?

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