Bits: update on the BA Glasgow lounge closure, Mandarin Oriental launches Amex cashback deal

Andy says:

Upperdeck lounge, where to start…here’s what’s different for me…a queue on entry to even get to the door as it’s used by PP, OtB et al, once past that they have the usual BA lounge hostess to greet you.

Find a seat, next to someone watching “Housewives of somewhere or other”, on speaker, natch, whilst their partner is sitting with their feet on the table/chair sipping his first of 4 x 6am pints of Tennents.

Food’s limited, & usually scoffed quickly by locals (of which I’m a local too, tbf), who’re eating for breakfast, & mid-flight rolls too. My last PP visit served up ‘grey bacon’. If that’s your thing, yum 😋

Tea and coffee are the best bit, but they also have a soda fountain serving fizzy death drinks galore so, be like a local, and fill your water bottle while you’re there too 👍🏻

After a few you’ll need to use the facilities (I’m a bloke/he/him type dude) and fortunately, there’s an open area with a hand drier, sink and urinal all in one and a single cubicle that covers you bandeau-like from those looking around.

Olfactory stimulation will be high, and unfortunately if you’ve had the four pints and some great bacon, it may be a test for you 😳

Now, before you go to the loo perhaps, unlike BA’s lounge, remember if you leave your bag that the airport is located in Paisley (I know, but I was born there, I can say that 😉).

The rest of the lounge has large groups of argyle jumper-wearing golf dudes chatting (loudly, obvs) and, and I really do mean this, the staff are always very nice and try to look after the place as best it can be looked after.

As alternative to the BA lounge for Silver and those on cheap tickets … it would have been a far less difficult way to weed out these folks than simply gutting the Executive/BA Club.

As for the Lomond Lounge (I used recently while travelling CE) it’s much closer to the BA lounge, albeit no champs & much better apron views, but I still wouldn’t leave anything valuable lying around for very long (but that’s just me).

It’s sad what happened (I watched the video taken by a staff member 😳), but you’d think that BA would have some form of deal that says “if you’re ancient and crumbling facilities causes some grief, you’ll sort something for us to continue our operations”. It would appear not and GLA aren’t able to respond with staff etc to enhance the hours. That’s not a good or respectful way to treat a loyal customer base, but then, it’s BA isn’t it.

Anyway, let’s 🙏 for renovation 😜